It may be difficult to imagine, but elder abuse is a very real crime. That's why the prosecutor's office has established a special team for these kinds of cases.

It's quite possible Joseph Joyce will be prosecuted by the Elder Abuse/Elder Justice unit of the prosecutor's office. He's charged with trying to throw a 62 year old security guard out a 26th floor window. Because the victim is over sixty, the special unit will handle the case. That alleged crime is obvious - but many cases of elder abuse are never revealed.

"It's one of the most under-reported crimes that we have going here today and one of the goals of the elder abuse, elder justice unit is to raise awareness. We know that once people realize that this crime exists, they're more apt to report it," said Scott Spallina, from the Elder Abuse/Justice unit.

Some experts compare elder abuse to domestic violence.

"Obviously it's an embarrassing crime in some instances. A lot of comparisons have been made with elder abuse and domestic violence, however, elder abuse is probably where domestic violence was thirty years ago," said Spallina.

One quarter to one half of elder abuse cases involve family members. But there are occasions where seniors are abused by the very person assigned to care for them.

"Either criminal negligence or basically the caregiver or care provider not being adequately trained. Obviously we would not seek criminal prosecution in certain instances, but the important thing is that the victim is taken care of," said Spallina.

There are instances where physical abuse may not be the problem.

"You hear of maybe an adult child having custody or having power of attorney over a bank account. That adult child might get into trouble, either gambling problems, drug addiction, something like that to where they start taking money from the parent, therefore leaving the parent high and dry later on," said Spallina.

Spallina says the prosecutors special elder abuse unit will be taking those cases on as well.