Financial Exploitation by Conservators: Assessing the Problem and Crafting Victim-Centered Responses

In May 2013, OVC released the Vision 21: Transforming Victim Services Final Report. The Vision 21 initiative examined the current framework of the victim assistance field in the United States. The initiative was the first comprehensive assessment of the field in nearly 15 years. The FY 2015 Vision 21 Innovation Grants: Enhancing and Transforming Services for Victims of Crime solicitation furthers the goals of Vision 21 through eight purpose areas. Purpose area six under this solicitation focuses on the assessment of the scope of criminal fraud and financial exploitation by conservators and guardians of adults deemed incompetent.
With this award, the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) will assess the scope of the problem, assess the data to determine the consequences of conservator and guardianship abuse that rise to the level of criminal fraud and exploitation, convene a forum of major stakeholders to review key findings and recommendations, and develop a final report. The final report will include recommendations on how to recognize and deal with conservator and guardianship fraud and abuse; and identify innovative, evidence-based programs and practices that successfully detect and remedy conservator and guardianship fraud and abuse. CA/NCF