DOI: 10.3886/icpsr06921
title: Evaluation of the Elder Abuse Training Program in Massachusetts, 1993-1995
title: Archival Version

description: These data were collected to evaluate the Elder Protection
 Project in Massachusetts, sponsored by the Massachusetts Attorney
 General's Office and funded by the Massachusetts Committee on Criminal
 Justice. The mission of the project was to train police officers to be
 aware of the changing demographics of the elderly population in
 Massachusetts and to communicate effectively and sensitively with
 senior adults so that officers could effectively intervene, report,
 and investigate instances of elder victimization, neglect, and
 financial exploitation. These data examine the quality of instruction
 given at the advanced training sessions conducted between September
 1993 and May 1994 and offered in all regions of the state in
 coordination with local protective service agencies. Variables include
 the respondent's agency and job title, type of elder abuse programs
 offered by the agency, the respondent's estimate of the percentage of
 actual elder abuse reported in his/her area, and the respondent's
 opinion on the greatest obstacles to having elder abuse
 reported. Respondents rated their knowledge of elder abuse reporting
 laws, procedures for responding to elder abuse incidents, unique
 aspects of communicating with elderly people, and formal training on
 recognizing signs of elder abuse. Respondents that completed the
 two-day advanced law enforcement elder abuse training program rated
 the quality of the training and were also asked about issues related
 to elder abuse not covered in the training, names of new programs in
 the department or agency initiated as a result of the training,
 aspects of the training most useful and least useful, and suggestions
regarding how the training program could be improved.
description: The issue of elder abuse has been salient for
 both law enforcement professionals and the general public. Elderly
 citizens can be violated by caregivers or family members, as well as
 by strangers. Abuse can also occur as the result of older adults'
 limited ability to care for themselves. Given the potentially
 confusing nature of the problem and the overlap with domestic assault,
 law enforcement personnel have been particularly unclear as to the
 laws concerning elder abuse and the role that police can and should
 play. In 1983, a mandatory reporting law (M.G.L. Chapter 19A,
 Sec. 14-26) regarding elder abuse went into effect in
 Massachusetts. This law required certain professionals, including
 police officers, to report all cases of suspected elder abuse (which
 may be one or a combination of financial, emotional, physical, and
 sexual abuse, as well as neglect) to a local protective service
 agency. The Elder Protection Project was sponsored by the Attorney
 General's Office and funded by the Massachusetts Committee on Criminal
 Justice. The mission of the project was to train police officers to be
 aware of the changing demographics of the elderly population in
 Massachusetts and to communicate effectively and sensitively with
 senior adults so that officers could effectively intervene, report,
 and investigate instances of elder victimization, neglect, and
 financial exploitation. This data collection contains the program
 evaluation of the quality of the instruction given at the advanced
trainings by the Elderly Protection Project.
description: The Elder Protection Project created a training
 curricula for recruit, in-service, and advanced training. Advanced
 training sessions were conducted between September 1993 and May
 1994. This police training was offered in all regions of the state in
 coordination with local Protective Service Agencies. Several months
 following the training, a sample of individuals who were originally
 invited to take the advanced training were mailed surveys to assess
 the impact of the training project on those who participated in the
 two-day training sessions. The first mailing of the survey was in
 December 1994. A repeat mailing of the same survey was sent in
 January 1995 in an effort to increase the number of respondents. The
 deadline for the surveys to be returned was February 17, 1995, and
 respondents could send the completed survey by facsimile or by mail in
 the supplied self-addressed stamped envelope. The survey was designed
 to allow respondents to answer the first portion regardless of whether
 they participated in the police training, whereas the latter portion
 was designated for training participants only. Respondents were
 permitted to remain anonymous. As a result, guarantees could not be
 made that the recipient of each survey actually participated in the
 Elderly Protection Project's two-day training. The survey consisted of
 both closed- and open-ended questions and was designed to elicit
 information regarding familiarity with elder abuse laws, participation
 in and evaluation of the training experience, and encounters with
 elder abuse cases. The data were compiled solely by the staff
conducting the evaluation.
description: Variables include the respondent's agency and job
 title, type of elder abuse programs offered by the agency, the
 respondent's estimate of the percentage of actual elder abuse reported
 in his/her area, and the respondent's opinion on the greatest
 obstacles to having elder abuse reported. Respondents rated their
 knowledge of elder abuse reporting laws, procedures for responding to
 elder abuse incidents, unique aspects of communicating with elderly
 people, and formal training on recognizing signs of elder abuse.
 Respondents who completed the two-day advanced law enforcement elder
 abuse training program rated the quality of the training and were also
 asked about issues related to elder abuse not covered in the training,
 names of new programs in the department or agency initiated as a
 result of the training, aspects of the training most useful and least
 useful, and suggestions regarding how the training program could be
improved.
description: Response Rates: A total of 134 of the 231 surveys were completed and
returned, which equals a 58 percent rate of response.
description: Presence of Common Scales: Several Likert-type scales were used.
description: A sample of individuals who were invited to participate in
 the advanced training programs. Respondents were selected based on
 communities where elder abuse report data were initially accessible
 from protection service agencies. A majority of the sample (90
 percent) were representatives of the law enforcement community, which
 was true for the training classes in general. Other participants
 included protective service workers, victim/witness advocates, and
District Attorneys.
description: Datasets: 
DS1: Evaluation of the Elder Abuse Training Program in Massachusetts, 1993-1995
description: Individuals invited to participate in the advanced
 training sessions of the Massachusetts Elderly Protection Project in
September 1993 to May 1994.