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Date: November 22, 2024 Fri

Time: 12:06 pm

Results for elder abuse

39 results found

Author: Teaster, Pamela B.

Title: The 2004 Survey of State Adult Protective Services: Abuse of Adults Over 60 Years of Age and Older

Summary: This report presents the results of an American survey that addresses elder abuse.

Details: Washington, DC: National Center on Elder Abuse, 2006

Source: Administration on Aging, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Year: 2006

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 116548

Keywords:
Elder Abuse

Author: Decker, Scott H.

Title: A Statewide Profile of Abuse of Older Women and the Criminal Justice Response

Summary: This report examines Rhode Island's population of all women 50 and over who were victims of domestic violence reported to law enforcement over an entire year, offering a more complete profile of older women abuse, their abusers, the abuse, and the response of state authorities to their reported abuse.

Details: Budbary, MA: Advocates for Human Potential, Inc, 2008

Source: National Institute of Justice

Year: 2008

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 116300

Keywords:
Domestic Violence
Elder Abuse
Female Victims
Rhode Island

Author: Branch, Lawrence

Title: Florida Elder Abuse Survey

Summary: This report addresses the development and testing of an interviewer-administered, self-report questionnaire for cognitively competent community-based elders that might be used in a national survey in establishing the prevalence of second-party abuse, neglect, or exploitation of elderly persons.

Details: Unpublished Report to the U.S. Department of Justice, 2008

Source: National Institute of Justice

Year: 2008

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 114868

Keywords:
Elder Abuse

Author: World Health Organization

Title: A Global Response to Elder Abuse and Neglect: Building Primary Health Care Capacity to Deal with the Problem Worldwide

Summary: The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Center for Interdisciplinary Gerontology/University of Geneva (CIG/UNIGE), in association with institutions in eight countries (Australia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Kenya, Singapore, Spain and Switzerland), formed a joint research program aimed at tackling a substantial and yet hidden social problem: elder abuse and neglect.

Details: Geneva, Switzerland: WHO, 2008

Source: Center of Interdisciplinary Gerontology, University of Geneva

Year: 2008

Country: Switzerland

URL:

Shelf Number: 114624

Keywords:
Elder Abuse

Author: Hawes, Catherine

Title: Detecting, Addressing and Preventing Elder Abuse in Residential Care Facilities

Summary: This study examined state procedures for detecting, investigating, resolving, and preventing elder abuse in residential care facilities. Such facilities include assisted living facilities, personal care homes, domiciliary care homes, adult congregate living facilities, adult care homes, and shelter care homes.

Details: College Station, TX: Program on Aging & Long Term Care Policy, School of Rural Public Health, Texas A&M Health Science Center, 2009. 121p.

Source:

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 118092

Keywords:
Elder Abuse

Author: Family and Children's Trust Fund of Virginia

Title: Violence at Home: The FACT Report

Summary: This report measures the prevalence and interrelatedness of violence in families, ranging from infants to the elderly, and how often the incidences occur by locality in Virginia. The report includes the following family violence issues: child abuse and neglect, elder abuse, domestic violence, and sexual abuse.

Details: Richmond, VA: The Family & Children's Trust Fund of Virginia, 2010. 46p., app.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL:

Shelf Number: 119387

Keywords:
Child Abuse and Neglect
Elder Abuse
Family Violence (Virginia)
Sexual Abuse

Author: Newman, Frederick L.

Title: Testing a Model of Domestic Abuse Against Elder Women and Perceived Barriers to Help-Seeking: Comparing Victim and Non-Victim Responses

Summary: This study examined perceived barriers to help-seeking by female victims of domestic abuse ages 50 and over compared to the perceived barriers for women in the same age group who had not been victims of such abuse The analyses of the empirical model used in the study found that perceived barriers to help-seeking involve six factors that are present in distinctive ways based on the severity of abuse, race-ethnicity, relationship with the abuser, gender of the abuser, and age.

Details: Miami, FL: Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, Florida International University, 2009. 118p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 11, 2010 at: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/231095.pdf

Year: 2009

Country: United States

URL: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/231095.pdf

Shelf Number: 119924

Keywords:
Domestic Violence
Elder Abuse
Elderly Victims
Female Victims
Victims of Crime, Services for

Author: Titterington, Victoria B.

Title: Elder Abuse

Summary: This report focuses upon the criminal victimization experiences of persons age 60 or older. It is based upon the results of the 2005 and 2006 Texas Crime Victimization Surveys, administered by the Public Policy Research Institute at Texas A&M University (Crime Victims’ Institute 2005, 2006). The surveys in these two years resulted in a total of 1,466 respondents, 280 of whom were age 60 or older. Both the 2005 and 2006 surveys included questions related to property and violent crimes. Property crimes include theft, burglary, property damage and identity theft. Violent crime in this survey refers to various types of personal assault. In addition, the 2005 survey focused upon identity theft, and the 2006 survey focused on stalking. These surveys also included questions about respondents’ lifestyles and feelings of personal safety, as well as crime victims’ perceptions of police responses to reported victimization.

Details: Houston, TX: Crime Victims' Institute, Criminal Justice Center, Sam Houston State University, 2010. 23p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 26, 2010 at: http://www.crimevictimsinstitute.org/documents/CVI_Elder_Abuse_Report_final.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://www.crimevictimsinstitute.org/documents/CVI_Elder_Abuse_Report_final.pdf

Shelf Number: 120094

Keywords:
Elder Abuse
Elderly Victims
Victimization Surveys

Author: U.S. Government Accountability Office

Title: Guardianships: Cases of Financial Exploitation, Neglect, and Abuse of Seniors

Summary: As individuals age, some become incapable of managing their personal and financial affairs. To protect these individuals, state laws provide for court appointment of guardians, who may be professionals or family members, to protect the incapacitated person's personal and/or financial welfare. State and local courts are responsible for overseeing guardians. In addition, federal agencies may appoint a representative payee, in some cases, the guardian, to manage federal benefits on behalf of incapacitated adults. Previous GAO reports have found that poor communication between state courts and federal agencies may allow guardians to continue abusing their victims. GAO was asked to (1) verify whether allegations of abuse by guardians are widespread; (2) examine the facts in selected closed cases; and (3) proactively test state guardian certification processes. To verify whether allegations are widespread, GAO interviewed advocates for seniors and reviewed court documents. To examine closed criminal, civil or administrative cases with a finding of guilt or liability in the past 15 years, GAO reviewed court records, interviewed court officials, attorneys and victims, and reviewed records from federal agencies. To test state guardian certification, GAO used fictitious identities to apply for certification in four states. GAO's results cannot be projected to the overall population of guardians or state certification programs. GAO could not determine whether allegations of abuse by guardians are widespread; however, GAO identified hundreds of allegations of physical abuse, neglect and financial exploitation by guardians in 45 states and the District of Columbia between 1990 and 2010. In 20 selected closed cases, GAO found that guardians stole or otherwise improperly obtained $5.4 million in assets from 158 incapacitated victims, many of whom were seniors. In some instances, guardians also physically neglected and abused their victims. The guardians in these cases came from diverse professional backgrounds and were overseen by local courts in 15 states and the District of Columbia. GAO found several common themes. In 6 of 20 cases, the courts failed to adequately screen potential guardians, appointing individuals with criminal convictions or significant financial problems to manage high-dollar estates. In 12 of 20 cases, the courts failed to oversee guardians once they were appointed, allowing the abuse of vulnerable seniors and their assets to continue. Lastly, in 11 of 20 cases, courts and federal agencies did not communicate effectively or at all with each other about abusive guardians, allowing the guardian to continue the abuse of the victim and/or others. Using two fictitious identities--one with bad credit and one with the Social Security number of a deceased person -- GAO obtained guardianship certification or met certification requirements in the four states where we applied: Illinois, Nevada, New York, and North Carolina. Though certification is intended to provide assurance that guardians are qualified to fulfill their role, none of the courts or certification organizations utilized by these states checked the credit history or validated the Social Security number of the fictitious applicants. An individual who is financially overextended is at a higher risk of engaging in illegal acts to generate funds. In addition, people with criminal convictions could easily conceal their pasts by stealing a deceased person's identity. The tests raise questions about the effectiveness of these four state certification programs.

Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2010. 53p.

Source: Internet Resource: GAO-10-1046: Accessed October 29, 2010 at: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d101046.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d101046.pdf

Shelf Number: 120124

Keywords:
Elder Abuse
Elderly Victims
Embezzlement
Financial Crimes
Fraud
Restitution

Author: Fernandez-Lanier, Adriana

Title: 2008 Domestic Incident Reports Involving Elderly Victims

Summary: This report examines domestic incidents involving victims 65 years or older that were reported to law enforcement in 2008 and documented in New York State domestic incident reports (DIRs). Since the definition of elder abuse varies and a comprehensive reporting system does not exist, elder abuse research generally relies on data from county Adult Protective Services (APS) or general population surveys to define the prevalence of the problem. In 2008, DIRs involving elderly victims were received by DCJS from police departments upstate and on Long Island and scanned and entered into an electronic database. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) electronically submits only data from fields in the DIR filed with the department. DIR data are presented for New York City (NYC) and the rest of New York State. This report describes the domestic incidents and includes information on the relationship between the victim and suspect, victim and suspect demographics, offense category, orders of protection and arrest information, if one was made.

