Want to Keep Kids Out of Foster Care? Vote for Gentler Criminal Justice Laws

It’s well-established that a prison sentence doesn’t just impact the individual sent behind bars; it affects the family too. Now, a new study hints at yet another path through which harsh criminal justice laws, including policies that send many to prison, hurt families and kids. Children living in states that have “extensive and punitive criminal justice systems” are more likely to be placed in foster care, the study finds. Children living in states that have “broad and generous welfare programs,” on the other hand, are less likely to be removed from their homes.

More >> Want to Keep Kids Out of Foster Care? Vote for Gentler Criminal Justice Laws