The Civil Death Penalty

If you think you know what's going on with foster care, think again. The only legal issue that comes close to being as serious as the death penalty is the termination of parental rights. When attorney Jill Bauer agrees to represent parents of foster kids, she's more troubled by the idea of helping "bad parents" than the high stakes she'll face in the courtroom. Based on real cases from Flint, Michigan, The Civil Death Penalty traces her journey into the frustrating world of child welfare law-where Child Protective Services interference too often devastates vulnerable families and court personnel routinely disregard the welfare of the youth they are tasked with protecting. Jill uncovers a legal machine rampant with abuse of power, run by poorly trained workers, fueled by racial and economic bias. The Civil Death Penalty poses an important question-are foster kids victims of parental mistreatment or are their families victims of state overreach?