Alex V. Barnard provides an incisive and compelling portrait of the functioning—and failings—of California’s conservatorship system. Drawing on hundreds of interviews with professionals, policy makers, families, and conservatees, he demonstrates how government has failed to take accountability for ensuring the health and dignity of the most vulnerable citizens. [ ,'!8;#8'!0-2+£@ -29-+,Ĥ<£ ';,23+8!6,-$ &''6 &-=' -2;3 ;,' (!-£<8' 3( 1'2;!£ ,'!£;, $!8' -2 ;,' 2-;'& ;!;'9h(38 >,-$, 23 6<#£-$ !<;,38-;@ ;!0'9 8'96329-#-£-;@W !82!8& ;!0'9 <9 ;,83<+, '!$, &@9(<2$ধ32!£ -2;'89ধ$' 3( !£-(382-!Z9 1'2;!£ ,'!£;, 9@9;'1T >,-$, 1!2!+'9 ;3 1!?-1-A' $39;9T 1-2-1-A'9 #'2');9T !2& ;38;<8'9 '='8@32' -2=3£='&h'96'$-!££@ 6'36£' >-;, 69@$,39-9 96'$;8<1 &-938&'89 >,39' £-='9 !8' $<; 9,38; #@ ;,-9 6<#£-$c68-=!;' #<8'!<$8!ধ$ 79 ,<1!2-A' ;,-9 /3<82'@ ;,83<+, ;,' (8!<+,; ;'88!-2 3( -2=3£<2;!8@ $!8'W !82!8& 6<££9 ('> 6<2$,'9 #<; !=3-&9 <2!££3@'& $32&'12!ধ32 38 68!-9'W -9 ;,3<+,Ĥ<£ '?6£38!ধ32 @-'£&9 8'!9329 (38 ,36'W\ —RODERICK SHANER, MD, FORMER MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH [ !82!8&Z9 1'ধ$<£3<9 9;<&@ 3( !£-(382-!Z9 9@9;'1 (38 683;'$ধ2+ ;,39' 139; &-9!#£'& #@ 1'2;!£ -££2'99 9,3>9 ;,!; ;,' 63>'8 3( $329'8=!;389,-6 -9 £'đ ;3 ! £!8+'£@ <2!$$3<2;!#£' !2& -2=-9-#£' 9@9;'1 3( £3$!£ !2& 1!80'; !$;389W ; ! ধ1' 3( 1<$, -2;'8'9; -2 2'> £'+!£ 93£<ধ329 ;3 3<8 9'='8' $8-9-9 3( <2,3<9'&T <2;8'!;'&T !2& 1'2;!££@ -££ $-ধA'29T !82!8&Z9 )2&-2+9 9<++'9; ;,' 68-38-;@ 3( !&&8'99-2+ 3<8 '='2 &''6'8 $8-9-9 3( !<;,38-;@W\ —JONATHAN SIMON, AUTHOR OF GOVERNING THROUGH CRIME: HOW THE WAR ON CRIME TRANSFORMED AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CREATED A CULTURE OF FEAR [ 2 !£-(382-!T ;,' 9;!;' ,!9 !#&-$!;'& -;9 !<;,38-;@ 3='8 ;,' $329'8=!;389,-6 683$'99 #@ &'£'+!ধ2+ 9;!;' (<2$ধ329 ;3 ! (8!+1'2;'& )'£& 3( !$;389W <ষ2+ ;,83<+, 3='8£@ 9-16£-9ধ$ !$$3<2;9 3( $329'8=!;389,-6T !82!8& <9'9 8-$, &!;! !2& 9,!86 ;,'38@ ;3 &'£=' -2;3 ;,' 6-Ĥ!££9 3( ;,-9 9@9;'1W\ —JOSH SEIM, AUTHOR OF BANDAGE, SORT, AND HUSTLE: AMBULANCE CREWS ON THE FRONT LINES OF URBAN SUFFERING ALEX V. BARNARD is an assistant professor of sociology at New York University. He is the author of Freegans: Diving into the Wealth of Food Waste in America (2016). COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS / NEW YORK cup.columbia.edu Cover design: Noah Arlow Cover image: Getty Images Printed in the U.S.A.