Felons Using Illinois Nursing Homes as Safe Houses, Says Attorney General Lisa Madigan
According to Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, “felons are using nursing homes… as safe houses.” In Chicago on Monday, Madigan said that after just 21 unannounced sweeps of assisted living facilities in the last nine months over 100 nursing home residents with active arrest warrants have been discovered. Madigan promises to continue entering assisted living facilities until this problem is resolved. She says that her officer remains committed to ensuring that nursing home patients are properly cared for and kept safe.
Madison spoke at the Central Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, a Chicago nursing home where a sweep had resulted in four arrests. The “Operation Guardian” sweeps are conducted by a multi-agency team. The checks are an attempt to weed out dangerous residents so that other patients do not become the victim of Illinois nursing home patient violence.
Of the arrest warrants discovered, approximately 2/3rds of them were not executed because they had come from other states or because the patients involved were too sick or mentally ill to be taken into custody. However, some 30 patients have been arrested for various crimes, such as battery and burglary. Also, 14 people who had been reported missing were identified.
In addition to “Operation Guardian,” the state’s health department also performs unannounced probes of the nearly 1,200 Illinois nursing homes every 12 to 15 months. The investigations take place to ensure that assisted living facilities are in compliance with the law. However, Madigan noted today that some homes will wait until they are due for another unannounced check before making certain fixes.
State law makers began to take more aggressive action with “Operation Guardian” and other initiatives after the Chicago Tribune ran an in-depth investigation into the problem of nursing home violence. Many such incidents occurred in assisted living facilities that housed felons or younger mentally ill patients.
With so many nursing home patients at risk of becoming victims of patient violence, it is important that assisted living facilities keep out prospective residents that could pose a danger to others. Our Chicago nursing home abuse and neglect law firm represents victims that have suffered personal injury at the hands not just of staff employees but also from patient violence or other crimes at an Illinois assisted living facility.
Nursing home sweeps find residents with arrest warrant, Chicago Tribune, September 20, 2010
124 with arrest warrants found in nursing homes, WHBF, September 20, 2010
Related Web Resources:
Illinois Attorney General
Nursing home safety, Chicago Tribune
