While fear of crime was a major problem for the elderly, young people were more at risk, the National Crime Forum was told yesterday. It heard that attacks on the elderly had fallen dramatically since the mid-1980s. However, fear of crime, which had been "perpetuated by the media", could be as debilitating as an actual attack.
Mr Steve Faughnan, a retired Garda chief superintendent, said those in the 16-to-30 age group were more likely to be victims than older people.
He said that while working in community policing he had spoken to many organisations dealing with crime victims and the elderly. "I formed the opinion that there are many people out there whose fear of crime is as debilitating and traumatising as being an actual victim. This is particularly true of the elderly, be they living in remote areas of rural Ireland or in a large town or city."
Mr Jim Quigley, president of Muintir na Tire, said attacks on the elderly had fallen from 432 in 1984 to 97 in 1996, according to Department of Justice figures. This decline had followed the establishment in 1985 of the community-alert network by Muintir na Tire, in association with the Garda.
Mr Quigley said elderly and vulnerable people in rural areas had been targeted in recent years, causing both physical and psychological injury. "These attacks have led to a very high level of fear of attack in rural areas and the media have played no small part in perpetuating that fear."
The need to regulate the supply of security systems and to encourage the elderly to place their savings with financial institutions were other issues raised by community groups who addressed the forum yesterday.
An increase in Garda activity on the ground was also called for by several groups from both urban and rural areas.
Mr Faughnan, who is establishing a voluntary organisation called Security of the Elderly to provide specialist help to existing agencies and individuals, said many people were unaware of the availability of grant-aided security systems. He was also concerned at the number of security alarm companies who were now providing monitoring services for the elderly. Many offered a minimal service.
Mr Quigley said the threshold at which people with savings would begin to lose part of their non-contributory pensions, set at £6,000 for single people and £12,000 for couples, needed to be raised to encourage people to put their savings in an institution.
Oral submissions were also made by the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association, Dunboyne South-West Neighbourhood Watch, and the North Clondalkin Community Development Association.
