Elder Abuse

As our population ages, elder abuse is becoming one of the fastest growing crimes in the nation. More than two million elderly Americans are victims of neglect or mistreatment every year. Those are the cases we know about. Experts estimate that for every case of elder abuse that comes to the attention of law enforcement, many others go unreported.

Out of concern and realizing the unique vulnerability of seniors, the District Attorney created Santa Barbara county's Elder Abuse Unit consisting of an attorney, investigator and advocate; operational in both North and South Counties. The Elder Abuse Advocate coordinates with Adult Protective Services, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Office and local law enforcement agencies and resources to help victims and families cope with the effects of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The attorney and investigator identify, review, investigate and prosecute the cases. All provide services to elder and dependent adults as well as ongoing training programs for local law enforcement and gatekeepers. The purpose of the project is to ensure the safety of our community's elders and dependent adults and to heighten the community's awareness of this form of crime.

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