Senior citizens increasingly are being victimized by desperate people looking for soft targets in Michigan's hard economy.
Fraud and violence against the elderly are on the rise throughout Metro Detroit, according to law enforcement and advocates for senior citizens.
"It's stunning, the level of violence we are beginning to see," said Thomas Wenzel, principal Wayne County prosecutor for elder abuse.
When seniors suffer physical, emotional and financial abuse, it's usually at the hands of relative caregivers. But local officials say they have seen a recent rise in violence and financial fraud against the elderly by strangers and others who won their trust. At a time when FBI statistics for Metro Detroit show decreases in the major reported criminal categories, prosecution of violent crimes against the elderly rose 75 percent last year in Macomb County. Overall crimes involving senior victims spiked 42 percent in Oakland County. In Wayne County, prosecutors say the numbers haven't risen, but the level of brutality involved in the crimes has.
Dangerous stereotype --
that the elderly are weak, easily confused and distrusting of banks during hard times -- is leading desperate people to believe they might be easy marks for scams, strong arm robbery and worse.
Full Article and Source:
Violence against seniors on the rise
Fraud and violence against the elderly are on the rise throughout Metro Detroit, according to law enforcement and advocates for senior citizens.
"It's stunning, the level of violence we are beginning to see," said Thomas Wenzel, principal Wayne County prosecutor for elder abuse.
When seniors suffer physical, emotional and financial abuse, it's usually at the hands of relative caregivers. But local officials say they have seen a recent rise in violence and financial fraud against the elderly by strangers and others who won their trust. At a time when FBI statistics for Metro Detroit show decreases in the major reported criminal categories, prosecution of violent crimes against the elderly rose 75 percent last year in Macomb County. Overall crimes involving senior victims spiked 42 percent in Oakland County. In Wayne County, prosecutors say the numbers haven't risen, but the level of brutality involved in the crimes has.
Dangerous stereotype --
that the elderly are weak, easily confused and distrusting of banks during hard times -- is leading desperate people to believe they might be easy marks for scams, strong arm robbery and worse.
Full Article and Source:
Violence against seniors on the rise
1 comment:
This is scary. When times get really bad, the vulnerable become first prey.
Guardianship/conservatorship will increase as a result of the bad economy as well.
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