Based on increasing reports that our elders are committing more crimes, it seems that Grandma can't be trusted anymore. The Buffalo News reports that a 61 year old, former church business officer is scheduled to be sentenced for bilking her church out of over a quarter million dollars. What's worse yet, is the fact that the judge in the case placed sentencing conditions on the granny, which would base sentencing upon the amount of money the lady repaid before the sentencing hearing. To date, it appears that granny could only scare up $100,000 of the estimated $280,000 which she had taken. The judge has ordered the lady to sell her Canadian cottage and to dip into her retirement funds, in order to pay back more of the money.

It's a sign of the times, which is global in scope. Japanese officials have reported that crime by elders is increasing at an alarming rate in their own country. The Associated press reports: "Elderly crimes (in Japan) rose 4.2 percent in 2007 from a year earlier, though the total number of people arrested fell 4.8 percent..."

Could it be that our senior populations are growing more desperate in tough times? Is it simply a matter of the criminal element growing older? I'm not entirely sure of the causes, but I know one thing for certain. I find it a bit unnerving to think that people who should be rocking on the porch while telling stories of the good old days, are now taking to the streets, robbing our neighbors and causing general mayhem.

Well, perhaps it's not quite that bad...

The Treasury Department is rolling out a debit card today in 10 states so that people without bank accounts won't waste their sustenance checks on huge check cashing fees. The DirectExpress Debit MasterCard automatically loads new payments onto the card each month, so there are no checks to be lost in the mail or wasted.

In theory, it's a great idea. When check cashing fees take a big bite out federal benefits checks, they're effectively taking a big bite out of what taxpayers shell out to take care of seniors and the disabled. We don't want the people who most desperately need the money most getting gouged.

But the new system isn't totally free, either. This card comes with lots of new fees. You get one free ATM withdrawl per check. After that, it's 90 cents each withdrawl. And you have to find an ATM that's in their free networks or get hit with the bank's fee. Its network has 50,000 ATMs -- Comerica Bank, Charter One, Privileged Status, Alliance One, PNC Bank, MasterCard® ATM Alliance, and MoneyPass. Nationwide there are 360,759 ATMs as of 2007, the Bost Globe Reports. So, only about one in seven will not charge users a fee.