Civil Investigation and Abuse of Vulnerable Adults in Calgary: An Exploratory Study

MacRae, L.; Pearson, S.

Civil Investigation and Abuse of Vulnerable Adults in Calgary: An Exploratory Study

dc.contributor.author	MacRae, L.	en
dc.contributor.author	Pearson, S.	en
dc.date.accessioned	2018-07-19T23:35:23Z
dc.date.available	2018-07-19T23:35:23Z
dc.date.issued	2010
dc.description.abstract	Since 2004, Calgary’s Action Group on Elder Abuse (AGEA), an initiative of the Alliance to End Violence, has engaged community stakeholders in identifying gaps and building community capacity in addressing the issue of abuse of older adults. In 2007, AGEA initiated the development of a coordinated community response model for older adult victims of abuse and neglect in Calgary. As part of this process, three “Pulling Back the Curtain” working sessions were held in 2008, where community stakeholders were engaged in discussions regarding what Calgary’s community response model requires in order to be effective. As a result of these working sessions, a response model was drafted and presented to the community in October 2008. The consultations on the response model led to discussions regarding a civil investigation procedure for responding to situations where abuse or the risk of abuse of an older adult is alleged in the community, as it was recognized that a gap in protection exists in Alberta for this population. This is especially true of cases where there is no discernable criminal element. AGEA recognized the importance of determining whether a non-criminal investigation procedure would be appropriate, feasible, and desired in Calgary. AGEA approached the Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family (CRILF) in 2009 with the idea of conducting a small feasibility study. Ultimately, AGEA would use the results of the study to increase Calgary stakeholders’ understanding of civil investigation, and consult with the community on whether it should be a part of Calgary’s community response model to address the abuse of older adults. With funding from the Alberta Law Foundation, and in partnership with AGEA, CRILF and legal consultant Sheryl Pearson began work on the feasibility study in March 2010. The purpose of this report is to determine the feasibility of a non-criminal investigation procedure in Calgary for cases where abuse of older adults is suspected, including the resources and legal mechanisms required as well as potential issues that may exist. The objectives of the report are as follows: (1) To increase understanding of the legal mechanisms available in Alberta provincial adult protection legislation; (2) To increase understanding of non-criminal investigation models in Canada and internationally for cases of older adult abuse, and the legal and social mechanisms required for their operation; (3) To determine whether non-criminal investigation would be appropriate and supported in Calgary’s community response model; and (4) To determine the feasibility of adopting a non-criminal investigation procedure in Alberta as a possible tool to better protect older adults in the community.
dc.identifier.citation	MacRae, L,, Pearson, S. (2010). Civil Investigation and Abuse of Vulnerable Adults in Calgary: An Exploratory Study PDF · Fact Sheet. Calgary, AB: Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family. Prepared for the Action Group on Elder Abuse.	en
dc.identifier.doi	http://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/32637
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/1880/107454
dc.language.iso	en
dc.publisher	Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family. Prepared for the Action Group on Elder Abuse.	en
dc.title	Civil Investigation and Abuse of Vulnerable Adults in Calgary: An Exploratory Study	en
dc.type	report	en