Details: Albany: New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, Office of Justice Research & Performance, 2010. 13p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 9, 2010 at: http://criminaljustice.state.ny.us/crimnet/ojsa/2008_dir_elderly_report.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://criminaljustice.state.ny.us/crimnet/ojsa/2008_dir_elderly_report.pdf

Shelf Number: 120408

Keywords:
Domestic Violence (New York State)
Elder Abuse
Elderly Victims

Author: U.S. Government Accountability Office

Title: Elder Justice: Stronger Federal Leadership Could Enhance National Response to Elder Abuse

Summary: Each day, news reports cite instances of older adults across the United States being abused, denied needed care, or financially exploited, often by those they depend on. This report contains information on (1) existing estimates of the extent of elder abuse and their quality, (2) factors associated with elder abuse and its impact on victims, (3) characteristics and challenges of state Adult Protective Services (APS) responsible for addressing elder abuse, and (4) federal support and leadership in this area. To obtain this information, GAO reviewed relevant research; visited six states and surveyed state APS programs; analyzed budgetary and other federal documents; reviewed federal laws and regulations; and interviewed federal officials, researchers, and elder abuse experts. The most recent study of the extent of elder abuse estimated that 14.1 percent of noninstitutionalized older adults had experienced physical, psychological, or sexual abuse; neglect; or financial exploitation in the past year. This study and three other key studies GAO identified likely underestimate the full extent of elder abuse, however. Most did not ask about all types of abuse or include all types of older adults living in the community, such as those with cognitive impairments. In addition, studies in this area cannot be used to track changes in extent over time because they have not measured elder abuse consistently. Based on existing research, various factors appear to place older adults at greater risk of abuse. Physical and cognitive impairments, mental problems, and low social support among victims have been associated with an increased likelihood of elder abuse. Elder abuse has also been associated with negative effects on victims' health and longevity. Although state APS programs vary in their organization and eligibility criteria, they face many of the same challenges. According to program officials, elder abuse caseloads are growing nationwide and cases are increasingly complex and difficult to resolve. However, according to GAO's survey, APS program resources are not keeping pace with these changes. As a result, program officials noted that it is difficult to maintain adequate staffing levels and training. In addition, states indicated they have limited access to information on interventions and practices on how to resolve elder abuse cases, and may struggle to respond to abuse cases appropriately. Many APS programs also face challenges in collecting, maintaining, and reporting statewide case-level administrative data, thereby hampering their ability to track outcomes and assess the effectiveness of services provided. Federal elder justice activities have addressed some APS challenges, but leadership in this area is lacking. Seven agencies within the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Justice devoted a total of $11.9 million in grants for elder justice activities in fiscal year 2009. These activities have promoted collaboration among APS and its partners, such as law enforcement, but have not offered APS the support it says it needs for resolving elder abuse cases and standardizing the information it reports. Although the Older Americans Act of 1965 has called attention to the importance of federal leadership in the elder justice area, no national policy priorities currently exist. The Administration on Aging in HHS is charged with providing such leadership, but its efforts to do so have been limited. The Elder Justice Act of 2009 authorizes grants to states for their APS programs and provides a vehicle for establishing and implementing national priorities in this area, but does not address national elder abuse incidence studies. The Secretary of HHS should determine the feasibility of providing APS-dedicated guidance, and, in coordination with the Attorney General, facilitate the development and implementation of a nationwide APS data system. Also, Congress should consider requiring HHS to conduct a periodic study to estimate elder abuse's extent. HHS indicated that it will review options for implementing GAO's recommendations.

Details: Washington, DC: GAO, 2011. 64p.

Source: Internet Resource: GAO-11-208: Accessed March 8, 2011 at: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d11208.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d11208.pdf

Shelf Number: 120903

Keywords:
Crimes Against the Elderly
Elder Abuse
Elderly Victims
Financial Crimes
Financial Exploitation

Author: Toth, Olga

Title: Initimate Partner Violence Against Older Women. National Report - Hungary

Summary: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) committed against elderly women has been an unexplored area in Hungary so far, thus the results of the project are stop-gap. - Aims and objectives of the research: gathering information on IPV against elderly women as a social phenomenon, becoming familiar with the how much the institutions and experts know about the cases and what their attitudes are, revealing the experiences of the victims, and above all, directing public attention to the phenomenon. - In Hungary research on intimate partner violence began in late 1990s. There are only comparatively few data of this topic, and the researches are usually not built upon one another. The specific problems of elderly women do not really receive great priority in the researches either. - The system of institutions dealing with the victims of IPV is less developed than in the Western countries, and the institutions themselves or the preparedness of the experts cannot be characterized as adequate either. - The social attitude to the topic is rather rejecting than accepting, its importance is not recognized. Institutional knowledge about cases of intimate partner violence against older women was a crucial component of research in the frame of the present study. Professionals working with older victims can provide information on phenomena of IPV in old age as well as on help-seeking behavior of older women, services offered, service usage, and case outcome. Since the study did not aim at representative data on prevalence and incidence but had its focus on older female victims’ needs, help-seeking and service usage, institutions and professionals within these institutions were a primary source of information. It has been again proved what other sociological research studies have demonstrated that use of self-completion questionnaires in Hungary is not expedient. Completing a questionnaire independently causes difficulties to and by all means evokes antipathy in many people. Therefore, if a similar kind of investigation is made in the future, it must be prepared more profoundly, possibly by involving the supervisory authorities of institutions. We distributed 125 short and 224 long questionnaires; the return rate was 23%. In the course of sampling we tried to involve a wide range of institutions (the police, public prosecutor’s offices, crisis centres, family helpers, help lines, institutions looking after and caring for the elderly, etc.). It was also due to low degree of sensitivity to the topic that only one-fourth of questionnaires sent out were returned. When we asked the institutions that had not returned the questionnaire for the second time to fill in at least the opinion questions and the questions regarding the institution even if they had no cases, we were often given the reply orally that they considered the topic uninteresting, unimportant. For this reason they feel the completion of the questionnaire is a kind of waste of time. In better cases, they underlined another form of violence from their practice as a more important subject more suitable for research (e.g. violence of elderly persons by their children, grandchildren). In worse cases, they judged the entire topic of violence within the family unimportant. The use of two kinds of questionnaires has brought no benefit to us. The short questionnaire did not motivate any better to complete it. It occurred that an institution asked for a long questionnaire but eventually did not complete it. The lesson learned from this study is that in similar researches in the future we must use one kind of questionnaire. Statistical data are available in aggregate form and many institutions have no clear knowledge about the most important socio-demographic features of victims and perpetrators. It means that institutions have no official data but estimation or we have obtained rather different data regarding the number of elderly female IPV victims. In addition to the aggregating data, the family relation of the perpetrator with the victim is the most properly documented question. Based on the data available to us, the institutions – where it is documented – met mostly with cases where physical-spiritual-financial violence goes together. The overall majority of violence was one-sided, multiply, long-lasting and starting before the age of 60. The perpetrator is generally the spouse or divorced spouse living together with the victim if the parties do not manage to move apart. We have received little information as to how the institutions got into contact with victims and what services they provided for them. It was mostly domestic violence service type institutions that gave the more detailed data about victims and services. These organizations provided several kinds of services to victims: primarily psycho-social support, legal advice and crisis intervention. Due to low-key information supplied on services, it would be difficult to make proposals on improving them. Yet, we can state that the experts of domestic violence organizations are the most prepared and the most suitable for providing help; therefore, improvement of these institutions and increasing the number of experts would be of key importance. Regarding the improvement of services, it is expedient for Hungary to use the experience of the other countries that take part in the project. The group that considers the topic less important constituted a minority, yet appeared among the respondents (27.8 %). Presumably, this view is more widely held among those who have not returned the questionnaire. A part of the experts assert that relationships of the elderly do not contain any element of violence; others consider the abusive role of other family members more important. However we think that sending out questionnaires and processing responses have brought some results. The most important is the fact that experts’ attention has been driven to this issue. It can be hoped that the institutions that have so far not dealt with this issue at all will pay somewhat more attention to this topic in the future.

Details: Muenster, Germany: German Police University and Deutsche Hochschule der Polizei, 2010. 150p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 4, 2011 at: http://www.ipvow.org/images/stories/ipvow/reports/IPVoW_Hungary_English_final.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Hungary

URL: http://www.ipvow.org/images/stories/ipvow/reports/IPVoW_Hungary_English_final.pdf

Shelf Number: 121244

Keywords:
Domestic Violence
Domestic Violence (Hungary)
Elder Abuse
Elderly Victims
Intimate Partner Violence
Victim Services

Author: Canada. Statistics Canada

Title: Family Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile

Summary: This is the thirteenth annual Family Violence in Canada report produced by the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics under the Federal Family Violence Initiative. This report provides the most current data on the nature and extent of family violence in Canada, as well as trends over time, as part of the ongoing initiative to inform policy makers and the public about family violence issues. Each year the report has a different focus. This year, the focus of the report is on self-reported incidents of spousal victimization from the 2009 General Social Survey on Victimization. In addition, using police-reported data, the report also presents information on family violence against children and youth, family violence against seniors (aged 65 years and older), and family-related homicides.

Details: Ottawa: Statistics Canada, 2011. 53p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 11, 2011 at: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-224-x/85-224-x2010000-eng.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Canada

URL: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-224-x/85-224-x2010000-eng.pdf

Shelf Number: 121301

Keywords:
Crime Statistics
Elder Abuse
Family Violence
Homicides
Intimate Partner Violence
Spouse Abuse
Victimization

Author: Halicki, Malgorzata

Title: Intimate Partner Violence Against Older Women: National Report Poland

Summary: Up to now only little is known about older women as victims of intimate partner violence in Europe. The issue often gets lost between the topics intimate partner violence, domestic violence and elder abuse both in research and in service provision. Domestic violence services and research on the one hand generally do not have a special focus on older women and age-related issues, and elder (abuse) services and research with their focus on vulnerability and care issues on the other hand usually are not sensitive to gender-specific dimensions of violence in partnerships. An age specific approach and a gender specific approach to family violence seem to exclude each other for the most part. The Intimate Partner Violence against older Women study (IPVoW), a European research project conducted by 7 partners in 6 countries - started its research activities with the aim to bridge this gap and come to a comprehensive age- and gender-sensitive view on the issue.The project had a number of specific objectives. This study presents an analysis of the situation in Poland.

