4 Homicide (elimination of risk factors through various measures for elderly mainly utilizing welfare)

  Homicide is a highly ranked offense with first-time elderly inmates (see Table 7-2-4-5). The special research revealed that many elderly homicide offenders against relatives committed homicide against their spouses and children due to such motives as “discouraged about the future” or “exhaustion from nursing care”, with no previous convictions (see Fig. 7-3-2-41, Fig. 7-3-2-46, and Fig. 7-3-2-49).
  Sentencing for homicides against relatives showed that, unlike those against non-relatives, consideration is given in sentencing, with none being sentenced to life imprisonment, the majority of males being sentenced to imprisonment for 5 years to 10 years, no female being sentenced to more than 10 years imprisonment, and more than 40% of females being granted suspension of execution of sentence (see Fig. 7-3-2-51). For crime acts such as those exhausted from nursing care unexpectedly committing homicide at an elderly age, however, criminal justice institutions cannot easily prevent these cases, making it entirely a welfare area. Hence they must be taken care of by improving the general social welfare system.
  On the other hand, regarding elderly homicide offenders against non-relatives, the ratio of committing homicides against “strangers” is low, while the ratio of committing homicides for “revenge/grudge” is high, when compared to elderly injury/assault offenders, suggesting that many had long held discontent and anger against the victims.
  The White Paper on Crime 2007 in its special article pointed out that many “repeat homicide offenders” have criminal records for violent offenses such as injury/assault and the necessity for implementing treatment aiming at them acquiring the ability to control their feelings. For homicide offenders against non-relatives, those with previous convictions accounted for majority both with elderly offenders and with non-elderly offenders (see Fig. 7-3-2-41) and, like injury/assault cases, providing treatment that aims at them acquiring the ability to control their feelings at young and prime ages would be considered effective.