Neff Symposium: Protecting older adults
Yesterday [Sept. 16], District Attorney Jennifer Schorn and members of the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office participated in the 22nd Annual William J. Neff, Sr. Symposium on the Prevention of Crimes Against Older Adults, held at Bucks County Community College’s Zlock Performing Arts Center.
The symposium brought together a wide range of professionals, including social workers, healthcare workers, victim advocates, legal professionals, and law enforcement, to discuss the critical issue of elder abuse.
The symposium covered a wide range of topics, starting with a powerful keynote from Paul Greenwood, a retired San Diego prosecutor and a renowned expert on elder abuse prosecution. He emphasized the importance of a multi-disciplinary approach and highlighted emerging trends, including the use of artificial intelligence in fraud schemes targeting older adults.
Other sessions were held by Special Agent Sunny Notani of the Secret Service who gave an updated look at online scams, using real-life case studies to show how these frauds continue to grow and what is being done to fight them.
From our office, Deputy District Attorney A.J. Garabedian, Chief Deputy District Attorney Marc Furber, and Detective Eric Landamia shared their successful courtroom strategies in investigating and prosecuting those who physically and financially exploit older adults. Their presentation provided real-world examples of the abuse older adults face and the challenges in bringing these cases to justice.
