Elder Abuse Prosecution Elder Abuse Unit Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office DemographicsDemographics ByBy 20302030 nationalnational elderlyelderly population:population: >70>70 millionmillion JeffersonJefferson CountyCounty populationpopulation 2000:2000: 535,837535,837 JeffersonJefferson CountyCounty elderlyelderly populationpopulation (65+):(65+): 2000: 51,131 (10%) 2010: 69,129 (12.5%) 2020: 119,110 (20%) 2030: 164,761 (24.6%) (source:Jefferson County Planning and Zoning) ExtentExtent ofof thethe ProblemProblem BetweenBetween oneone andand twotwo millionmillion AmericansAmericans ageage 6565 oror olderolder havehave beenbeen injured,injured, exploitedexploited oror mistreatedmistreated byby aa caregiver.caregiver. (Source: 2003 National Research Council Panel to Review Risk and Prevalence of Elder Abuse and Neglect.) OnlyOnly oneone inin twentytwenty fivefive casescases ofof financialfinancial exploitationexploitation ofof thethe elderlyelderly areare reported.reported. (Source: Consumer’s Digest, 2000) 92%92% ofof nursingnursing homeshomes havehave employeeemployee withwith criminalcriminal conviction.conviction. (Source: March, 2011 Report of Inspector General Department of Health and Human Services) ExtentExtent ofof thethe ProblemProblem NationalNational CommitteeCommittee forfor thethe PreventionPrevention ofof ElderElder AbuseAbuse (NCPEA):(NCPEA): AnnualAnnual financialfinancial lossloss byby elderlyelderly victimsvictims ofof financialfinancial abuseabuse estimatedestimated atat $2.9$2.9 billion.billion. WomenWomen areare twicetwice asas likelylikely toto bebe victimsvictims ofof elderelder financialfinancial abuseabuse thanthan men.men. MostMost victimsvictims werewere betweenbetween agesages ofof 8080 andand 8989 60%60% ofof perpetratorsperpetrators werewere male.male. “Crimes of Occasion, Desperation, and Predation Against America’s Elders”, June, 2011 SpecialSpecial ConcernsConcerns HowHow havehave thesethese casescases beenbeen handledhandled inin thethe past?past? By law enforcement? By DA’s? OurOur prosecutionprosecution philosophy:philosophy: Caregivers Family Those who prey on elders CollaborationCollaboration (law(law enforcement,enforcement, APS,APS, nonnon-- profitsprofits andand carecare providers).providers). WhatWhat isis elderelder abuse?abuse? CrimeCrime thatthat isis anan exploitationexploitation ofof ageage oror wherewhere impactimpact isis moremore severesevere duedue toto age.age. AgeAge 6060 andand aboveabove PhysicalPhysical abuseabuse Assaults, harassment PhysicalPhysical neglectneglect Neglect that leads to risk of injury or actual injury SexualSexual abuseabuse FinancialFinancial exploitationexploitation LegalLegal ToolsTools WrongsWrongs toto AtAt--RiskRisk Adults,Adults, §§1818--6.56.5--101101 ““.. .. .at.at--riskrisk adultsadults .. .. .. areare moremore vulnerablevulnerable toto andand disproportionatelydisproportionately damageddamaged byby crimecrime inin generalgeneral .. .. .. becausebecause theythey areare lessless ableable toto protectprotect themselvesthemselves againstagainst offenders,offenders, aa numbernumber ofof whomwhom areare inin positionspositions ofof trusttrust .. .. ..”” ““TheThe generalgeneral assemblyassembly thereforetherefore findsfinds thatthat penaltiespenalties forfor specifiedspecified crimescrimes committedcommitted againstagainst atat--riskrisk adultsadults .. .. .. shouldshould bebe moremore severe.severe. .. ..”” AtAt--RiskRisk AdultsAdults ““AtAt--riskrisk adultadult”” meansmeans anyany personperson whowho isis sixtysixty yearsyears ofof ageage oror olderolder oror anyany personperson whowho isis eighteeneighteen yearsyears ofof ageage oror olderolder andand isis aa personperson withwith aa disability.disability. .. .. ““ *(Different definition than that which appears in Human Services Code) ““neglectneglect”” occursoccurs whenwhen adequateadequate food,food, clothing,clothing, shelter,shelter, psychologicalpsychological care,care, physicalphysical care,care, medicalmedical care,care, oror supervisionsupervision isis notnot securedsecured forfor thethe atat--riskrisk adultadult oror isis notnot providedprovided byby aa caretakercaretaker inin aa timelytimely mannermanner .. .. .. 