ELDERLY victims of crime in Northern Ireland must receive better support, the Commissioner for Older People has said.
Eddie Lynch made the comments after publishing a new report examining the poor experiences of older victims of crime.
Comparing results with his previous report in 2019, he consulted with victims of crime and professionals in the justice system.
He said key problems that had persisted included limited adjusted services for older victims and a fear of reporting because the offender is known to them.
Mr Lynch has now called for justice agencies to monitor the experiences of older people more effectively and to improve investigation and prosecution outcomes.
“Although statistics show older people are less likely to be victims of crime, we found crimes such as violence without injury, criminal damage and harassment continue to have a lower outcome rate for older people than for most or all other age groups," he said.
“I’m disappointed that four years on, we are still seeing evidence that older people are being served less effectively by justice agencies than other sections of society."
Other findings show many older people felt they were being left to navigate the justice system on their own, with one saying: "It has broken my heart and confidence."
The research also found that under-reporting of crimes against older people suggested the full picture was presented in official figures, suggesting a strong case for better institutional understanding of older victims.
Geraldine Hanna was appointed as Commissioner Designate for Victims of Crime last year.
“The report highlights the lack of victim data and the difficulty in tracking the experience of older victims through the justice process," she said.
"The system must improve its ability to capture the justice journey of older victims and the reasons why they may choose to withdraw from the criminal justice process.
“This is an area I will focus on during my term to increase transparency and ensure better outcomes for victims.”
Mr Lynch said it was now "crucial" that older people have confidence in the authorities to protect them.
Eddie Lynch concluded: "I look forward to working in partnership with Commissioner Designate for Victims of Crime and other relevant authorities on these findings, to ensure older people feel fully supported and safe throughout the criminal justice process.”
