What is the punishment for elder abuse?
According to the California Penal Code Section 368, the punishment and sentencing for elder abuse vary depending on whether you get charged with a felony or a misdemeanor. These cases get referred to as wobbler cases because the facts of your case determine how long you will get jailed and the amount of fine you will pay. For the prosecutor to make these determinations, they need to determine the age of the victim, the injuries, and how they got allegedly abused.
If you get misdemeanor charges for the elder abuse conviction, you may face up to one year in jail and a fine of $6000. For felony charged, you may get anywhere between 2 and 4 years in the country jail for the felony.
The CA Penal Code section 38 states that numerous circumstances increase the level of punishment you will face. The first is the level of bodily injuries the victim got. For instance, if they were in positions that would result in great bodily injuries, the victim is 70 years or older, you will get an additional four years of jail time. You also get an additional seven years if the victim dies as a result of the abuse, especially if they were older than 70 years. For these two circumstances, there is an increased chance that you will face felony charges.
There are instances where the court may demand that you get placed in probation and do community services, counseling, or work release programs. It will also assign you a probation officer if you are on formal probation.