26-3.1-101, C.R.S. AtAt--RiskRisk CrimesCrimes NegligentNegligent injuryinjury –– §§1818--6.56.5--103(1)103(1) andand (2)(2) AssaultsAssaults -- §§1818--6.56.5--103(3)103(3) RobberyRobbery -- §§1818--6.56.5--103(4)103(4) SexSex AssaultAssault -- §§1818--6.56.5--103(7)103(7) AllAll otherother crimescrimes (ID(ID theft,theft, forgery,forgery, etc.)etc.) stillstill applyapply toto elderlyelderly butbut therethere isis nono enhancedenhanced penaltypenalty ProfileProfile ofof TypicalTypical AbuserAbuser SonSon inin latelate 3030’’ss toto latelate 4040’’ss LivingLiving atat homehome withwith mothermother Divorced/returnsDivorced/returns homehome oror singlesingle andand unmotivatedunmotivated oror justjust outout ofof jailjail LazyLazy andand unemployedunemployed Drugs,Drugs, alcohol,alcohol, gamblinggambling HistoryHistory ofof mentalmental illnessillness (source: Paul Greenwood) PhysicalPhysical AbuseAbuse WarningWarning signssigns WarningWarning signssigns physicalphysical abuse:abuse: Unexplained bruises, scratches, burns Broken bones Pinches, pulls hair slaps non-medically prescribed restraints Excuses:Excuses: “she bruises easily” “she fell” CaretakerCaretaker NeglectNeglect CaretakerCaretaker NeglectNeglect AnyAny personperson whowho knowinglyknowingly neglectsneglects anan atat--riskrisk adultadult oror knowinglyknowingly actsacts inin aa mannermanner likelylikely toto bebe injuriousinjurious toto thethe physicalphysical oror mentalmental welfarewelfare ofof anan atat--riskrisk adult.adult. (M1)(M1) CaretakerCaretaker NeglectNeglect ““NeglectNeglect”” occursoccurs whenwhen adequateadequate food,food, clothing,clothing, shelter,shelter, psychologicalpsychological care,care, physicalphysical care,care, medicalmedical care,care, oror supervisionsupervision isis notnot securedsecured forfor thethe atat--riskrisk adultadult oror isis notnot providedprovided byby aa caretakercaretaker inin aa timelytimely mannermanner andand withwith thethe degreedegree ofof carecare thatthat aa reasonablereasonable personperson inin thethe samesame situationsituation wouldwould exercise.exercise. Section 26-3.1-101(4), C.R.S. ““caretakercaretaker”” cancan bebe oneone whowho assumesassumes responsibilityresponsibility forfor thethe carecare ofof anan atat--riskrisk adult.adult. (Not(Not needneed legallegal relationship).relationship). Section 26-3.1-101(2), C.R.S. CaretakerCaretaker NeglectNeglect Relevant inquiries: Clutter Food on hand Irregular meals Last time bathed Observations of uncleanliness Condition of home in relation to disabilities or special care needs Medical care Financial relationships in household Isolation / withholding access to family and friends Red Flags: New person in life New person doing all of the talking SexualSexual AbuseAbuse SexualSexual AbuseAbuse Statutes are the same as for adults except enhanced penalties If dealing with incompetent victim have: Victim incapable of appraising nature of V conduct, 18-3- 404(b), C.R.S. Victim is physically helpless and victim has not consented, 18- 3-404(c), C.R.S. “consent”: means cooperation in act or attitude pursuant to an exercise of free will and with knowledge of the act. 18-3- 401(1.5), C.R.S. In many cases must rely on physical indicators rather than victim My biggest caution is don’t think it doesn’t happen. FinancialFinancial ExploitationExploitation FinancialFinancial ExploitationExploitation TheftTheft (jewelry,(jewelry, checkbook,checkbook, creditcredit cards)cards) DocumentDocument fraudfraud Power of attorney Quitclaim deeds New will ContractorContractor fraudfraud TelemarketingTelemarketing scamsscams LotteryLottery ScamsScams AtAt--RiskRisk CrimesCrimes TheftTheft isis ourour mainstaymainstay crimecrime forfor financialfinancial exploitation.exploitation. TheftTheft generally:generally: 1.1. offenderoffender knowinglyknowingly 2.2. obtainsobtains oror exercisesexercises controlcontrol overover 3.3. thingthing ofof valuevalue ofof victimvictim 4.4. withoutwithout authorizationauthorization oror byby deception,deception, andand 5.5. intendsintends toto permanentlypermanently deprivedeprive thethe victimvictim ofof thethe itemitem’’ss useuse oror benefit.benefit. AtAt--RiskRisk CrimesCrimes Problems:Problems: 1.1. TheftsThefts ofof littlelittle valuevalue 2.2. BreachBreach ofof trusttrust Ebony Butler Russel Mayer AtAt--RiskRisk CrimesCrimes TheftTheft fromfrom anan atat--riskrisk adult:adult: THEFTTHEFT and:and: 1. Commits any element or portion of offense in the presence of the victim, or 2. Theft committed by one in position of trust F3F3 ifif >$500>$500 F5F5 ifif <$500<$500 F4F4 ifif thefttheft fromfrom personperson UniformUniform PowerPower ofof AttorneyAttorney ActAct PowerPower ofof AttorneyAttorney AbuseAbuse MostMost commoncommon typetype ofof financialfinancial crimecrime II amam seeingseeing POAPOA isis anan incrediblyincredibly powerfulpowerful documentdocument RealityReality isis mostmost scamsscams onon elderlyelderly areare sophisticatedsophisticated enoughenough toto avoidavoid easyeasy detectiondetection oror prosecutionprosecution PreprintedPreprinted POAPOA’’ss areare readilyreadily availableavailable andand easyeasy toto executeexecute UniformUniform PowerPower ofof AttorneyAttorney ActAct