NCJ Number
211110
Date Published
October 2004
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This study assessed the effectiveness of Florida's Adult Protective Services Program, which investigates the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of vulnerable adults and provides social services to protect such adults from harm.
Abstract
The program also coordinates with local law enforcement to secure the safety of the victim and adult protective investigator and to initiate any criminal activity. To ensure the effectiveness of such cooperation and coordination, the State legislature requires the program to establish working agreements with all county sheriff's offices and local police departments. The program has signed working agreements with 342 of 346 law enforcement agencies, but the agreements have had limited effectiveness, which has had the effect of delaying the provision of adult protective services and/or impeding criminal investigations. Law enforcement officers have sometimes been unwilling to enter a home in cases of emergency, and they have sometimes been unwilling to transport a vulnerable adult to an appropriate facility. Program staff have also failed to refer possible criminal cases to law enforcement agencies in a timely manner and have sometimes interviewed alleged perpetrators without the consent of a law enforcement agency. Increased local training of both law enforcement personnel and the staff of Adult Protective Services would improve staff understanding of the working agreement's joint investigative protocols. Further, establishing written local protocols in working agreements would help improve cooperation by addressing the distinctive needs of each jurisdiction. Periodic meetings between program and law enforcement personnel would help ensure that investigative procedures in working agreements are followed. Also, designated contact persons for both program and law enforcement agencies should improve the efficiency and effectiveness of investigations. Appended agency responses to recommendations