First, the chapter documents the increasing number of elders in the population and the lack of valid data about abuse among older people, especially among minority elderly. Second, the authors present the characteristics of both victims and perpetrators of elder abuse. Third, the chapter focuses on the history and cultural traditions of the African-American family, recognizing differences between the majority and minority populations and their respective support networks. Fourth, the authors examine issues of poverty and exposure to violence as related to African-Americans. Next, the chapter reviews States' legislative responses to elder abuse and examines minorities' use of laws to address elder maltreatment. Access to and the use of social services for the benefit of African-American elderly are then discussed. The chapter concludes with recommendations for interim measures that may reduce the abuse of elderly African- Americans. These include the injection of information about elderly abuse into the informal and formal networks within the African-American community, shared definitions and consistent interpretations of the law, and the investigation of the symbiotic relationships between black victims and perpetrators of maltreatment. 106 references and 5 discussion questions