Fear of Crime Among the Elderly by Mary Dale Craig

Author:Mary Dale Craig [Craig, Mary Dale]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Social Science, Gerontology, Sociology, General
ISBN: 9781317775782
Google: CHt0DwAAQBAJ
Barnesnoble:
Goodreads: 1370958
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2000-07-25T00:00:00+00:00

Home Security Representative

This informant was a woman in her 40’s whose function was to assist the Sales Manager for the branch office of a security systems company with a service area that includes Focus Town. This company had offices throughout the United States, and each branch was locally operated. This particular office was located in the largest city, in the immediate area of Focus Town, and it served several surrounding counties. This informant was interviewed on March 29, 1996, and was selected as a potential source of information regarding elderly concerns about crime in and around Focus Town, as well as their use of security systems for prevention.

To determine the extent of this company’s service to the local elderly population and to provide some direction to the interview, the subject was initially asked, “Do you make note of... the age group of your customers, and if so... what percentage of your customers is over age 65?” She responded, “Well, we serve all age groups, of course... though... we don’t ask the specific ages of our customers. Therefore, I can’t tell you what percentage is over the age of 65.”

The issue of vulnerability, and the security company’s approach to it, was addressed with the following question: “Do you perceive the elderly to be a vulnerable group, and... do you, therefore... ‘target,’ for service... communities that are known to be... where older people live?” While she did not address the vulnerability issue, she did say, “We are not a very large operation and don’t have... any research staff to locate those communities.... In this town, there are some elderly who live in... the older neighborhoods, but... a lot of those older houses have been turned into rentals for [State University] students, and... the older residents have moved to other areas.... We aren’t able to keep track of where they go.”

It seemed reasonable to inquire about fear among the elderly and where it may have existed, since people who have been either directly or indirectly victimized by crime might believe that installing a security system in their homes could prevent a future crime occurrence. The informant was therefore asked, “Do you get calls from older people who are fearful and... want your service right away? If so, in what county?” Her response suggested that a greater amount of concern is felt by the previous generation, as they acknowledge a degree of responsibility toward their aging parents. She said, “Actually, we don’t get too many calls from the elderly themselves, and... those that do call are not... particularly fearful... they’re just calling to ask questions like... ‘What’s it going to cost?’ What we mostly get is... the middle-aged children of elderly parents... wanting to feel more secure about... the safety of their aging folks.”

To return to the vulnerability issue... again, relative to the company’s marketing strategies... the subject was asked, “Do you ever speak to... organizations of elderly (senior centers, A.A.R.P., etc.) about your service? If so... do you focus on the level of

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