The Elderly and Crime in England and Wales

Abstract

Until recently, the elderly have been virtually ignored in criminal justice literature and research. However there is growing awareness of the fact that populations in Europe and in other parts of the developed world such as Japan are becoming older. With more individuals defined as elderly, it is certain that the elderly will play a greater part in the criminal justice system, either as offenders, victims, or functionaries within justice institutions. Due to the foreseeable changes, there has been a recent growth of interest in the role of the elderly in the justice process.