Colorado has no specific crime of elder abuse. Instead, state law provides for a penalty enhancement (meaning harsher sentencing) for certain crimes against victims ages 70 or older. These underlying crimes include:
- Criminal negligence — CRS 18-6.5-103(2),
- Assault — CRS 18-6.5-103(3),
- Robbery — CRS 18-6.5-103(4),
- Theft — CRS 18-6.5-103(5),
- Caretaker neglect — CRS 18-6.5-103(6),
- Sexual assault — CRS 18-6.5-103(7), and
- Exploitation — CRS 18-6.5-103(7.5)1
It is also a crime
- to attempt to do,
- to conspire to do, or
- to solicit someone else to do any of these crimes.2
Colorado considers people aged 70 and older to be especially vulnerable to
- crime,
- physical abuse,
- neglect,
- emotional abuse,
- financial abuse scams,
- investment fraud,
- telephone fraud, and
- other mistreatment – even by caregivers, family members, and conservators.
As a result, penalties for crimes against “at risk” seniors are usually felonies and are punished more severely than equivalent crimes against younger adults. Merely taking anything worth more than $500 from a senior can land you in prison for many years.
To help you better understand CRS 18-6.5-103 crimes against the elderly, our Colorado criminal defense lawyers discuss the following, below:
- 1. What is the definition of elder abuse in Colorado?
- 2. What are the penalties for elder abuse in Colorado?
- 3. What are the defenses?
- 4. How do I report elder abuse?
- 5. Who are mandatory reporters?
- 6. What are common signs of elder abuse?
- 7. Civil actions for compensation
- 8. Crisis intervention and support services
- 9. Further reading
1. What is the definition of elder abuse in Colorado?
1.1. Abuse
CRS 18-6.5-102(1) defines “abuse” as any of the following acts or omissions committed against an at-risk elder:
- (a) The non-accidental infliction of bodily injury, serious bodily injury, or death;
- (b) Confinement or restraint that is unreasonable under generally accepted caretaking standards;
- (c) Sexual assault or unlawful sexual contact;
- (d) Caretaker neglect; or
- (e) Exploitation.
1.2. “At-risk” elder
For purposes of Colorado’s elder abuse laws, “at-risk elder” means any person who is seventy years of age or older.
At-risk elders are defined as people 70 or older under CRS 18-6.5-103.
1.3. Caretaker
Under CRS 18-6.5-102 (5), “caretaker” means a person who:
- (a) Is responsible for the care of an at-risk elder as a result of a family or legal relationship;
- (b) Has assumed responsibility for the care of an at-risk elder; or
- (c) Is paid to provide care or services to an at-risk elder, such as at the elder’s home or in a nursing home or other long-term care facility.
1.4. Caretaker neglect
CRS 18-6.5-102 (6) defines “caretaker neglect” as neglect that occurs when a caretaker does not provide, in a timely manner and with the degree of care that a reasonable person in the same situation would exercise, adequate:
- food,
- clothing,
- shelter,
- psychological care for mental health,
- physical care,
- medical care, or
- supervision.
An exception is made for care that is withheld in accordance with:
- a valid medical directive or order (such as medical durable power of attorney), or
- a palliative plan of care.
1.5. Criminal exploitation
Under 18-6.5-102 (10) of Colorado’s elder abuse statute, “exploitation” means an act or omission committed by a person who:
- (a) Without legal authority uses deception, harassment, intimidation, or undue influence to permanently or temporarily deprive an at-risk elder of the use, benefit, or possession of anything of value;
- (b) Employs the services of a third party for his or her profit or advantage to the detriment of the at-risk elder;
- (c) Forces, compels, coerces, or entices an at-risk elder to perform services for the profit or advantage of the person or another person against the will of the at-risk elder; or
- (d) Misuses the property of an at-risk elder in a manner that adversely affects the at-risk elder’s ability to receive health care or health care benefits or to pay bills for basic needs or obligations.
2. What are the penalties for elder abuse in Colorado?
Section 18-6.5-103(2) sets forth the consequences of crimes against the elderly in Colorado. The penalties for Colorado elder abuse vary depending on:
- the nature of the underlying crime,
- whether the crime was committed in the heat of sudden passion,
- whether the wrongful act was committed knowingly,
- whether the crime was committed by someone in a position of trust, and
- in the case of theft, robbery or exploitation, the value of the item.
