Crime against older people isn’t well understood by police and CPS & they should be better prepared to deal with an ageing population
Older people who have been the victims of crime are often let down by the police and wider criminal justice system which does not always understand their needs and experiences, according to a new report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) and Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI)
The UK has an ageing population. Although older people are not by definition vulnerable, studies show that older people, as a group, are more likely to be affected by the physical and mental challenges of attending court to give evidence. Older people are also more likely to fear being the victims of crime than people in other age groups.
HMICFRS and HMCPSI found that the police have only a “superficial understanding” of the nature and extent of crimes against older people, which often results in a poorer service to older victims.
Older people account for 18 percent of the population, but over eight out of ten victims of doorstop scams are elderly, and they also comprise a quarter of domestic homicide victims.
Click here to read more and download the report.
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