Details: Bialystok, Poland: Institute of Sociology of Education & Institute of Andragogy and Gerontology, University of Bialystok, 2010. 248p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 14, 2011 at: http://www.ipvow.org/images/stories/ipvow/reports/IPVoW_Poland_English_final.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: Poland

URL: http://www.ipvow.org/images/stories/ipvow/reports/IPVoW_Poland_English_final.pdf

Shelf Number: 121345

Keywords:
Domestic Violence (Poland)
Elder Abuse
Elderly Victims of Crime
Family Violence
Intimate Partner Violence
Violence Against Women

Author: Jackson, Shelly L.

Title: Financial Abuse of Elderly People vs. Other Forms of Elder Abuse: Assessing Their Dynamics, Risk Factors, and Society’s Response

Summary: Financial exploitation of elderly people is expected to proliferate over the next decade as the elderly population continues to grow rapidly. This study examined financial exploitation of elderly people compared to other forms of elder maltreatment (physical abuse, neglect, and hybrid, i.e., financial exploitation and physical abuse and/or neglect) that occurred in a domestic setting. Using semi-structured interviews, 71 adult protective services (APS) caseworkers in Virginia and their elder client were interviewed separately about incidents of maltreatment that came to the attention of APS. Elderly participants were on average 76 years of age, 83% Caucasian, 76% female, and 84% were living in their own home. Interviews lasting between one and three hours covered a number of domains such as case characteristics, consequences, risk factors associated with the elderly victims and their perpetrators, the nature of the interactions between them, the APS investigation, the criminal justice response, and outcomes. In addition, data derived from the Adult Services Adult Protective Services (ASAPS) database managed by the Virginia Department of Social Services were used to in logistic regressions. Financial exploitation differed from other forms of elder maltreatment, specifically, physical abuse, neglect by other, and hybrid financial exploitation, across a number of important domains. Furthermore, financial exploitation is underreported, underinvestigated and underprosecuted. However, important differences existed among all four forms of elder abuse. An exploration of the dynamics of elder abuse facilitated a greater understanding of the different forms of elder abuse under investigation. Results further revealed discrepancies between APS caseworkers’ and elderly persons’ perceptions of the causes of the elder’s abuse. Furthermore, when differences did persist to the close of the case, the abuse was significantly less likely to cease. These findings indicate the critical need to separate theoretically and practically different types of elder maltreatment. Additionally, critical to increasing our understanding of elder maltreatment is the need to take into consideration perpetrators when examining, predicting, and explaining elder maltreatment and related interventions. An exclusive focus on elderly people will continue to undermine effective interventions. Implications for theory, research, policy, and intervention are discussed.

Details: Final Report to the U.S. National Institute of Justice, 2010. 608p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2011 at: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/233613.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/233613.pdf

Shelf Number: 121410

Keywords:
Domestic Violence
Elder Abuse
Elderly Victims
Financial Crimes

Author: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of Inspector General

Title: Nursing Facilities' Employment of Individuals with Criminal Convictions

Summary: Federal regulation prohibits Medicare and Medicaid nursing facilities from employing individuals found guilty of abusing, neglecting, or mistreating residents by a court of law, or who have had a finding entered into the State nurse aide registry concerning abuse, neglect, or mistreatment of residents or misappropriation of their property. Interpretive guidelines from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for this regulation state that “[nursing] facilities must be thorough in their investigations of the past histories of individuals they are considering hiring.” However, Federal law does not require that nursing facilities conduct State or Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) criminal background checks. State background check requirements vary in terms of what must be checked (e.g., statewide criminal history databases, publically available sex offender registries) and who must be checked (e.g., direct-care workers only, all staff). We selected a stratified random sample of 260 nursing facilities from the universe of 15,728 Medicare-certified nursing facilities and requested data on all individuals who were employed by the sampled nursing facilities on June 1, 2009. To gain access to criminal history record information, we entered into an Information Transfer Agreement with FBI. We compared employee data with the criminal history records FBI provided to identify individuals with criminal convictions employed by the sampled nursing facilities. Consistent with the congressional request and objective of this evaluation, we used FBI data to determine whether individuals employed by nursing facilities had criminal convictions. FINDINGS Almost all nursing facilities employed one or more individuals with at least one criminal conviction. Our analysis of FBI-maintained criminal history records revealed that 92 percent of nursing facilities employed at least one individual with at least one criminal conviction. Nearly half of nursing facilities employed five or more individuals with at least one conviction. Forty-four percent of employees with convictions were convicted of crimes against property (e.g., burglary, shoplifting, writing bad checks), making it the most common type of crime committed. Overall, 5 percent of nursing facility employees had at least one conviction in FBI-maintained criminal history records. Most convictions occurred prior to employment. Eighty-four percent of employees with convictions had their most recent conviction prior to their beginning date of employment. Despite the lack of a Federal requirement for nursing facilities to conduct criminal background checks, most States required, and/or nursing facilities reported conducting, some type of background check. Forty-three States required nursing facilities to conduct either an FBI or a statewide criminal background check for prospective employees. Some nursing facilities located in the remaining eight States reported conducting criminal background checks even though they were not required to do so. All but 2 percent of nursing facilities reported conducting some type of background check. RECOMMENDATION After completion of our data collection, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148) became Federal law. It requires the Secretary of Health & Human Services (HHS) to carry out a nationwide program for States to conduct national and statewide criminal background checks for direct patient access employees of nursing facilities and other providers. States may participate in this National Background Check Program by entering into agreements with the Secretary. In light of our findings and in carrying out the mandate for HHS to implement the nationwide criminal background check program, we recommend that CMS: Develop background check procedures. To ensure that States conduct background checks consistently, CMS should (1) clearly define the employee classifications that are direct patient access employees and (2) work with participating States to develop a list of State and local convictions that disqualify an individual from nursing facility employment under the Federal regulation and periods for which each conviction bars the individual from employment.

Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, 2011. 33p.

Source: Internet Resource: OEI-07-09-00110: Accessed April 27, 2011 at: http://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-07-09-00110.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-07-09-00110.pdf

Shelf Number: 121509

Keywords:
Criminal Background Checks
Elder Abuse
Nursing Homes

Author: Burnight, Kerry

Title: Theoretical Model Development in Elder Mistreatment

Summary: Elder mistreatment inquiry is a relative newcomer to the family violence arena and its empirically‐based knowledge lacks a theoretical framework within which to understand its multiple manifestations. Effective intervention and prevention strategies depend upon theory‐driven hypotheses testing in order to understand how risk factors at various social‐ecological levels interact in the etiology of elder mistreatment. To foster theoretical model development, this article: (1) takes inventory of the empirically‐derived knowledge on elder mistreatment; (2) reviews the major theoretical approaches to the etiology of elder mistreatment; (3) proposes a new model of elder mistreatment of older adults with cognitive impairment. Each component of the NIJ‐funded work was heavily informed by the methods and models from the adjacent areas of inquiry, child maltreatment and intimate partner violence. Information was obtained through an extensive literature review of the criminal justice, psychology, sociology, gerontology, forensics, and public health literature as well as from interviews with experts from elder mistreatment, child maltreatment, and intimate partner violence.

Details: Final Report to the U.S. National Institute of Justice, 2011. 36p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 29, 2011 at: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/234488.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/234488.pdf

Shelf Number: 121951

Keywords:
Elder Abuse
Elder Mistreatment
Intimate Partner Violence

Author: Joshi, Pamela

Title: Violence and Abuse in British Columbia

Summary: This report describes the epidemiology of violence and abuse as reflected in a variety of population and nonpopulation based data sources in British Columbia. Comparisons between BC data and national data, health consequences, economic burden are also described for selected topic areas in violence and abuse, including child abuse and neglect, youth violence, intimate partner violence, violent crimes and elder abuse and neglect. A variety of provincial data sources were consulted in the development of this report. Mortality data on homicides were provided through BC Vital Statistics. Hospital separations data were provided by the BC Injury Reporting System. Emergency department admissions data and child protection services data were provided by the BC Children’s Hospital site of The Canadian Injury Reporting and Prevention Program and BC Children’s Hospital Child Protection Services data. Violent crime data was provided by Police Management and Information System.

Details: Vancouver: British Columbia Injury Research and Prevention Unit, 2007. 50p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 6, 2012 at http://www.injuryresearch.bc.ca/admin/DocUpload/3_20090616_100913Violence%20and%20Abuse%20in%20BC_FINAL.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: Canada

URL: http://www.injuryresearch.bc.ca/admin/DocUpload/3_20090616_100913Violence%20and%20Abuse%20in%20BC_FINAL.pdf

Shelf Number: 124387

Keywords:
Child Abuse & Neglect
Elder Abuse
Intimate Partner Violence
Victims of Crime (British Columbia)
Violent Crime (British Columbia)
Youth Violence

Author: Davies, Molly

Title: Law Enforcement Officers' Understanding and Response to Elder Abuse

Summary: The purpose of this study was to explore law enforcement officers' understanding and response to elder abuse, and their role in investigating elder abuse and neglect. Participants in this study included all classifications within police departments that serve the City and the County of Los Angeles, including the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, and other local jurisdictions in Los Angeles. Purposive sampling and snowball sampling were utilized for this study. An online survey was administered utilizing Survey Monkey. The sample included 56 participants. The study found that the variable that had the most impact or predictability of elder abuse knowledge and application of knowledge was the increased number of elder abuse training hours. This factor had more impact than years of service in law enforcement and had more impact than level of education or any other tested factor. The majority of law enforcement officers in this sample understood when reports of abuse should be made. There were some scenarios that there was great agreement by respondents in the classifying and handling and others that did not have the same level of consistency. Additionally, the developed survey instrument that was designed specifically to represent and follow California's mandatory reporting law, and Hallie's Understanding and Response to Elder Abuse Scale had strong reliability and may be utilized for replication in other communities in California.

