Protecting Our Most Vulnerable Residents: 2014-2015 Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury Report

The 2014-2015 Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury (Grand Jury) received a complaint regarding the purported failure of law enforcement’s use of California Penal Code Section 368 in reporting incidences of elder and/or dependent adult abuse, especially when the alleged abuse was mental or emotional. The complaint suggested that law enforcement agencies whose policies did not include a specific reference to Penal Code 368 were more likely to treat elder and/or dependent abuse as social service, not criminal, issues.

The Grand Jury investigated agencies in Santa Clara County (County) for the following:

• Do county law enforcement manuals contain the policies, rules, and procedures to be used by officers in the field specifically reference Penal Code Section 368 or sufficiently encompass its intent?

• Is there uniformity among County law enforcement agencies as to how to address elder and dependent adult abuse?

• Is the training that county law enforcement officers receive regarding elder and dependent adult abuse sufficient?

• Are there adequate avenues for reporting elder and/or dependent adult abuse so that the Office of the District Attorney (DA’s Office) is able to prosecute appropriate cases?

Source:
Protecting Our Most Vulnerable Residents:  2014-2016 Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury Report