- Title
- Vulnerability of elders to physical harm and death: criminal law responses
- Creator
- Anderson, John
- Relation
- Australian Law Journal Vol. 93, Issue 8, p. 631-641
- Relation
- https://anzlaw.thomsonreuters.com/Document/Ie7adc2669aa011ea89ea91c88091df40/View/FullText.html?originationContext=typeAhead&transitionType=Default&contextData=(sc.Default)&comp=wlau
- Publisher
- Lawbook Co.
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2019
- Description
- Elder abuse can be of a nature and reach such a scale that it is of at least equal concern to society as family and domestic violence. Although the enigmatic concept of elder abuse is frequently given a broad definition, attention has largely been on financial crimes against older people in the criminal law context. This article will examine the less frequently considered issue of offences against the person, including assaults, detention, deprivation and death. Questions about the vulnerability of an older person as an aggravating factor in existing offences and the need for the creation of specific offences of elder abuse, including causing the death of an older person, will be explored. Some case studies will be considered in the context of the difficulties of evidence gathering and proof for these forms of elder abuse translating to punishable criminal offences. Particular focus will be on inquests where hindsight has revealed disturbing examples of "hidden" elder abuse and neglect resulting in deaths. Important legal complexities and tensions at the intersection of criminal offences against the person and maltreatment of older people will be evaluated.
- Subject
- vulnerability of Elders; physical harm; death; criminal law responses
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1444851
- Identifier
- uon:42425
- Identifier
- ISSN:0004-9611
- Language
- eng
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