Details: Los Angeles: University of California, Los Angeles, 2010. 88p.

Source: Master's Thesis: Internet Resource: Accessed March 18, 2012 at http://gradworks.umi.com/1490282.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://gradworks.umi.com/1490282.pdf

Shelf Number: 124571

Keywords:
Elder Abuse
Police Response

Author: Judicial Council of California. Administrative Office of the Courts

Title: Effective Court Practice for Abused Elders: A Report to the Archstone Foundation

Summary: This report is the product of a two-year research grant awarded to the Administrative Office of the Courts, Center for Families, Children & the Courts, by the Archstone Foundation under its Elder Abuse and Neglect Initiative. The objectives of the study were to identify courts that have adopted a specialized response to elder abuse, document innovative and effective practices in handling elder abuse cases, and assess the needs of abused and neglected elders who come before the courts. The overall goal of the study was to gather and disseminate information to help courts improve the quality of justice for elderly victims who come before the courts. Because elder abuse appears in the courts under the guise of many different case types, this study takes a broad view of elder abuse in the court context, examining issues and court programs related to probate conservatorship, restraining order (elder and dependent adult abuse, domestic violence, or civil harassment), family law, criminal, unlawful detainer, and other civil matters. Because the timing of this project coincided with information gathering and development of recommendations by the Judicial Council’s Probate Conservatorship Task Force, the project team chose to place somewhat less emphasis on issues related to probate conservatorship, to both minimize redundancy in reports and avoid overburdening the courts with requests for information or study participation. The study also views the specialized response to elder abuse with a wide lens, exploring initiatives not directly court-related, but with a potential impact on the courts or highlighting a key partnership. The research design called for the identification of four “study courts” that had implemented or were interested in implementing some kind of specialized response to elder abuse. The study courts were identified through publicizing the study and the opportunity to participate in Court News Update, review of Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) project documents and discussions with AOC colleagues, and referrals from professional contacts. The four courts selected for participation in the study represent the following counties: Alameda, Orange, San Francisco, and Ventura. Site visits to those counties included semistructured interviews with a variety of court personnel and justice partners, observation and documentation of court and program operations, and court file reviews. To supplement the in-depth examination of initiatives in the four courts, the study included a statewide survey on the court response to elder abuse and incorporated other available and relevant statewide data. In addition to the following report, which includes an overview of elder abuse issues and highlights court programs and initiatives to address them, the other major product of this study was the development of a basic elder abuse curriculum for the courts, developed by Candace J. Heisler, J.D., a retired assistant district attorney with extensive expertise in domestic violence and elder abuse issues. The primary audience for this curriculum is judicial officers, but a variety of court staff will benefit from it, as well. The curriculum is included in the PowerPoint presentation entitled Elder Abuse: An Overview for the California Courts on the enclosed CD. The CD also contains report appendixes (more detailed write-ups of data collection efforts, statistical profiles for the study counties, and data collection instruments) and a list of key resources for the courts on elder abuse, including links to Web sites, where available. Chapter 1 of this report provides an overview of the elderly population and elder abuse, including issues for the community as a whole and for the courts specifically. Chapter 2 reviews national, state, and local programs and initiatives developed in response to elder abuse, as well as trends that are likely to have an impact on agencies that serve abused elders. Chapter 3 highlights what is known about elder abuse in the courts at the state level, including a review of the results of the statewide survey on the court response to elder abuse. Chapter 4 describes the elder abuse initiatives adopted by the four study courts, highlights issues faced by the courts and community in serving elder abuse victims, and provides some background data on elders in the county and elder abuse in the court. Chapter 5 summarizes the types of specialized programs or initiatives in which courts could become involved to better respond to elder abuse; it draws on examples from the study courts as well as other significant national initiatives.

Details: San Francisco: Judicial Council of California, Administrative Office of the Courts, Center for Families, Children & the Courts, 2008. 75p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 24, 2012 at http://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/EffectiveCourtAbusedEldersMain.pdf

Year: 2008

Country: United States

URL: http://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/EffectiveCourtAbusedEldersMain.pdf

Shelf Number: 124733

Keywords:
Court Procedures
Courts
Elder Abuse

Author: Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Crime Statistics Unit

Title: Crimes Against the Elderly Report: 2009-2011

Summary: Each year the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation releases annual reports of crimes reported by law enforcement agencies to the Tennessee Incident Based Reporting System (TIBRS) program in five different reports. The TIBRS data contains a wide range of incident level information including victim and offender demographics. In addition to the usual annual reports, the Crime Statistics Unit focused on a data subset of older victims of crime for the last three years of reported data. According to the 2010 United States Census, the nation's population is growing including America's elderly population. The data for the Tennessee Census shows the same trends. Unfortunately, even with various groups advocating for them and state law specifically punishing those who victimize them, the number of elderly crime victims has grown over the past three years. Their sometimes reduced mobility and trust of others makes them easy prey for offenders. We believe looking at the data reported to TIBRS for older crime victims will be beneficial for policy makers since the U.S. Census data indicates that this population is growing.

Details: Nashville, TN: Crime Statistics Unit, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, 2012. 14p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 15, 2012 at http://www.tbi.tn.gov/tn_crime_stats/documents/CrimesAgainstElderlyReport2009_2011.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: United States

URL: http://www.tbi.tn.gov/tn_crime_stats/documents/CrimesAgainstElderlyReport2009_2011.pdf

Shelf Number: 126740

Keywords:
Crime Statistics
Demographic Trends
Elder Abuse
Elderly Victims
Elderly Victims of Crime

Author: U.S. Government Accountability Office

Title: Elder Justice: National Strategy Needed to Effectively Combat Elder Financial Exploitation

Summary: Elder financial exploitation is the illegal or improper use of an older adult’s funds or property. It has been described as an epidemic with society-wide repercussions. While combating elder financial exploitation is largely the responsibility of state and local social service, criminal justice, and consumer protection agencies, the federal government has a role to play in this area as well. GAO was asked to review issues related to elder financial exploitation. This report describes the challenges states face in (1) preventing and (2) responding to elder financial exploitation, as well as the actions some federal agencies have taken to help states address these challenges. To obtain this information, GAO interviewed state and local social service, criminal justice, and consumer protection officials in California, Illinois, New York, and Pennsylvania—states with large elderly populations; officials in seven federal agencies; and various elder abuse experts. GAO also analyzed federal strategic plans and other documents and reviewed relevant research, federal laws and regulations, and state laws. What GAO Recommends Federal agencies should develop a written national strategy addressing challenges GAO identified, facilitate case investigation and prosecution, and improve data, among other things. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Department of Health and Human Services supported GAO’s recommendations. FTC did not believe it is necessary to examine the feasibility of requiring victim’s age in complaints. GAO maintains the importance of its recommendation.

Details: Washington, DC: GAO, 2012. 80p.

Source: Internet Resource: GAO-13-110: Accessed November 20, 2012 at: http://www.gao.gov/assets/660/650074.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: United States

URL: http://www.gao.gov/assets/660/650074.pdf

Shelf Number: 126945

Keywords:
Confidence Game
Crimes Against the Elderly
Elder Abuse
Elderly Victims
Financial Crimes
Financial Fraud

