CSI: Elder Abuse

Elder abuse in all its various forms is finally being recognized as a significant social problem.

The US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice (NIJ) recently closed the application process for research and evaluation of the criminal justice system's response to elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation of elderly individuals, older women, and residents of elder care facilities. The research is intended to provide objective, independent, evidence-based knowledge and tools to meet these challenges primarily at the state and local level. The first priority of this research is "identify and explore forensic markers of physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect among the elderly living in any setting."

The NIJ solicitation was likely in response to legislation introduced in the US House of Representatives on March 16, 2006. That legislation, H.R. 4993, short titled the "Elder Justice Act," would "...amend the Social Security Act to enhance the Social Security of the Nation by ensuring adequate public-private infrastructure and to resolve to prevent, detect, treat, intervene in, and prosecute elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, and for other purposes." The legislation was introduced by Representative Peter T. King of New York (NY-3). This legislation is related to S. 2010 introduced by Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah. The Senate Report, 109-337, Elder Justice Act describes the establishment, support, and support of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation forensic centers.

Today's New York Times article headlined Forensic Skills Seek to Uncover Elder Abuse puts the elder abuse issue and the forensic investigations involving them into clearer perspective.