Burglary
Distraction Burglary Development and Practice Report
This document is published for archival/historical purposes. It will not be updated.
Home Office Development and Practice Reports are intended to pull together the lessons learned from research studies into practical guidance that can be applied by CDRP members. This report looks at lessons learned in distraction burglary and its effects on the elderly.
Title: Older victims of burglary and distraction burglary – recommendations for practitioners
Series: Home Office Development and Practice Report 11
Number of pages: 6
Date published: June 2003
The DPR is intended to serve as practical guidance, drawing on the two research studies, relevant for practitioners dealing regularly with older people and vulnerable groups, or in contact with older victims after a crime. Its recommendations may be of particular interest to the police, CDRPs, local authorities, other housing providers, Primary Care Trusts and organisations in the voluntary and charity sectors.
The substance of its recommendations are shown under the research studies "Distraction burglary amongst older adults and minority ethnic communities" and "Experiences of burgled older people" but among other things it stresses:
the importance of raising public awareness of distraction burglary: it suggests ways in which campaigns might be improved so that the messages are remembered and acted upon;
interaction rather than passivity on the part of the audience of older people, to maximise learning effectiveness;
promoting self-confidence and feelings of personal control;
identifying vulnerable older people (e.g. after a fall) and victims experiencing high levels of trauma, and findings ways to ensure that they receive suitable support;
identifying "slips in behaviour" in doorstep security to help the victim confront the problem and learn how to deal with it.
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Last update: Wednesday, August 27, 2008