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Elder Abuse Laws Numerous accounts of maltreatment led policy makers to pass a series of laws intended to protect elderly victim. The passage of the federal Older Americans Act of 1965 (OAA) (3) and the creation of the Vulnerable Elder Rights Protection Program (4) in 1992 were instrumental in promoting state laws to address the needs and concerns of the elderly. The Vulnerable Elder Rights Protection Program legislation promoted advocacy efforts through ombudsmen offices; abuse, neglect and exploitation prevention programs; and legal assistance on behalf of older Americans. It also offered federal funding incentives which made it possible for states to develop and maintain programs designed to assist the elderly. In many respects, state elder abuse laws are patterned after legislation designed to address the problem of child abuse and neglect, and, like the response to child maltreatment, often involve the combined efforts of both criminal justice officials and social services staff. Criminal Elder Abuse Laws In an effort to deter crimes against elderly victims, and to express society's abhorrence toward such offenses, many state legislatures have created special offenses involving crimes against the elderly. Laws criminalizing abuse of the elderly are in effect in all states and the District of Columbia. Generally, these laws define the conduct which constitutes a specific form of abuse, and may make a distinction between abuse committed in a domestic, as opposed to an institutional, setting. At least two states -- Massachusetts and North Carolina -- have laws which subject anyone over the age of 18 who has sufficient means, but neglects or refuses to support a parent who is unable to support him/herself due to age or disability, to a fine or imprisonment. (5)

American Bar Association 321 North Clark Street Chicago, IL 60654-7598 312.988.5000 American Bar Association Service Center 321 North Clark Street Chicago, IL 60654-7598 312.988.5522 800.285.2221 American Bar Association 740 15th Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20005-1019 202.662.1000

Most programs process claims through a staff centralized in one office in the state capital, but a few states have branch or regional offices or make use of locally based individuals in other agencies to perform preliminary work on applications, such as gathering documents. Typically, states request and analyze police reports to confirm that a crime took place and to determine whether the victim was involved in any illegal or contributory activity when victimized. Information from service providers like hospitals, doctors, counselors, and funeral homes, as well as employers if work loss is claimed, forms the basis for benefit determinations. Decision-making authority varies from state to state, with about a third of the states using part-time boards or commissions to determine eligibility and awards, and the rest authorizing full-time administrative staff (usually program directors) to make determinations. In three court-based programs, judges or court officials decide claims.

All of the programs are authorized to deny or reduce benefits to people who are injured while committing crimes or engaging in substantial misconduct contributing to their victimization. Programs rely primarily on police reports to make these determinations, and expend considerable effort to make careful and appropriate decisions on these issues. Five state compensation laws also authorize denial based on prior criminal activity unrelated to the current victimization. The eligibility of a victim's dependents or other secondary victims generally hinges on the eligibility of the "direct" victim (the one who suffered the injury or death). For example, if a homicide victim was engaged in criminal activity, the family generally would be ineligible for any benefits. Each state operates under its own law, rules, policies and procedures, and while all of the programs share broadly similar eligibility requirements, it's important for those accessing any program to check with the individual state to learn exactly how it operates.

Sort by date / Sort by relevance Not finding it? Try our advanced search or look for ... statistics from BJS juvenile justice info from OJJDP victim and victim service provider info from OVC assistance programs from BJA abstracts and publications from NCJRS Search all Office of Justice Programs agencies. [PDF] National Evaluation of State Victims of Crime Act Assistance and ...... programs, rape crisis centers, child abuse programs, programs for homicide survivors, and programs for victims of drunk driving, hate crimes, elder abuse, and ... www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/203198.pdf - 2005-02-11 - Text Version [PDF] Practical Implications of Current Domestic Violence Research Part ...... victim, three law enforcement officers responding to the intimate homicide, 9 abusers ... members are significantly more likely to report abuse of elder women (60 ... www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/222320.pdf - 2008-04-23 - Text Version [ More results from www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants ] [PDF] Practical Implications of Current Domestic Violence Research... According to the Supplementary Homicide Reports of the FBI‟s Uniform Crime Reporting Program in 2005, 1,181 females and 329 males were killed by their ... www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/225722.pdf - 2009-06-09 - Text Version [PDF] Presenter Biographies... of Three Cities: Labor Markets and Homicide,” “Racial and Ethic Disparities in Imprisonment,” “Racial/Ethnic Disparities and Exceptional Sentences in ... www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/events/nij_conference/2003/biographies.pdf - 2009-05-09 - Text Version In order to show you the most relevant results, we have omitted some entries very similar to the 4 already displayed.If you like, you can repeat the search with the omitted results included.