Los Angeles City Attorney's Office
Elder Crimes Unit

The Office of the City Attorney Elder Crimes Unit is a specialized vertical prosecution unit that pursues both criminal and civil actions to enforce laws that protect the elderly and dependent adults. The Elder Crimes Unit prosecutes financial crimes committed against elderly victims, as well as crimes of physical and financial abuse occurring in nursing homes and long-term care facilities. The Elder Crimes Unit also pursues civil actions against nursing homes engaged in illegal business practices such as inaccurate record keeping and failure to safeguard residents' belongings.

Cases of Consumer Fraud are handled by the Consumer Protection Unit and problems affecting the safety or quality of life of seniors can be addressed by the Neighborhood Prosecutor Program.

Crimes of Elder Abuse and Neglect should be initially reported to a police agency, Adult Protective Services or the Ombudsman's Office. A chart describing how to file a crime report and  the reporting guidelines can be found in our Crime page.

The City Attorney's Elder Abuse Unit prosecutes misdemeanor cases in the City of Los Angeles. In the County of Los Angeles, felonies are prosecuted by the District Attorney's Office.