Note that defendants in elder abuse cases can range from the victim’s spouse or family members to paid caretakers or perfect strangers.
2.1. Negligence resulting in death or injury
When negligence results in the death of an elderly person in Colorado, the penalty is:
- 2-6 years in prison, and
- A fine of $2,000-$500,000.
When the elder neglect results in serious bodily injury, consequences include:
- 1-3 years in prison, and
- A fine of $1,000-$100,000.
And when negligence results in (non-serious) bodily injury to an at-risk adult, penalties are:
- 1 – 1 ½ years in prison, and
- A fine of $1,000-$100,000.
2.2. Assault of an elder
2.2.1. First-degree assault
Penalties for assault in the first degree against a Colorado “at-risk” elder include:
- 8-24 years in prison, and
- A fine of $5,000-$1,000,000;
Except that if the assault is committed in a sudden heat of passion, the penalty is reduced to:
- 2-6 years in prison, and
- A fine of $2,000-$500,000.
2.2.2. Second-degree assault
Punishment for assault in the second degree against an at-risk elder is:
- 4-12 years in prison, and
- A fine of $3,000-$750,000.
Except if the assault is committed in a sudden heat of passion, consequences of elder assault are reduced to:
- 1-3 years in prison, and
- A fine of $1,000-$100,000.
Knowingly causing bodily injury to an elderly person is third-degree assault in Colorado.
2.2.3. Third-degree assault
Penalties for assault in the third degree against a Colorado senior include:
- 1 – 1 ½ years in prison, and
- A fine of $1,000-$100,000.
2.3. Robbery
Robbing an elderly person in Colorado is considered a particularly serious crime. Penalties include:
- 4-12 years in prison (with 4 years mandatory followed by 5 years mandatory parole), and
- A fine of up to $ 500,000.4
2.4. Theft
If you are in a position of trust in relation to an at-risk elder in Colorado (see above), penalties for stealing from an elder depend on:
- the value of the item stolen,
- whether the theft was committed in the elder’s presence, and
- whether you used force, threat or intimidation.
If the theft was committed in the elder’s presence, or you used force, threat or intimidation, then the consequences of Colorado theft of an elder include:
If the item was worth $500 or more:
- 4-12 years in prison, and
- A fine of $3,000-$750,000.
If the value was less than $500, the penalty is:
- 1-3 years in prison, and
- A fine of $1,000-$100,000.
If the theft was committed other than by force, threat or intimidation (for example, by fraud or embezzlement), then regardless of the value of the item, the theft can be punished by:
- 2-6 years in prison, and
- A fine of $2,000-$500,000.5
2.5. Caretaker Neglect
It is a Colorado class 1 misdemeanor to:
- knowingly commit caretaker neglect against an at-risk elder, or
- knowingly act in a manner likely to be injurious to the physical or mental welfare of an at-risk elder.3
Penalties for knowing caretaker neglect of an elder can include:
- Up to 364 days in jail, and/or
- A fine of up to $1,000.
2.6. Sex Crimes
Sexual assault against an elder in Colorado is punished by:
- 8-24 years in prison, and
- A fine of $5,000-$1,000,000.
Unlawful sexual contact by force, intimidation, or threat carries penalties of:
- 4-12 years in prison, and
- A fine of $3,000-$750,000.
Any other type of unlawful sexual abuse of an elder carries consequences of:
- 1 – 1 ½ years in prison, and
- A fine of $1,000-$100,000.6
2.7. Exploitation
Penalties for financial exploitation of an elder in Colorado depend on the value of the property exploited or the advantage taken. If the value is $500 or more, the penalty for Colorado exploitation of a senior is:
- 4-12 years in prison, and
- A fine of $3,000-$750,000.
If the value is less than $500, the consequences of elder exploitation include:
- 1-3 years in prison, and
- A fine of $1,000-$100,000.
Financial exploitation can take many forms, such as
- stealing cash and other assets like jewelry, real property, personal property, and
- making investments without authorization.
Often the older person is forced to sign a financial power of attorney, allowing the abuser to then make decisions about money and other assets without permission. Sometimes the abuser steals the older person’s identity or forges their signature.
3. What are the defenses?
Defenses to elder abuse usually involve defenses to the specific crime charged (assault, sexual assault, etc).
