A Petition in Behalf of the Forsaken Children of Texas to the Governor and the 76th Legislature
"In every child who is born under no matter what circumstances and of no matter what parents, the potentiality of the human race is born again, and in him, too, once more, and each of us, our terrific responsibility toward human life: toward the utmost idea of goodness, of the horror of terrorism, and of God."
James Agee
Let Us Now Praise Famous Men
Table of Contents
The Petition
- Part I - Introduction
- Part II - Two Stories of Failed Investigations
- Part III - Assigning Blame for these Failed Investigations
- Part IV - Methodology
- Part V - The Decline of CPS in Texas
- Part VI - An Evaluation of CPS Resources
- Part VII - The Link to Crime
- Part VIII - Criminal Law Enforcement
- Part IX - Fears about a Strong CPS
- Part X - Recommendations
- Part XI - Conclusion
The Charts
Note: Charts will open in a separate browser window so that the reader may refer to conveniently refer to both text and chart.
- 1: Texas Child Population
- 2: Texas Children at Risk for Abuse and Neglect
- 3: Texas Reports of Abuse and Neglect
- 4: U.S. and Texas Rates of Reporting
- 5: Investigations of Child Abuse
- 6: Investigated and Confirmed Child Abuse Cases per 1000
- 7: Victims of Child Abuse
- 8: Abused Children per 1000
- 9: Percent of Total Reports Investigated
- 10: Percent of Total Investigations Confirmed
- 11: Removal Rates
- 12: Model Comparing U.S. and Texas Rates of Alleged and Confirmed
- 13: Expenditures for CPS Programs (Less Substitute Care)
- 14: Expenditures for CPS Substitute Care
- 15: Children in State Conservatorship and Foster Care
- 16: Children in Conservatorship and Foster Care per 1000
- 17: Expenditures for CPS Programs and Substitute Care Held Constant per 1000
- 18: Substitute Care Relative to CPS Program
- 19: Analysis of CPS Staffing Strength
- 20: Per 1000 Child Population
- 21: Per 1000 Legal Responsibility
- 22: Per 1000 Foster Care