Author: Mosqueda, Laura

Title: Coroner Investigations of Suspicious Elder Deaths

Summary: When an older American dies due to abuse or neglect, not only has a tragedy occurred, but a particularly heinous crime may have been committed. Because disease and death are more likely as adults grow older, those who investigate suspicious deaths have a particular challenge when it comes to deciding which elder deaths to scrutinize. Although crimes resulting in the death of an elder are going undetected, there has been little research on the decision-making process of those who are charged with investigating suspicious elder deaths, the coroner/medical examiner (CME) agencies. This project elucidates that process as it occurs in California CME offices by documenting current practices for deciding to investigate an elder’s death, and consolidating data from CA jurisdictions on these investigations and their outcomes. Based on preliminary findings, an intervention to augment the decision-making process was pilot tested in three CME offices. As a result of these activities, the researchers arrived at some new insights and reconfirmed some earlier findings, and these provide some direction for future funding, policy-making and research. The two primary models for the organization of the CME function involve an (1) elected official, or coroner, as an administrator whose forensic training and qualifications vary widely depending on local requirements or mandates; or (2) an appointed medical examiner who is a board certified forensic pathologist, highly qualified in death investigation. In California, CME offices exist in each of the 58 counties. CME agencies receive reports of death, usually by phone, from reporting parties such as police officers or medical personnel. At the time of the call they can either release the body (No Jurisdiction Assumed, NJA or “waived” decision), or decide to assume jurisdiction and conduct an investigation. An investigation at the time of the death report may include a death scene visit, bringing in the body for viewing or autopsy, toxicology, or lesser strategies such as phone research and medical records review. To date, most research that informs CME professionals about how to detect elder suspicious deaths has inquired into deaths of nursing home residents. A 2007 meta-analysis suggests some indicators of fatal neglect, including pressure ulcers, malnutrition and dehydration (Lindbloom et al. 2007, 610-616). In order to differentiate accidental deaths from fatal elder abuse there is a need for more information on accidental, blunt-force trauma induced deaths from nursing homes (Gruszecki et al. 2004, 209-12). A better understanding of these issues would inform those investigating deaths in the community as well. At least since 1999, coroners and medical examiners have participated in Elder Death Review Teams to study and learn from suspicious elder deaths as well as facilitate communication among public agencies to identify barriers and fill systems gaps (County of Sacramento Elder Death Review Team 2008; County of San Diego Elder Death Review Team 2006, 15; Orange County CA Elder Death Review Team 2003-2008). These efforts are bringing concerns to light and generating local improvements. Some examples of observations and recommendations that focus on the CME agency’s decision to investigate a death follow. • Failure of CMEs to be aware of a suspicious death while the death scene is intact and the body available for autopsy • The problem of physicians who sign death certificates despite suspicious circumstances • Acknowledgement that the perpetrator of abuse may report the death and provide false information • Ensure CME investigators are able to determine if a decedent was an APS client This study reconfirmed a finding of Elder Death Review Teams: that CME offices are failing to assume jurisdiction over elder deaths that should be investigated. An expert panel reviewed actual cases from three agencies and determined that elderly decedent’s remains were being released from investigation (NJA) even though there were signs consistent with abuse or caregiver neglect, as well as when abuse and neglect could not be ruled out based on information provided by reporting parties. The most glaring issue was that many elder deaths were ruled NJA when neither the reporting party nor the CME investigator had viewed the entire body – this was true of a majority of the elder deaths that made up the study sample. In addition, CME decision-makers were especially likely to overlook possible signs of caregiver neglect contributing to an elder death, and some investigators denied in interviews that this potential cause of death was in their purview. Some other concerns uncovered in interviews and from data analyses include (1) some agencies’ policy not to investigate all accidental deaths of elders; (2) impediments to getting information from (potentially) the most efficient source of data on the elder deaths, reporting parties already at the death scene; and (3) the lack of data gathering standards among CME agencies complicating any effort to set a baseline or measure future progress toward improving processes for detecting suspicious elder deaths.

Details: Irvine, CA: University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, 2012. 94p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 1, 2012 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/239923.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: United States

URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/239923.pdf

Shelf Number: 127046

Keywords:
Coroner
Elder Abuse
Homicides
Medical Examiner
Suspicious Deaths

Author: Castle, Nicholas

Title: An Examination of Resident Abuse in Assisted Living Facilities

Summary: Introduction. An estimated 39,100 Assisted Living (AL) settings exist in the U.S., with about 971,900 beds, providing services to 733,300 persons every day. Elders living in AL settings may be particularly vulnerable to abuse because many suffer from cognitive impairment, behavioral abnormalities, or physical limitations – factors that have been reported as risk factors associated with abuse. In this research, perceptions of abuse in AL coming from a large sample of Direct Care Workers (DCWs) and administrators are examined. Methods. Information on abuse came from two sources, administrators and DCWs in AL. A random sample of eligible AL settings (N=1,500) was selected from all 50 states. To obtain information administrators were asked if they were willing to complete the questionnaire. An incentive gift card was used ($25). The administrator questionnaires were anonymous. Second, administrators were asked if they would be willing to distribute the questionnaire to DCWs. The DCWquestionnaires were also anonymous. Results. The applied psychometric statistics of the DCWs questionnaire were favorable. In general, the percent of missing responses was low averaging about 1%. Of the 15,500 DCW questionnaires distributed, a total of 12,555 returned the questionnaire. This gave a response rate of 81%. For the DCWs perceptions of abuse the highest percent was for staff arguing with a resident (9.65%). For the DCWs perceptions of resident-to-resident abuse, the highest percent was for arguing with another resident (12.83%) and the lowest percent was for digital penetration (0.02%). Of the 1,500 AL administrator questionnaires distributed a total of 1,376 were returned. This gave a response rate of 84%. For the administrators perceptions of abuse the findings for “Occurred Often (during the past 3 months)” are the highest for destroying things belonging to a resident (0.80%). Some areas associated with abuse in multivariate analyses include external, organizational, and internal factors (especially lower staffing levels). Very few associations with demographic characteristics of DCWs were associated with abuse. Resident characteristics associated with high levels of abuse include residents with dementia and with physical limitations. Administrator characteristics associated with high rates of abuse include shorter tenure and lower education level. Conclusion. Overall, we find resident abuse by staff to be relatively uncommon. However, in some areas (such as humiliating remarks) substantial improvements in the rates could be made. With respect to resident-resident abuse we find this to be more common than staff abuse. In both cases (staff abuse and resident-to-resident abuse) verbal abuse and psychological abuse were reported most often.

Details: Unpublished report to the U.S. National Institute of Justice, 2013. 45p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 2, 2013 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/241611.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: United States

URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/241611.pdf

Shelf Number: 128190

Keywords:
Elder Abuse
Elderly Victims
Nursing Facilities

Author: London Assembly. Police and Crime Committee

Title: Neglect, Abuse and Violence Against Older Women

Summary: The objective of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA) was the elimination of all forms of neglect, abuse and violence against older persons (MIPAA, 2002). In addition, it was acknowledged clearly in the Plan of Action that "Older women face greater risk of physical and psychological abuse due to discriminatory societal attitudes and the nonrealization of the human rights of women. Some harmful traditional practices and customs result in abuse and violence directed at older women, often exacerbated by poverty and lack of access to legal protection." (para. 108). Since the adoption of the Madrid Plan of Action, the problem of abuse against older persons, in all its forms, has grown. The results of the second review and appraisal of the Madrid Plan of Action in 2012 showed clearly that neglect, abuse and violence against older persons was acknowledged as a major policy issue in all regions, regardless of level of development.1 The General Assembly pronounced 15 June as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day in 2012. Discussion of legislation on human rights protection against neglect, abuse and violence has become a main focus of the ongoing discussions of the General Assembly Open-ended Working Group on Ageing. However, despite the evidence from available data that older women are at greater risk of abuse and violence, older women have not been mainstreamed into ongoing research and discussion on violence against women. For instance, the campaign by UN Women on Ending Violence Against Women has made no mention of older women as a vulnerable group. Therefore, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), together with its focal point on ageing in the Division for Social Policy and Development (DSPD), began a discussion based on current research, available data and the terminology used in academic circles to describe and classify violence and abuse against older women. The majority of academic research and discourse has been conducted in developed countries, and agreement on terminology and meanings has-by no means-been clear or agreed. This lack of agreed definitions was one of the problems that explained the lack of visibility of older women in the discourse surrounding the issue of violence and abuse. The purpose of the present publication is to provide an overview of the current state of knowledge about the abuse of older women. The main forms or categories of abuse against older women are discussed, particularly in relation to differing definitions of neglect, abuse and violence against women and older adults. Prevalence rates from studies using different definitions and incorporating different forms of abuse can vary greatly, depending on whether the study focuses on intimate partner violence, older adult abuse or, specifically, on the abuse of older adults in protective settings. Prevalence rates are also influenced by whether the data are based on one-year, five-year or lifetime cumulative time frames, and which old-age cohorts are included in the study samples. The publication discusses the challenges that this has presented to researchers. Risk factors identified through prevalence and other studies include age and gender, as well as care-dependency in cases of neglect. The publication provides a summary of selected study findings on the health consequences of abuse and violence against older women, as well as sources of data collection and some of the challenges that this presents to researchers. The publication provides an overview of preventive measures for addressing the issue, presenting the findings of evaluations on their effectiveness, where available. It gives an overview of main approaches to addressing the abuse of older women, and key interventions - including policies and programmes for the protection of older women victims of abuse - along with outcomes, where evaluations have been completed.

Details: New York: United Nations, 2013. 65p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 13, 2014 at: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/documents/ageing/neglect-abuse-violence-older-women.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: International

URL: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/documents/ageing/neglect-abuse-violence-older-women.pdf

Shelf Number: 131905

Keywords:
Elder Abuse
Elderly Victims
Violence Against Women

Author: Sullivan, Mary Pat

Title: Use as Abuse: A Feasibility Study of Alcohol-Related Elder Abuse

Summary: Alcohol-related elder abuse is largely absent from the elder abuse and domestic violence literature. Although alcohol misuse is consistently identified as a risk factor for abuse, the problem manifests itself in a variety of ways and is not well understood theoretically or in direct practice with older people and their families. Thus, it remains an important area for research to more thoroughly understand its role in elder abuse, how to prevent or remove this risk factor, and how to assess and intervene when it emerges in practice. The aim of this feasibility study was to begin to explore the alcohol-related elder abuse problem in England and begin to characterise its role in cases of elder abuse, how practitioners were responding in these situations, and identify areas for further investigation. Funded by Alcohol Research UK, this study was the first of its kind in England. The methods adopted in this investigation included a review of the literature and existing data sets, a review of case files from one local authority adult safeguarding team and in-depth interviews with a sample of safeguarding and specialty alcohol practitioners. The findings from our investigation corroborate much of the existing literature that has primarily been produced in North America. Furthermore, these insights help to illuminate the subject area in England, extend our understandings in relation to community-based interventions and identify opportunities for further enquiry. The major findings are as follows: - Alcohol misusing elder abuse victims tended to be male, slightly younger than other victims, and abused by someone outside the family system. Their vulnerability for abuse seemed to be exacerbated by issues such as declining health, social isolation and possibly longstanding problems with alcohol. - Alcohol misusing elder abuse victims were twice as likely to be financially abused than non-alcohol misusing victims. - Alcohol misusing perpetrators tended to be male and a family member. - Physical abuse was more commonly identified by practitioners in cases with alcohol misusing perpetrators. - Specialty alcohol practitioners described their role as minimising the vulnerability to misuse alcohol and thereby reducing the risks for abuse. Safeguarding practitioners reported their role as a regulated one and their priority was to respond to referrals of older alcohol misusing victims who lacked mental capacity. - Practitioners were most challenged by cases where alcohol misuse had led to self-neglect or where the perpetrator was an alcohol misusing family member. - Evidence-informed community-based interventions were not identified. We conclude that this study offers an opportunity to expand our empirical understandings of alcohol-related elder abuse with a view to further mixed methods exploration in some of the following areas: - Further definition and characterisation of alcohol misuse as a risk factor for elder abuse (e.g., constructing explanations for who is misusing, nature of the misuse and abuse, relevance in family care system, self-neglect, relationship with other risk factors); - Exploration of practitioner assessment tools in relation to alcohol misuse and elder abuse; and - Developing and testing interdisciplinary social interventions, including education and training for practitioners and older people.

