The role of government, at a minimum, is to protect those who cannot protect themselves.  While there is no more vulnerable a population than nursing home residents,  the sad truth is that health care providers entrusted to deliver appropriate care have instead caused unspeakable harm to some of the frailest members of our society. Additionally, the regulatory system has for far too long tolerated the provision of inadequate care by allowing cyclical non-compliant providers to continue receiving federal funds while providing grossly substandard care.  This article is intended to identify what constitutes neglect in the nursing home arena and legal theories used by federal prosecutors to address this important issue.