Georgia’s Crimes Against the Disabled and Elderly Task Force (CADE)

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Georgia’s Crimes Against the Disabled and Elderly Task Force (CADE)

The Crimes Against the Disabled and Elderly Task Force (CADE), is a one-of-a-kind joint effort combining Georgia’s Division of Aging Services’ Forensic Special Initiatives Unit (FSIU) and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). 

Although FSIU and the GBI worked closely together for over 10 years, it was only in 2021 that an MOU officially formed the CADE Task Force. The four-person team also oversees the Financial Exploitation Work Group which brings the banking industry, social services, and law enforcement together on a quarterly basis to discuss tends and new resources available. One of the most important activities for FSIU is a two-day class called CACTS (Certified Adult Crime Tactics Specialist). Each month, the unit teaches a wide variety of disciplines on topics such as how to identify and respond to at-risk adult abuse, suspicious deaths, and financial exploitation.  They also teach about utilizing social services and resources, and interviewing older adults and adults with disabilities. Currently, over 4,000 people are Certified Adult Crime Tactics Specialists in Georgia. As the program grows and law enforcement is trained, the number of arrested preparators has increased from 347 in 2013 to 6,350 in 2022.

Read the full post on EJI’s Highlighted Networks page.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Elder Justice Initiative is to support and to help coordinate the Department’s enforcement and programmatic efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial fraud and scams that target our nation’s seniors.

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