
Policing Not Protecting Families
The Child Welfare System as Poverty Governance
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
Policing Not Protecting Families
The Child Welfare System as Poverty Governance
About this book
Controlling, surveilling, and punishing poor families through the child welfare system
In a typical year, one in five US children have some interaction with the child welfare system. Countless other families, particularly those who struggle to care for their children due to poverty or economic insecurity, fear child welfare system involvement. Though imagined as a system that protects children from caregivers' maltreatment, contributors to Policing Not Protecting Families argue that the child welfare system polices and punishes poor parents who are unable to meet white, middle class parenting standards due to structural inequalities.
Bringing together scholars from anthropology, sociology, law, and social work, this collection is the first to critically examine the child welfare system's role in governing poor, disproportionately Black and Native families. It shows that the child welfare system is a key site of poverty governance, or state control and management of poor families. Chapters bring together empirical research from diverse settings across the US, highlighting the system's interactions with other state systems and its wide impact on marginalized families. Together the chapters illustrate the failure of the child welfare system to protect children and families from the structural inequalities that shape the lives of poor and other marginalized families.
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Half Title
- Series Page
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Contents
- Introduction: Policing Parents Not Providing for Children
- Part I: Theoretical Approach and Historical Context
- Part II: the Child Welfare System as Poverty Governance
- Part III: The Child Welfare System and the Left Hand of the State
- Part IV: The Child Welfare System and the Right Hand of the State
- Part V: Future Directions for Child and Family Well-Being
- Conclusion: Toward a Society That Truly Supports Children and Families
- Acknowledgments
- Resources
- References
- About the Contributors
- About the Editors
- Index