BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) – Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel was in Brown County Wednesday to announce his Task Force on Elder Abuse.
The Attorney General is recommending new legislation, agency action, and resources for law enforcement to fight elder abuse in Wisconsin.
“The recommendations will help fight all types of senior abuse.”
He says that includes financial exploitation, physical abuse, and neglect.
One of the recommendations includes allowing financial institutions to delay suspicious transactions to stop elder exploitation, but Schimel says that would require legislative approval.
Representative John Mocco and Senator Pat Testin are actively involved with the task force.
“We are seeking a bill that would allow financial institutions to identify and delay any transactions that are suspicious.”
Brown County Chief Deputy Todd Delain says time is a big factor.
“If we can empower people on the front end, who observe something that appears to be suspicious, in a cautious way to be able to stop the transaction before it occurs so we prevent the perpetrator from obtaining those funds quickly before we have to try to catch up.
Another recommendation would have an incident report that will be put together by the DOJ be made for law enforcement use.
“It will help frontline officers know what to look for when they might be encountering elder abuse,” said Schimel.
The incident reporting system that is similar to the one used with domestic violence.
The third recommendation would expedite hearings and testimony for older witnesses with declining health and difficulty in remembering events.
“Elder abuse cases are large and complex crimes,” said Schimel.
The last recommendation is the creation of an elder abuse response team at the DOJ.
“This team is going to help local prosecutors and law enforcement fight elder abuse by providing a resource prosecutor, three investigators, and a financial auditor.”
Both Schimel and Delain said improvements have been made.
From 2001 to 2017, reported allegations of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation increased by 160% in Wisconsin.
“It is clear over the last several months that we are moving in the right direction and that is obvious legislation moving forward, the awareness, people talking about elderly abuse and what can be done to prevent it.”
Schimel says elder abuse can be complicated as to what to report.
“They’re very difficult cases, as I said, for a number of reasons, primarily because often times our seniors are reluctant to provide information because it’s a person they rely on who’s committing the abuse or neglect or exploitation,” Schimel says. “And sometimes they might not be good historians about what happened, he added. “As we age we bruise easier, we fall and things happen.”
The Attorney General said many do not know who to report to, and contacting the local AARP is a good step.
“They are a great resource. They can help you understand the signs, get an assessment done and know what resources to connect you with.”
Studies show that many cases go under-reported altogether.
“It’s estimated that one of out of every 44 instances of financial abuse goes unreported. That means 98 percent is unreported,” said Jim Podewils, Department of Financial Institutions Deputy Secretary.
Schimel says it is a no win situation for financial institutions right now.
“If they interfere with that transaction, right now under the law, they can be sued. If they don’t interfere, they can get in trouble and be sued.”
To report elder abuse, a new website has been created, a link can be found at www.ReportElderAbuseWI.org
