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In Danger of Falling Through the Cracks: Children of Arrested Parents
By: Marcus Nieto, April, 2002
- Summary:
In the fall of 2001, the California Legislative Women's Caucus requested that the California Research Bureau gather information about local law enforcement and child protective services policies and procedures relative to the children of arrested parents. We surveyed California local police and county sheriff's departments and county child protective services agencies. Our findings suggest that the children of arrested and incarcerated parents (mothers and fathers) in California are in danger of being left in unsafe situations. The results can be tragic, as with the recent murder of Megan Mendez, left at age three with abusive neighbors when her single parent mother was arrested in Modesto on drug charges. How can the children of arrested and incarcerated parents "fall through the cracks?" In general, it is because key questions about the children are not regularly asked when a parent is arrested or incarcerated-a de facto "don't ask and don't tell" policy. Neither law enforcement nor CPS have the information they need to make a clear assessment of the numbers or appropriate placement of the children of arrested parents.
- Full report in PDF
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