Details: London: Alcohol Research UK, 2014. 53p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 2, 2014 at: http://alcoholresearchuk.org/downloads/finalReports/FinalReport_0111.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://alcoholresearchuk.org/downloads/finalReports/FinalReport_0111.pdf

Shelf Number: 132600

Keywords:
Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder
Domestic Violence
Elder Abuse
Elderly Victims

Author: Vetten, Lisa

Title: Domestic violence in South Africa

Summary: South Africa's response to domestic violence is of relatively recent origin, with 1993 marking both the introduction of the first legal remedy to address domestic violence, and the recognition of marital rape as a crime. This first attempt to deal with domestic violence through legislation, namely the Prevention of Family Violence Act, was further developed and strengthened through the Domestic Violence Act of 1998 (DVA), which is widely considered one of the more progressive examples of such legislation internationally. This policy brief describes the extent and nature of domestic violence in South Africa and considers aspects of the implementation of the DVA, the state's most prominent intervention in the problem of domestic violence.

Details: Pretoria, South Africa: Institute for Security Studies, 2014. 8p.

Source: Internet Resource: Policy Brief 71: Accessed November 13, 2014 at: http://www.issafrica.org/uploads/PolBrief71.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: South Africa

URL: http://www.issafrica.org/uploads/PolBrief71.pdf

Shelf Number: 134074

Keywords:
Child Abuse and Neglect
Domestic Violence (South Africa)
Elder Abuse
Marital Rape
Rape
Sexual Assault
Violence Against Women

Author: World Health Organization

Title: Global Status Report on Violence Prevention 2014

Summary: Despite indications that homicide rates decreased by 16% globally between 2000 and 2012, violence remains widespread. Released today, the "Global status report on violence prevention 2014" reveals that 475 000 people were murdered in 2012. Homicide is the third leading cause of death globally for males aged 15-44 years. These facts highlight the importance of creating more decisive action to prevent violence. Jointly published today by WHO, the United Nations Development Programme, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the report indicates that: only one third of the 133 countries surveyed are implementing large-scale initiatives to prevent violence, such as bullying prevention programmes, visits by nurses to families at risk, and support to those who care for older people; just over half the countries are fully enforcing a set of 12 laws generally acknowledged to prevent violence, although 80% of countries have enacted them; only half of all countries have services in place to protect and support victims of violence The "Global status report on violence prevention 2014" is the first report of its kind to assess national efforts to address interpersonal violence, namely child maltreatment, youth violence, intimate partner and sexual violence, and elder abuse. Individual country profiles reflect the extent to which key violence prevention programmes and laws and selected services for victims of violence are being implemented.

Details: Geneva, SWIT: WHO, 2014. 292p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 10, 2014 at: http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/violence/status_report/2014/en/

Year: 2014

Country: International

URL: http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/violence/status_report/2014/en/

Shelf Number: 134305

Keywords:
Child Abuse and Neglect
Child Maltreatment
Elder Abuse
Homicides
Interpersonal Violence
Sexual Violence
Violence
Violence Prevention
Violent Crime
Youth Violence

Author: Thornley, Louise

Title: What Works to Prevent Intimate Partner Violence and Elder Abuse?

Summary: This paper synthesises research evidence on preventing intimate partner violence and elder abuse before violence occurs. Important messages from this review 1. A strong case supports the need for primary prevention International researchers agree that preventing violence before it occurs - primary prevention - is crucial and attainable (World Health Organization 2013, Bellis et al 2012, World Health Organization 2010, VicHealth 2007). Many countries, e.g. Australia and the US, are strengthening their focus on primary prevention. Intimate partner violence and elder abuse are major problems that harm families and whanau, individuals, and communities, as well as New Zealand's social and economic status. In light of the widespread and serious impacts, we cannot afford not to invest in preventing violence before it occurs (World Health Organization 2013 and 2010, Bellis et al 2012, VicHealth 2007). 2. Primary prevention is an emerging field with many promising practices Research on the primary prevention of intimate partner violence and elder abuse is in its early days, particularly for sexual violence and elder abuse. In New Zealand, most primary prevention programmes are not yet evaluated. Though we do not yet have all the answers, there is much we can do towards preventing violence before it occurs. Researchers say there are other grounds to support primary prevention while the field is under-evaluated - e.g. where programmes are theoretically sound, feasible, successfully implemented, and where they address known risk and protective factors (World Health Organization and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine 2010, VicHealth 2007). Much promising work is underway locally and internationally which needs to be tested and expanded (World Health Organization 2013). 3. The prevention of complex problems takes time and requires cross-sector involvement The primary prevention field is evolving. It will require ongoing development and investment over time. Researchers stress that change in this area needs time; there is no quick fix (e.g. Quadara and Wall 2012, VicHealth 2012b, Casey and Lindhorst 2009, VicHealth 2007). Multi-faceted primary prevention programmes need be trialled for sufficient time to show results. This is better than implementing short-term programmes which address a single influence on violence. Cross-sector, multi-agency prevention is required to address the complex causes of and impacts on intimate partner violence and elder abuse.

Details: Wellington, NZ: Ministry of Social Development, 2013. 65p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 2, 2015 at: https://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/work-programmes/initiatives/action-family-violence/what-works-to-prevent-intimate-partner-violence-and-elder-abuse-25-09-2013-taskforce-meeting.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: New Zealand

URL: https://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/work-programmes/initiatives/action-family-violence/what-works-to-prevent-intimate-partner-violence-and-elder-abuse-25-09-2013-taskforce-meeting.pdf

Shelf Number: 135128

Keywords:
Domestic Violence
Elder Abuse
Family Violence
Intimate Partner Violence

Author: Lazenbatt, Anne

Title: Older Women's Lifelong Experience of Domestic Violence in Northern Ireland

Summary: Although domestic violence in the second half of life is a common experience for approximately 15% of women aged over 55 years, little research has been given to the specific coping strategies of older women, who are experiencing, or have experienced domestic violence throughout their lifetime. Service providers and policy makers often assume that violence stops at age 55 and there is a noticeable lack of literature, research and policy guidelines on the issue. The greatest challenge for policy makers is that abuse remains hidden, with women remaining silent and finding it difficult to speak openly or seek help. This exploratory study aims to address this gap by giving older women a 'voice' through applying a theoretical model of 'sense of coherence' (SOC) or 'wellbeing' to their lived experience of domestic abuse. The main aims of the study were to increase our knowledge and understanding regarding domestic violence against older women in Northern Ireland, by allowing older women themselves to speak about their lifelong experience of living and coping with violence and abuse; and to increase our understanding of the views and experiences of professionals and service providers working to support older women experiencing domestic violence. The stories and narratives conveyed in this study provide a powerful picture of the lifelong domestic violence experienced by older women and how they make sense of their violent experiences. The major findings from the study highlight how their 'wellbeing' is weakened by living in a domestically abusive context. The required self-esteem and confidence that enables individuals to exercise control and make choices conducive to their wellbeing appeared to be different in the context of domestic violence compared to other contexts. Key findings from the research indicate that older women are less likely to seek help due to social expectations and a lack of specialist services for older victims, and that they are more likely to resort to misusing alcohol and prescription drugs in order to cope, with significant consequences for their mental and physical health. Psychological abuse had the strongest impact on their physical and mental health such as long-term depression and anxiety (94%), the use of psychoactive medication (100%), and the likelihood of becoming a heavy drinker and experiencing alcohol dependence (22%). The findings suggest that depression through the lifecourse may play some role in increasing the chance of becoming a victim of interpersonal violence, and may make it even harder to leave an abusive relationship. The majority of women revealed significant difficulty with coping and seeking help. Economic dependence and family support were cited as the most significant barriers to seeking support, or leaving an abusive relationship. Respondents cited serious lack of support from their GPs and the Police, as Police, as well as a lack of supportive programmes or settings that would allow them to 'tell their stories' safely and in private. Complicating service delivery for older women was the artificial boundaries that have been created in the service sector. Protective service systems designed for elders have few methods for dealing with domestic violence among older women, while women viewed domestic violence shelters as being unfamiliar with ageing issues and the special needs of older women, such as dealing with chronic illness, disabilities, or alcohol dependence and very few had separate programming targeting this group. Professional's failure to identify the abuse that women are suffering in later life is related to assumptions that domestic violence does not exist for this age group, through sexism or ageism. There is a need for greater professional awareness and support services that cater for the additional needs of older women as their physical health deteriorates. Development of services, support groups, and community outreach specifically suited to the needs and desires of older women who experience domestic violence is vital, such as the use of preventive health care which would allow GPs the opportunity to screen and make referrals during routine, non-emergency checkups. Professionals in all service sectors must more fully understand the help-seeking barriers that older victims face. To this end, the research community is challenged to replace myths and stereotypes about the nature and prevalence of DV among older people with research-based knowledge. Our findings have specific implications regarding psychological interventions for older women suffering domestic violence. First, the development of adaptive salutogenic coping strategies could promote psychological adjustment and, in consequence, encourage seeking of solutions to the abusive relationship. In particular, supporting women to reduce negative coping strategies could ameliorate the negative impact of violence on women's mental health and wellbeing, whereas the implementation of secondary control strategies, such as CBT, cognitive restructuring, acceptance, and positive thinking, could strengthen older victims of abuse.

