Elderly crime expected to surge: report

By Lee Kyung-min

The number of crimes committed by senior citizens aged over 60 is expected to rise this year due to the rapidly aging society, a study showed Sunday.

According to the 2016 public safety and security analysis by the Police Science Institute of the Korean National Police Agency, a total of some 1.79 million crimes are expected this year. This marks a 10 percent decrease from the previous year at 1.85 million ― but the crimes committed by the elderly aged 61 and older will likely increase.

Police said that such estimation is attributed to their financial insecurity following early retirement in the midst of the prolonged sluggish economic climate, as well as a lack of social security measures for the fast-aging society.

According to Statistics Korea, the number of elderly Koreans will reach 6.62 million this year, and the figure is forecast to surpass 8 million in 2020. More than one in five of the population will be 65 or older as soon as 2026.

According to the analysis, as of September last year, the crime rate by the elderly increased by 9.1 percent over a year earlier, the largest increase among all age groups.

The proportion of convicted rapists and sexual assailants aged 61 and above has risen from 11.8 percent in 2010 to 15.4 percent 2014.

The report noted that they are subject to sudden poverty and tend to feel anger and frustration, which sometimes drives them to commit crimes such as murder, robbery, sexual assault and arson.

According to an OECD report, Korea recorded the highest poverty rate for elderly citizens among the 34 member nations.

Currently, almost half, or 49.6 percent of senior Koreans aged 65 or older live below the poverty line. The number far exceeds the OECD average of 12.6 percent.

The trend shows no signs of abating, the report estimates.

In response, police announced plans to come up with an appropriate precautionary measure aimed at providing emotional support for the socially neglected as well as strengthening the social benefits programs.

They plan to develop programs to better integrate the age group by increasing their social participation through senior group meetings as well as mentoring sessions for the younger generation.

Joint efforts by the police and government will be increased to monitor abuse of the elderly as well as looking in on those who live alone estranged from their families.