Additional defenses specific to elder abuse often include (but are not limited to):
- The adult wasn’t 70 or more at the time of the alleged act,
- You weren’t a caretaker under Colorado law,
- The injury was the result of an accident,
- You were acting in accordance with the elder’s wishes,
- You were acting consistently with prescribed medical care,
- You didn’t knowingly commit the alleged act,
- You acted in self-defense,
- The item was valued at less than $500 (partial defense), or
- You acted in the heat of passion (partial defense).
As long as the district attorney cannot prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, the charge should be dropped.
See our related articles on domestic violence assault in Colorado, child abuse, menacing, stalking, and false imprisonment.
4. How do I report elder abuse?
Call 911 if the victim is in immediate peril. Otherwise, report any type of elder abuse (from physical to financial) by calling Adult Protective Services in the county where the abuse is allegedly occurring:
When you call APS (a division of the Colorado Department of Human Services), be sure to have the name and address of the elderly person you are calling about. Also tell them your specific concerns.
APS will then investigate the matter and intervene if they find there is elder abuse. Depending on the case, APS may be able to ask a judge for:
- an emergency removal and/or
- guardianship for the elderly person
Contacting the police
In addition to contacting APS, consider filing a report with the police. They would use their vast resources – which include access to various records and databases – to determine if there is probable cause to believe someone committed elder abuse. If so, prosecutors can then press criminal charges against the perpetrator.
Contacting the care facility
If there is only one person causing trouble at your loved one’s care facility, you can try just reporting that person to management. If management then terminates the troublemaker, the problem can be solved without having to get APS or the police involved.
5. Who are mandatory reporters?
Colorado law requires the various professionals to report any reasonable suspicions of elder abuse to police within 24 hours of the discovery. Examples of these professional include:
- Health care providers
- First responders
- Veterinarians
- Psychologists
- Social workers
- School personnel
- Clergymen
Mandatory reporters who willfully fail to report elder abuse face class 2 misdemeanor charges, carrying up to 120 days in jail and/or a fine of up to $750.7
6. What are common signs of elder abuse?
Some indications that an elderly person is being abused, neglected, or exploited are:
- weight loss
- bed sores
- bruises
- missed doctor’s appointments
- lacking basic utilities like heat, air conditioning, electricity, or water
- seeming fearful around caretakers
- loss of enjoyment of life
- bad hygiene
- dirty living conditions
- no fresh food
- wearing dirty clothes or none at all
- the elderly person gets an STD (possibly from rape or other sexual abuse where the elderly person cannot consent due to dementia or being unconscious)
- the caretaker is humiliating the older person
- the caretaker is controlling who the older person can see and how he/she gets transported
- the caretaker hits, slaps, chokes, kicks, or otherwise hurts the elderly person for an unjustifiable reason
- the caretaker threatens to hurt the elderly person or their pet
- the elderly person is tied to a bed or wheelchair
- the elderly person is taking incorrect dosages of medication or none at all
7. Civil actions for compensation
Elder abuse victims can bring what is called a “civil action for compensation” against their abuser (or abuser’s employer) in pursuit of some financial compensation. (If you have power of attorney, you can bring this legal action on the elderly person’s behalf.)
Note that elder abuse victims can seek civil actions for compensation whether or not Adult Protective Services and/or the police investigated or intervened in their case. The purpose is not to get anyone into trouble but instead to recover monetary damages.
8. Crisis intervention and support services
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call or text 911. Otherwise, contact Colorado’s Adult Protective Services (APS) to report abuse or for further guidance.
Additional resources for elder abuse victims are:
- Colorado Department of Human Services
- Center for Trauma and Resilience (Denver Center for Crime Victims – Elderly and Disabled Services) – (303) 894-8000
- Colorado Coalition for Elder Rights and Prevention (CCERAP)
- Colorado Division of Aging and Adult Services (AAS)
- Denver Human Services
- Colorado Gerontological Society
- AARP Elder Watch – 1 (800) 222-4444
- U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission – Seniors – 1 (800) 732 -0330
- Tu Casa Inc. (Alamosa County) – (719) 589-2465
- The Initiative – 1 (877) 839-5510
- Seniors’ Resource Center – (303) 238-8151
- PorchLight Family Justice Center (Jefferson and Gilpin Counties) – (303) 271-6838
- Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) – (303) 480-6700
- Hilltop Latimer House (Delta, Montrose, and Ouray Counties) – (844) 990-5500
- Hilltop Latimer House (Mesa County) – (970) 241-6704
- Estes Valley Crisis Advocates (Larimer County) – (970) 577-9781
- Disability Law Colorado – (800) 288-1376
- Denver Police Department Victim Services – (720) 913-6035
- Denver Human Services (DHS) – (720) 944-3000.
