Are there widespread systemic failures in state child protective services agencies? We are afraid that the likely answer is “yes.”
We are certain, however, that there is sufficient evidence for this hypothesis to constitute a moral imperative to find out. Our readers are, we think, entitled to some background with respect to our involvement.
In the course of following up on certain aspects of radio communications failures ((See
September 11th radio communications, revisited
)) in New York City on September 11, 2001 we learned of the book Radio Silence, FDNY – The Betrayal of New York’s Bravest, by FDNY Battalion Chief John A. Joyce and Bill Bowen. More on the radio issue(s), of course, as we proceed.
But it turns out that Bowen – as these things happen – is working on a new project, having turned his attention to the status of children who are under the care of – more properly the responsibility of – child protective services agencies around the country. He started looking in Oregon, and then (I think the chronology may be off) Arizona, Washington State, and California.
Whether or not Bowen’s project – testing this hypothesis – fits the criteria of “disaster” is, of course. a fair question. But Bowen plausibly contends a rate of death while in direct or indirect government care at about 1,000 children per year. That it’s spread out across the year and diverse geographically doesn’t change that. And the deaths have a common cause: failures of child protective services agencies which aren’t subject to any effective supervision (and for the most part, are funded about 75% by the federal government).
Please take a look at the 21-minute version of Bill Bown’s “innocence destroyed” on YouTube (in three segments):