Details: Belfast: Queen's University, 2010. 100p.

Source: Internet Resource

Year: 2010

Country: United Kingdom

URL:

Shelf Number: 136238

Keywords:
Domestic Violence
Elder Abuse
Family Violence
Violent Against Women

Author: New Zealand. Office for Senior Citizens

Title: Towards gaining a greater understanding of elder abuse and neglect in New Zealand

Summary: The United Nations and the World Health Organisation define elder abuse as, "a single, or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to an older person". Such abuse can be physical, psychological or emotional, sexual and/or financial in nature. It can also be the result of intentional or unintentional neglect. This research, based on the New Zealand Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NZLSA) shows that the vast majority of older people are safe and are not experiencing or at risk of abuse and neglect. This is the first time New Zealand has been able to gain an insight into the likely numbers of older people experiencing some form of elder abuse and neglect. The results show that there are relatively high rates of measures which can be related to elder abuse and neglect, loneliness and depression. A number of specific groups of older people face higher rates of abuse, including women, M�ori and those who are separated, divorced or widowed. Key findings include: -- Around one in ten older people did report some form of abuse (most closely linked to vulnerability and coercion) -- There were significant differences between women and men. Across each measure, women experienced a greater sense of vulnerability, dependence and dejection. However men experienced higher levels of coercion. -- Older people who were divorced, separated or widowed people felt considerably more sad and lonely, or were uncomfortable with someone in their family -- Older Maori experienced a significantly greater level of abuse than non-Maori. Maori report being coerced more than 2.5 times the rate for non-Maori, meaning they are forced to do things they don't want to do and people take things from them without their permission -- Failure to address current levels of elder abuse is likely to have significant effects in the future. This is because the report shows statistically significant reductions in physical and mental health and wellbeing, as well as increases in loneliness and depression associated with elder abuse -- Projections indicate that the number of older people experiencing elder abuse and neglect will increase significantly in the next 20 years, alongside a doubling of the 65 and over population. It should be noted that the results record: -- the prevalence and types of abuse as measured by Vulnerability to Abuse Screening Scale (VASS) from the sub-sample of NZLSA participants aged 65 years -- the relationships between gender, marital status and ethnicity and the elder abuse data -- the associations between the VASS responses and the wellbeing, health, depression and loneliness scales -- projections of elder abuse prevalence in New Zealand over the next five decades, based on this data and using Statistics NZ Population Projections by Age.

Details: Wellington, NZ: Office for Senior Citizens, 2015. 20p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 3, 2015 at: http://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/about-msd/our-structure/osc/elder-abuse-summary-report.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: New Zealand

URL: http://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/about-msd/our-structure/osc/elder-abuse-summary-report.pdf

Shelf Number: 136286

Keywords:
Elder Abuse
Elderly Victims
Family Violence

Author: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Title: Report and Recommendations: Fighting Elder Financial Exploitation through Community Networks

Summary: Elder financial exploitation destroys the financial security of millions of older Americans annually. In response to this crisis, hundreds of communities across the United States have created collaborative networks to protect their older residents. To increase our understanding of how elder financial protection networks can grow and endure, the CFPB conducted research nationwide. This report highlights what elder financial exploitation prevention and response networks do, how they work, how they can work better, and how they can be established. The report presents CFPB's recommendations to existing networks and key stakeholders to develop and enhance their community's collaborative efforts to fight financial exploitation. Accompanying this report is a Resource Guide with promising practices, sample documents, and resource materials.

Details: Washington, DC: CFPB, 2016. 49p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 30, 2016 at: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/data-research/research-reports/report-and-recommendations-fighting-elder-financial-exploitation-through-community-networks/

Year: 2016

Country: United States

URL: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/data-research/research-reports/report-and-recommendations-fighting-elder-financial-exploitation-through-community-networks/

Shelf Number: 140079

Keywords:
Consumer Fraud
Consumer Protection
Elder Abuse
Financial Abuse
Financial Exploitation

Author: Mallik-Kane, Kamala

Title: What is Elder Abuse? A Taxonomy for Collecting Criminal Justice Research and Statistical Data

Summary: This report presents a working definition of elder abuse so research and statistical data may be collected uniformly across states and localities with different legal and programmatic definitions of elder abuse. Consistent definitions and counting rules are needed to permit comparisons across jurisdictions and over time. At present, there is no uniform, national-level definition of elder abuse because the social response to elder abuse has mostly occurred at the state and local levels. However, broadly speaking, "elder abuse" and its many variants are understood to encompass a range of violations against vulnerable older adults perpetrated by individuals whom the victim may be expected to trust. For example, the National Research Council has described elder abuse as "(a) intentional actions that cause harm or create a serious risk of harm to a vulnerable elder by a caregiver or other person who stands in a trust relationship to the elder, or (b) failure by a caregiver to satisfy the elder's basic needs or to protect the elder from harm" (Bonnie and Wallace 2003, 1). Correspondingly, not all victimizations of older adults constitute elder abuse. Similar acts without particular victim attributes or victim-perpetrator relationship dynamics might more simply be characterized as assault, rape, theft, or fraud. The taxonomy we present here defines elder abuse along three dimensions - (1) the acts that constitute elder abuse, (2) the characteristics of the victim, (3) the relationship between the victim and perpetrator- and incorporates a fourth dimension to distinguish between criminal and noncriminal acts based on their severity. This taxonomy builds on work conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2014) to define the acts that constitute elder abuse and is supplemented by extant reviews of states' APS laws, policies, and practices, as well as information that the Urban Institute gathered directly from state APS representatives. However, APS agencies may have difficulty reporting statistical data according to this taxonomy because (1) their operational scopes often extend beyond elder abuse and (2) they may lack the data system capacity to distinguish between elder abuse and other types of cases. In the coming months, the Urban Institute will be assessing APS agencies' capacity to collect statistical data on elder abuse. Consequently, this report also presents recommendations on aspects of APS operations and data capacity to assess in support of potential future statistical and research data collection from APS agencies

Details: Washington, DC: Urban Institute, 2016. 34p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 22, 2016 at: http://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/alfresco/publication-pdfs/2000813-What-Is-Elder-Abuse-A-Taxonomy-for-Collecting-Criminal-Justice-Research-and-Statistical-Data.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: United States

URL: http://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/alfresco/publication-pdfs/2000813-What-Is-Elder-Abuse-A-Taxonomy-for-Collecting-Criminal-Justice-Research-and-Statistical-Data.pdf

Shelf Number: 146056

Keywords:
Crime Statistics
Elder Abuse
Family Violence

Author: Australian Law Reform Commission

Title: Elder Abuse: Discussion Paper

Summary: This is the second consultation document for the Elder Abuse Inquiry, in which the ALRC has been asked to consider existing Commonwealth laws and frameworks which seek to safeguard and protect older persons from misuse or abuse by formal and informal carers, supporters, representatives and others, and to examine the interaction and relationship of these laws with state and territory laws. Table of Contents: Terms of Reference Participants Proposals and Questions 1. Introduction to the Inquiry 2. National Plan 3. Powers of Investigation 4. Criminal Justice Responses 5. Enduring Powers of Attorney and Enduring Guardianship 6. Guardianship and Financial Administration Orders 7. Banks and Superannuation 8. Family Agreements 9. Wills 10. Social Security 11. Aged Care 12. Other Issues

Details: Sydney: The Commission, 2016. 266p.

Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Paper 83: Accessed December 15, 2016 at: https://www.alrc.gov.au/sites/default/files/pdfs/publications/dp83.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: Australia

URL: https://www.alrc.gov.au/sites/default/files/pdfs/publications/dp83.pdf

Shelf Number: 146151

Keywords:
Elder Abuse
Elderly Victims

Author: Burnett, Jason

Title: Exploring Elder Financial Exploitation Victimization: Identifying Unique Risk Profiles and Factors To Enhance Detection, Prevention and Intervention

Summary: Statement of Purpose: Explore risk factors across the socioecological framework (i.e. individual, perpetrator and community-levels) to identify the most important factors that differentiate elder financial exploitation (FE) from other forms of abuse as well as pure FE from hybrid FE. Description of Research Subjects: Older adults 65 years and older with a confirmed case of abuse (i.e. financial exploitation, caregiver neglect, physical abuse, emotional abuse) by Texas Adult Protective Services between the years 2009 - 2014. Methods: Secondary data analysis of a 5�- year statewide aggregated cohort of Texas Adult Protective Services confirmed cases of abuse between the years 2009 - 2014. Case investigation data such as demographics, reported and confirmed abuse types, victim and perpetrator mental and physical health, substance use, social and financial factors along with community-level data (Geographic Information Systems) were analyzed. Supervised Learning, which provides a step-by-step statistical decision-making process was used to identify the most reliable, interpretive and predictive risk factor models. Training and test sampling was included for replication purposes. Results: Financially-based variables are the best predictors of FE versus other forms of abuse, but apparent injury appears to be the most important indicator of other forms of abuse even in the presence of FE. Hybrid FE may be strongly related to poorer outcomes compared to pure FE however, the most predictive model found negative effects of others, alcohol and substance use by others as well as foreclosure and inadequate medical supplies to be the most important predictors of hybrid FE. Models that accounted for less linearity between the variables resulted in greater accuracy in group classification indicating the need to account for complex interactions across the socio-ecological context. Conclusion: Different factors across the socio-ecological context are needed to reliably differentiate between elder FE and other forms of abuse as well as pure versus hybrid FE. These factors will also vary depending on the perspective one takes regarding the linearity of the interactions between the different factors. The findings provide support for the need to differentiate between types of abuse and subtypes of elder FE and the need for frontline workers and social service agencies and researchers to account for variables across the socio-ecological context when developing surveillance, intervention and prevention programs.