9. Further reading
- Abuse of Older People, World Health Organization (WHO)
- Mandatory Reporting of Elder Abuse or Exploitation, Colorado Bar Association (CBA)
- Elder Abuse, National Institute on Aging (NIA)
- Get the Facts on Elder Abuse, National Council on Aging (NCOA)
- Fast Facts: Preventing Elder Abuse, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Legal references:
- CRS 18-6.5-102 (3).
- CRS 18-6.5-103 (8).
- CRS 18-6.5-103 (6). Note that prior to March 1, 2022, class 1 misdemeanors carried up to 18 months in jail and/or $500 to $5,000 in fines. SB21-271.
- See People v. Lovato, 179 P.3d 208 (Colo. App. 2007).
- See People v. McKinney, 99 P.3d 1038 (Colo. 2004).
- See People v. Nardine, 409 P.3d 441 (Court of Appeals, 2016)
- CRS 18-6.5-108. Mandatory reporters include:
(I) Any person providing health care or health-care-related services, including general medical, surgical, or nursing services; medical, surgical, or nursing speciality services; dental services; vision services; pharmacy services; chiropractic services; naturopathic medicine services; or physical, occupational, musical, or other therapies;
(II)Hospital and long-term care facility personnel engaged in the admission, care, or treatment of patients;
(III)First responders including emergency medical service providers, fire protection personnel, law enforcement officers, and persons employed by, contracting with, or volunteering with any law enforcement agency, including victim advocates;
(IV)Medical examiners and coroners;
(V)Code enforcement officers;
(VI)Veterinarians;
(VII)Psychologists, addiction counselors, professional counselors, marriage and family therapists, and unlicensed psychotherapists, as those persons are defined in article 245 of title 12;
(VIII)Social workers, as defined in part 4 of article 245 of title 12;
(IX)Staff of community-centered boards;
(X)Staff, consultants, or independent contractors of service agencies as defined in section 25.5-10-202 (34), C.R.S.;
(XI)Staff or consultants for a licensed or unlicensed, certified or uncertified, care facility, agency, home, or governing board, including but not limited to long-term care facilities, home care agencies, or home health providers;
(XII)Staff of, or consultants for, a home care placement agency, as defined in section 25-27.5-102 (5), C.R.S.;
(XIII)Persons performing case management or assistant services for at-risk elders or at-risk adults with IDD;
(XIV)Staff of county departments of human or social services;
(XV)Staff of the state departments of human services, public health and environment, or health care policy and financing;
(XVI)Staff of senior congregate centers or senior research or outreach organizations;
(XVII)Staff, and staff of contracted providers, of area agencies on aging, except attorneys at law providing legal assistance to individuals pursuant to a contract with an area agency on aging, the staff of such attorneys at law, and the long-term care ombudsmen;
(XVIII)Employees, contractors, and volunteers operating specialized transportation services for at-risk elders and at-risk adults with IDD;
(XIX)Court-appointed guardians and conservators;
(XX)Personnel at schools serving persons in preschool through twelfth grade;
(XXI)Clergymembers; except that the reporting requirement described in paragraph (a) of this subsection (1) does not apply to a person who acquires reasonable cause to believe that an at-risk elder or an at-risk adult with IDD has been mistreated or has been exploited or is at imminent risk of mistreatment or exploitation during a communication about which the person may not be examined as a witness pursuant to section 13-90-107 (1)(c), C.R.S., unless the person also acquires such reasonable cause from a source other than such a communication; and
(A)Personnel of banks, savings and loan associations, credit unions, and other lending or financial institutions who directly observe in person the mistreatment of an at-risk elder or who have reasonable cause to believe that an at-risk elder has been mistreated or is at imminent risk of mistreatment; and
(B) Personnel of banks, savings and loan associations, credit unions, and other lending or financial institutions who directly observe in person the mistreatment of an at-risk adult with IDD or who have reasonable cause to believe that an at-risk adult with IDD has been mistreated or is at imminent risk of mistreatment by reason of actual knowledge of facts or circumstances indicating the mistreatment.