Spotlight on Elder Abuse.  The US Senate Special Committee on Aging recently held hearings on elder abuse.  A 90-year old man testified that his step-son withheld food and medicine from him and his wife, verbally abused them and terrorized them so severely that they were virtually prisoners in their own home.    Shockingly, the man testifying was well known actor Mickey Rooney and experts estimate that millions of elder Americans are victims of abuse and neglect every year–many, many, many of them mentally impaired and unable to speak up for themselves.  

Since June 17th is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, I thought I’d talk with Sharon Merriman-Nai from the National Center on Elder Abuse about this scourge and what we can be do about it.   Important topic.

To Listen:  Elder Abuse Etc

Also available as a podcast on iTunes http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/crime-prevention-101/id419406006

I’m also chatting with another of my favorite guests:  Former L.A. sex crimes prosecutor and nationally-known TV commentator Robin Sax drops by to speak about a child abuse case in FL she’s involved in where everyone seems to have dropped the ball. You’ve got to hear about this case; you won’t believe what happened. 

SONY PlayStation Hacked.  Then I chat with another frequent Crime Prevention 101 guest, Identity Theft Prevention Specialist Paige Hanson, from LifeLock, about the massive SONY  Playstation hacking–called the largest security breach in history–which affected possibly up to 100 million subscribers–and we also talk about Internet Safety Month. 

Personal Safety Products.  Got two personal safety products I want to tell you about that I think merit a look-see:  LoJack for Laptops from Absolute Software.  Just like for cars!  And, Let’s B Safe:  A fun, rhyming book that helps parents teach vital safety rules to children about recognizing pedophiles and their lures.  Designed to promote literacy at the same time.  Plus:  When McGruff the Crime Dog’s Safe Kids Total ID Program is presented in schools and childcare centers, the schools can earn free copies of Let’s B Safe for classroom libraries and a free all-school safety assembly on either predators, internet safety or bullying.  Great idea!  Contact brenda@letsbsafe.com or call 973.800.3501 for more information on this.

SPECIAL OFFER FOR CRIME PREVENTION 101 LISTENERS: Our friends at DoorDevil have extended a special offer for you.  If you’re in a stalking situation or a domestic violence situation; if your home has been broken into recently or whatever the reason you might have need of a really secure lock for your door, send your story to solutions@fightsafe.com and the folks at DoorDevil will send you a free lock. 

Show Resources:

Robin Sax:  www.robinsax.com

National Child Abuse Helpline:  www.childhelp.org or call 1-800-4-A-CHILD

National Council for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC):  www.ncmec.org:  http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PageServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US&PageId=4056

Pure Hope:  http://www.purehope.net/internetsafetymonth.asp

Paige Hanson:  www.lifelock.org

National Criminal Justice Reference Center re Internet Safety:  http://www.ncjrs.gov/internetsafety/index.html

SafetyWeb:  http://www.safetyweb.com/national-internet-safety-month

National Center on Elder Abuse:  www.ncea.aoa.gov

www.cane.udel.edu

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day:  http://www.inpea.net/weaad/worldday2011.html

LoJack for Laptops from Absolute Software company
http://www.absolute.com/en/lojackforlaptops/home.aspx

LET’S B SAFE Book:   www.letsbsafe.com