[dudul]

CPS are disgusting scum. This kind of story is reported every week. The government is criminalizing parenthood. Kids can't play in their backyard, they can't walk to the playground, they can't ride their bikes. Do people remember their childhood? When did Americans become so socially retarded?

[kzhahou]

These cases are a tiny minority. CPS deals with real horrifying and tragic situations every day.

I'm actually more shocked that there are prosecutors and even judges that go along with this BS. I can believe one insane activist CPS worker here and there, but an entire chain of people to back them up??

[mcphage]

> CPS deals with real horrifying and tragic situations every day.

That's what boggles my mind the most. Every time we hear about CPS they're overworked and have to deal with horrors I don't even want to imagine. But how do they have time to waste voluntarily ruining peoples' lives?

[Delmania]

> But how do they have time to waste voluntarily ruining peoples' lives? Perception bias. The only time you'll hear about CPS is in a case like this, when the agent is on a power trip and oversteps his bounds. You never hear about the success stories, where they intervene to save a child, or are successful in getting a family therapy.

I can speak from experience here, I have dealt with CPS. When I was notified they would be visiting our house, I did some research. I read the horror stories, and I learned a key detail: CPS is not a policing agency. The threats of taking your children from you and throwing you in jail are idle: only police and judges can do that. When you deal with CPS, only let them in your house if they agree to be recorded. If they refuse, or their supervisor objects, don't let them in. Unless they have a warrant, you are under NO obligation to deal with them. (Bear in mind, though, the courts will probably side with CPS)

But I digress. My experience with the social worker was that she was just as nervous in dealing with me as I was with her, but she was genuinely interested in understanding and offering assistance. She asked a few questions, held a follow up visit, and that was the end of it.

[vacri]

Well... let's not assume that the article has told the whole story. There's nothing independently verifiable in it.

[yequalsx]

It started in the early 80s and culminated with the kidnapping of Jacob Weterling. During this time local and national news portrayed pedophiles and rapists as serious, common threats to children. There was the absurd McMartin daycare nonsense. The 80s were a time of relatively high crime and it was during this era that zero tolerance policies became the norm. It's when mandatory minimum sentences became the norm and punishments for crimes became very heavy.

As I see things we lost our soul during this time and have not yet recovered it. At this time if you traveled overseas the first question people would ask is if it was safe. Justifying laws and policies in the name of safety was the way to get compliance from the citizenry. It still persists today though people are starting to see the bullshit. Note that the usual way politicians justify curbs on the internet is by mentioning child pornography.