Response to Elder Abuse: Self-Assessment Workbook for Law Enforcement

Publication Date: 2022

The goal of this self-assessment tool is to encourage law enforcement, intervening agencies, and coordinated community responses (CCRs) to candidly and thoughtfully assess their elder abuse work and the processes they use. It helps identify existing practices and introduce new approaches to strengthen the overall response. It is meant to facilitate and encourage discussion and raise questions about roles, responses, coordination, and common purpose.

The tool draws on promising practice recommendations for:

• Recognizing forms of elder abuse;
• Building a victim-centered response that maximizes victim safety and autonomy;
• Assessment and investigation strategies;
• Safety planning;
• Understanding the impact of violence, abuse, and trauma;
• Holding perpetrators of elder abuse accountable for their actions;
• Respecting and meeting the needs of older persons from diverse cultures, identities, and backgrounds;
• And building a coordinated community response to address elder abuse and its victims.

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Topic(s):

Collaboration and Partnerships Determining Primary Aggressors Documentation and Report Writing Investigations Policy/Protocol Development Serving Culturally Specific Communities

VAWA Crime(s):

Domestic Violence Sexual Assault Stalking

Role(s):

Call Centers/Dispatch Chief/Sheriff/Executive Civilian Staff Fire/Emergency Medical Services First Line Supervisor Investigator/Detective Other Role Patrol Officer/Deputy Prosecutor Special Victims Unit