Wounded innocents : the real victims of the war against child abuse /

This provocative book takes the stance that child protection services in America do more harm than good. Citing broad-based interpretations of laws that allow agencies to coercively intervene in family situations, Wexler cites case after case where a family has been devastated by the accusation of child abuse where none actually exists. Wexler is a journalist; his work as a reporter, presumably covering this topic, seems to be his only credential in the child protection field. Nevertheless, he vividly and emphatically points out the reason for society's failure to help people who really need help: a system clogged with bureaucracy and poorly trained caseworkers. Wexler concludes with suggestions on how to change the system to better serve families. This volume may stir controversy in many quarters, but the topic is timely and its unique focus on the flaws of a system striving to do so much good is original. The text is documented with copious chapter notes. To be indexed. ~--Tracie Richardson

``The war against child abuse has become a war against children,'' charges Wexler, a reporter for the Albany, N.Y., Times Union , in a well-argued, in-depth study of the ``child protection system'' in the U.S. and the politics that enmesh it. He maintains that even more alarming than the alleged abuses suffered by children at the hands of their parents are the disruption of home life and the long-lasting trauma of minors assigned to institutions and foster homes that are either as bad as or worse than their own families. He asserts also that ``witch-hunts'' of foster parents suspected of improper conduct and harried supporting care system administrators, at times involving false accusations of sexual abuse, are all too common. While crediting competent, dedicated caseworkers who struggle in an overloaded welfare system, Wexler deplores what he considers misleading statistics and the presumption of parental guilt that underlie much child protection work. Preventive programs, legal measures and financial incentives meant to preserve original families figure in his detailed recommendations for reform. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

The author, a journalist for the Times Union (Albany, N.Y.), charges that Americans have surrendered their most fundamental liberties to a too-powerful child-protective system that turns everyone dealing with children into an informer and encourages the public to do the same. As a result, Wexler reports, each year one out of every 30 children nationwide is reported to Child Protective Services as allegedly abused; most cases are dismissed as unsubstantiated, but not before the accusations have wreaked emotional havoc with a million innocent families. Meanwhile, some abused children are overlooked by a system whose resources are wasted on unfounded cases. Wexler substantiates his charges with numerous print sources and personal interviews; he offers 35 recommendations for the overhaul of the system. This extensively researched volume deserves to be read by anyone concerned with child abuse. Recommended for all academic, public, and institutional libraries.-- Christy Zlatos, Northeastern Univ. Libs., Boston (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.