After an initial chapter which provides an overview of victimology, chapters are divided into three sections. Section I presents chapters that discuss the various problems faced by the elderly: crime and the fear of crime, maltreatment within institutional settings, elder abuse and violence occurring within the family, fraud and exploitation, and the consequences of ageism and victimization by health care professionals. Section II focuses on groups of elderly who are especially vulnerable to victimization. Chapters consider aged black Americans, the mentally and physically impaired or disabled, elderly women, the aged who reside in public housing or urban areas, and elderly parents. Section III includes chapters which discuss a variety of interventive possibilities, such as individual and family treatment, community organization and advocacy efforts, legal and health professional activities, State and local programs, and national legislation. Chapter references and a subject index are provided. For individual entries, see NCJ 91501-06.