Guardianship Abuse: Bad Apples or Tip of the Iceberg

• NCJ Number: 310058
• Date Published: January 2025
• Agencies: NIJ
• Publication Type: Issue Overview

Annotation

In this podcast episode, host Amelia Vorpahl speaks with Erica Wood and Dr. Pamela Teaster on the effectiveness of and opportunities for abuse in the guardianship system.

Abstract

When cases involving high-profile individuals, like Britney Spears, make national headlines, issues surrounding guardianship and conservatorship take center stage. But after those specific cases resolve and national interest fades, the systemic issues remain. We have very little data on how the guardianship system is actually working, and the scope and prevalence of guardianship abuse remains unclear. We don’t know how many individuals suffer abuse under guardianship. We don’t know to what extent guardianship, when properly executed, improves the lives of those it’s intended to serve. These questions only scratch the surface, and in this episode of Justice Today, we explore what we do and don’t know about guardianship abuse in the United States. 

Host: Amelia Vorpahl, NIJ Communications Specialist

Guests: 

• Erica Wood, former assistant director of the American Bar Association’s Commission on Law and Aging and continuing advocate.
• Dr. Pamela Teaster, Professor and Director of the Center for Gerontology at Virginia Tech.

Reading and resources from NIJ:

• Environmental Scan of Guardianship Abuse and Fraud | Report