CNBNews

“As a result, we need to focus more on this problem.  It’s very similar to the issue of domestic violence or child abuse maybe 30 years ago, when it was looked upon as more of a family problem. Now it’s recognized for the crime that it is. I think elder abuse is going to be viewed similarly in the days to come.”

Generally, elder abuse is a challenging crime to prosecute because of the nature of the victim, Dalton said.  “You’re typically dealing with an individual who has diminished capacity, which makes them especially vulnerable to be victimized.”

The risks to seniors come not only from con men who are strangers, but also from trusted people in their own homes, said Prosecutor Dalton.  

“We certainly aren’t surprised by the number of scam artists, but the number of caregivers and relatives who engage in this despicable behavior is really terrible.”

The purpose of today’s meeting was “to raise awareness regarding a growing problem of elder abuse as well as to plan out how we can address this issue in a collaborative manner,” said Prosecutor Dalton. 

                                      MORE

“Historically, there has not been much coordination in this area.  Typically, the number of cases of elder abuse reported is the tip of the iceberg, compared to the total number of abuse cases out there,” he said.

“Agencies that come across it have traditionally fended for themselves as to how they dealt with this problem. By sharing resources available for addressing this                            issue, we can hopefully get victims the help they need and go after the perpetrators of these crime.”

In the past year, since forming an elder abuse unit in the Prosecutor’s Office, “our goals have been to educate the general public and to reach out to engage professionals on this topic,” said Prosecutor Dalton.  “We’ve conducted approximately twelve public presentations to senior citizen groups regarding elder abuse and financial exploitation.”

“We’re going to be conducting some training seminars for area banks in the next few weeks,”  the prosecutor said.. On the investigative side,   “We’ve had four  recent prosecutions of elder abuse and have several investigations pending.”

Dalton fielded questions from those attending the meeting, particularly from officials of local banks.  “They were most interested in hearing about reporting requirements New Jersey law provides for bank officials who make disclosures to law enforcement and adult protective services agencies without fear of reprisals from their customers.’

“They were interested in hearing more about the types of documents and evidence we would rely upon in prosecuting these cases.”