Crimes Against the Elderly

A new report from the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) looks at crimes committed against elderly people (age 65 and older) over the period 2003 to 2013.


The report finds that during this period:

1. elderly had a lower nonfatal violent crime rate than other age groups (3.6 victimizations of sexual assault, robbery, or assault per 1,000 people);
2. elderly also had lower property crime rate; and
3. five percent of elderly people suffered identity theft crimes, a higher percentage than age groups other than the 25 to 49 age group (7.9%).

The report also finds that elderly homicide rates fell 44% from 1993 to 2011, with 2.1 homicides per 100,000 people age 65 and older in 2011.


Read more information and data in the full report, Crimes Against the Elderly, 2003-2013.