The Office of the District Attorneys Family Protection Unit is responsible for the prosecution of elder and dependent adult abuse. Penal Code Section 368 criminalizes abuse of two separate groups of people those aged 65 and older and those adults of any age who are classified as dependent adults. The types of abuse included may be property related and violence related. The abuse may be physical pain, mental suffering, and endangerment (PC §368(b)(1)), as well as theft, identity theft, forgery, and fraud (PC §368(d) and (e)). There are special charges that can also be used when the victim is over 70 years of age or when there is great bodily injury inflicted. The perpetrators are often in a position of trust and may even be family members. These crimes, targeting the most vulnerable adults, are growing in severity and number as the population ages.
ELDER ABUSE FORENSIC CENTER
The Office of the District Attorney participates in the Orange County Elder Abuse Prevention Coalition. The Coalition oversees the work at the nations first
Elder Abuse Forensic Center, which started in May 2003. This is a collaborative effort involving law enforcement, social service agencies, and the medical community of University of California at Irvine, that assists in the goal of protecting the elder and dependant adult population from abuse. The Center serves law enforcement by providing medical experts, vertical prosecution, and experienced social workers to assist in identifying and prosecuting cases of criminal elder or dependent adult abuse. The Center works to educate the Countys law enforcement and prosecution community about how pervasive and large this problem is likely to become over the next twenty to forty years and to help law enforcement prepare for the future. For more information, visit the website at https://www.elderabuseforensiccenter.com/.