Details: Houston: The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 2017.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 14, 2017 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/250756.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: United States

URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/250756.pdf

Shelf Number: 146140

Keywords:
Elder Abuse
Elderly Victims
Financial Crimes
Financial Exploitation

Author: Amendola, Karen L.

Title: The Course of Domestic Abuse among Chicago's Elderly: Risk Factors, Protective Behaviors, and Police Intervention

Summary: The growing body of elder abuse research reflects the increasing attention paid to this serious problem and emphasizes the need for effective prevention and intervention strategies. While past research has examined risk factors and protective behaviors associated with abuse, studies have generally not examined either the course of abuse over time or the effectiveness of different intervention strategies. Despite the fact that the police have increasingly become involved in matters of domestic abuse against the elderly, the impact of their involvement has not been assessed. This study examines if and how risk factors and protective behaviors affect the course of abuse over time, and the role of the police in intervening with elderly victims of domestic abuse and/or neglect. We also examine the prevalence rates for various types of abuse using a stratified sample of Chicago's elderly population. Our sample consisted of 1,795 elderly residents for whom we could identify victimization status. In-depth interviews were conducted with 328 elderly residents from three sample groups: 1) community non-victims (n = 159); 2) community victims (n = 121); and 3) a police sample consisting of elderly victims who had been visited by trained domestic violence/senior citizen victimization officers in the Chicago Police Department (n = 48). Participants in the three groups were current residents of the City Chicago, aged 60 and over. We conducted phone interviews using a survey instrument designed to assess victimization. The survey included questions about various characteristics and risk factors associated both with victims and perpetrators of abuse and/or neglect, specific types of abuse, and protective behaviors of victims. Victimization was examined twice over a 10-month period to evaluate the course of abuse over time. The efficacy of police intervention was also examined. Prevalence rates for our sample were similar to those found in other studies of elder abuse. In examining the course of abuse, we found that victims from the police sample were more likely to have at least one incident of subsequent abuse than were those from the community sample. However, for those in the police sample, the number of forms of abuse that occurred repeatedly (> 10 times) went down. In addition, those in the police sample were more likely to have engaged in protective behaviors or service seeking, than those in the community sample. These findings suggest that intervention by officers trained to deal with the elderly and/or domestic abuse victims can lead to increased engagement in protective behaviors and ultimately reductions in the number of frequently occurring forms of abuse. Implications for the law enforcement community's response to elder abuse victimization as well as limitations of the study are discussed.

Details: Final report to the U.S. National Institute of Justice, 2010. 132p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 13, 2018 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/232623.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/232623.pdf

Shelf Number: 120559

Keywords:
Domestic Abuse
Elder Abuse
Elderly Victims
Family Violence
Police Interventions
Protective Behaviors

Author: SafeLives

Title: Safe Later Lives: Older people and domestic abuse

Summary: Domestic abuse is a complex, wide reaching and largely hidden phenomenon. Each year, around 2.1 million people suffer from domestic abuse in England and Wales - 1.4 million women (8.5% of the population) and 700,000 men (4.5% of the population). Crucially, 85% of victims made five attempts on average to get support from professionals in the year before they accessed effective help to stop the abuse. Whilst the impact of domestic abuse is grave on all victims, certain groups experience additional challenges and barriers. Many surveys and studies, such as the Crime Survey for England and Wales, have excluded consideration for victims aged 60 plus, and awareness raising campaigns have consistently focused on younger victims and perpetrators. This serves to reinforce the false assumption that abuse ceases to exist beyond a certain age. The limited pool of research which does exist on domestic abuse and older people suggests that "older women's experiences of domestic abuse are markedly different from those in younger age groups and that these differences have not been adequately acknowledged or accounted for". This report provides a focus on this historically 'hidden' group, which is essential to tailoring appropriate and effective services for victims (and perpetrators). The report is part of the SafeLives 'Spotlights' series, which will focus on hidden groups of domestic abuse victims throughout 2016 and 2017 and propose recommendations for both practitioners and policymakers. The first Spotlights has focused on older victims of abuse and involved a survey with 27 professionals, feedback from survivors, frontline practitioners and policymakers, as well as webinars and a social media Q&A.

Details: Brighton, UK: SafeLives, 2016. 34p.

Source: Internet Resource: Spotlights Report #1 Hidden Victims: Accessed February 13, 2018 at: http://safelives.org.uk/sites/default/files/resources/Safe%20Later%20Lives%20-%20Older%20people%20and%20domestic%20abuse.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://safelives.org.uk/sites/default/files/resources/Safe%20Later%20Lives%20-%20Older%20people%20and%20domestic%20abuse.pdf

Shelf Number: 149111

Keywords:
Domestic Violence
Elder Abuse
Elderly Victims
Family Violence

Author: Ramsey, Carolyn B.

Title: Firearms in the Family

Summary: This Article considers firearms prohibitions for domestic violence offenders, in light of recent Supreme Court decisions and the larger, national debate about gun control. Unlike other scholarship in the area, it confronts the costs of ratcheting up the scope and enforcement of such firearms bans and argues that the politicization of safety has come at the expense of a sound approach to gun control in the context of intimate-partner abuse. In doing so, it expands scholarly arguments against mandatory, one-size-fits-all criminal justice responses to domestic violence in a direction that other critics have been reluctant to go, perhaps because of a reflexive, cultural distaste for firearms. Both sides in the gun-control debate rely on starkly contrasting, gendered images: the helpless female victim in need of state protection, including strictly enforced gun laws, and the self-defending woman of the National Rifle Association's "Refuse to be a Victim" campaign. Neither of these images accurately describes the position of many domestic violence victims whose partners have guns, and neither image responds effectively to the heterogeneity of conduct leading to a protection order or a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction that triggers federal and state firearms bans. The emphasis the National Rifle Association and other pro-gun organizations place on a woman's right to carry a firearm in self-defense ignores the most common homicide risks women face, as well as structural inequalities that contribute to gender violence. Yet, significant problems afflict an uncritically anti-gun approach, too. First, gun-control advocates tend to ignore the reality of intimate-partner abuse-a reality in which some women fight back; some family livelihoods depend on jobs for which firearms are required; not all misdemeanants become murderers; and victims have valid reasons for wanting to keep their partners out of prison. Second, to the extent that proponents of strict gun regulation also exhibit distaste for racialized crime-control policies, they fail to acknowledge that zealously enforced gun laws aimed at preventing domestic violence would put more people-including more men and women from vulnerable communities of color-behind bars. The current framing of the argument for tougher firearms laws for abusers is derived from public health research on domestic violence that makes a reduction in intimate homicide rates its chief goal. Yet, since hundreds of thousands of domestic violence misdemeanants are thought to possess illegal guns, reformers should also consider the potential costs to victims and their families of a move to sweeping and rigorous enforcement. Changes in gun laws and their implementation in the context of intimate-partner abuse ought to cure over- and under-breadth problems; provide greater autonomy to abuse victims and protections for those who resist their batterers; reconsider the lack of an exemption to the misdemeanor ban for firearms required on-duty; and include a better mechanism for restoring gun rights to misdemeanants who have shown the capacity to avoid reoffending.

Details: Boulder, CO: University of Colorado Law School, 2018. 89p.

Source: Internet Resource: U of Colorado Law Legal Studies Research Paper No. 18-5: Accessed March 9, 2018 at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3117096

Year: 2018

Country: United States

URL: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3117096

Shelf Number: 149409

Keywords:
Elder Abuse
Family Violence
Gun Control
Gun Violence
Gun-Related Violence
Intimate Partner Violence
Protection Order
Stalking

Author: Arkow, Phil

Title: A Link Across the Lifespan: Animal Abuse as a Marker for Traumatic Experiences in Child Abuse, Domestic Violence and Elder Abuse

Summary: Until relatively recently, health and social services professionals, researchers, policymakers, and the general public considered animal cruelty as a stand-alone issue, important to animals' well-being but of only marginal significance to individual and community health and safety. This marginalization, based upon cultural themes that animals are merely property, that animal abuse is a normal occurrence among children and adolescents, and that human welfare priorities supersede animals' interests, is somewhat ironic. Other themes deeply embedded in Western philosophy express concern that children who abuse animals may grow up to exhibit escalating and dangerous interpersonal violence and antisocial behaviors. Meanwhile, the child protection movement originated in the animal protection field: the first child abuse cases were prosecuted by societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals and many humane societies had dual roles in child and animal protection for many decades. This paradigm is rapidly shifting today as recent programs, policy, public awareness and research resoundingly redefine animal cruelty and its various manifestations - abuse, neglect, animal hoarding, and animal fighting - as a form of family and community violence. Animal abuse is not only a crime in itself but also often serves as a bellwether, a marker and a predictor of child maltreatment, domestic violence and elder abuse.

Details: Shakopee, MN: Academy on Violence and Abuse, 2015. 16p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 18, 2018 at: http://nationallinkcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/AVA-Link-Across-the-Lifespan.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United States

URL: http://nationallinkcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/AVA-Link-Across-the-Lifespan.pdf

Shelf Number: 149845

Keywords:
Animal Abuse
Animal Cruelty
Child Abuse and Neglect
Child Protection
Domestic Violence
Elder Abuse
Family Violence

Rutgers - School of Law, Newark

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