Book Review: Crime, Abuse and the Elderly
| Author | Judith Phillips |
| Date | 01 September 2001 |
| Published date | 01 September 2001 |
| DOI | 10.1177/026975800100800306 |
| Subject Matter | Book Reviews |
299
supportive of physician-assisted
methods,
arguing
that
sanctions
in
favour of
the
practice
may
give
too
much
discretionary
power
to
the
medical profession.
Finally,
in
bringing
the
discussion
up
to
date,
the
English case of
mass
murderer
Dr.
Harold
Shipman
is
examined.
This
serves
as
a
means
through
which
the
social
policy
implications of
previous
chapters
can
be
considered.
As
such
Brogden
advises
four
levels
of
action
by
way
of
checking
geronticide. Procedural
problems exist
in
terms
of
the
medical
profession's control over
dying,
with
current constraints requiring
further
development
and
better enforcement.
Secondly,
greater
empowerment
of
the
elderly
through
agency
must
be
encour-
aged.
Thirdly,
further
inroads
must
be
made
in
reversing
the
prevalent ageist
ideology
(which
sees
old
people
as
incapable
of rational decision
making).
Finally,
continued
legal
developments
in
the
field
of
human
rights
for
the elderly
must
be
implemented
to
tum
sound
principles
into
practice.
To
conclude,
this
is
an
extremely
well
written
book.
It addresses
an
area of
considerable importance
that
has
reached
the
public
arena
in
recent
years.
It
sets
out
to
provide
an
extensive
overview
of
the
subject
and
manages
to
achieve
its
aims.
At
the
same
time
it
remains
accessible
to
academic,
professional
and
lay
readers,
and
samples
from
an
impressively
wide
range
of reference material.
At
the
very
least
this
book
should
force
us
to
rethink our relationships
with
the
elderly.
Syd
Hiskey
Ph.D.
Student,
Department
of
Psychology,
University of
Essex,
UK.
CRIME,
ABUSE
AND
THE
ELDERLY
Mike
Brogden
and
Preeti
Nijhar.
Willan
Publishing, Cullompton,
2000.
pp.
191.
ISBN
1-903240-03-4.
£16.99.
Brogden
and
Nijhar substantially contribute
to
the
limited literature
on
crime
and
older people
in
the
UK
through
their
book,
Crime, Abuse
and
the Elderly.
This
takes
a particular perspective
in
relation
to
older people
as
both
victims
and
perpetrators of
crime.
It
argues
that
abuse
and
crime
against
and
by
older people
should
be
viewed
through
a criminal justice perspective rather
than
a welfarist
approach,
and
taken
more
seriously
by
criminologists.
It
is
this
controversial
perspective
which
runs
throughout
the
book.
The
introductory
chapters
set
the
scene
by
arguing
that criminologists
have
ignored
the
extent
and
character of victimisation
in
the
private
space
of
home
and
the
institution,
which
has
been
the
traditional
domain
of
abuse
specialists.
Gerontologists
focussing
on
abuse
of older
people
are
also
criticised
for
ignoring
the
wider sociological, organisational
and
structural
factors
in
their explanations.
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