What about cases that were actually substantiated? How many of those children were torn from their parents, their siblings, their home, friends, neighborhood, church, school, and extended family due to serious and intentional injuries or extreme neglect? Far fewer than most people believe. Many people think that children are only taken in extreme cases such as those that are sensationalized in the media.

The largest percent of cases, consistently about 60% nationwide, are taken from home because of neglect allegations. But, are these cases of willful neglect on the part of parents who have the ability and resources to care for their children but choose not to? Or, are these cases of families living in poverty? Since many children are taken due to homelessness, inadequate shelter, lack of utilities, and other similar situations, it appears to be the latter.

Observe the state of Pennsylvania. As they yet again restructured their system, they finally made some progress. They placed a housing specialist in every CPS office. Poor families are helped to find adequate housing and the necessary financial assistance to obtain it. Since this new program began, the number of “neglect” cases in Pennsylvania has fallen consistently and dramatically.

Examining cases of alleged physical abuse, we see many children taken away because they received a spanking, even in states where spanking is not illegal and is not defined by law as abuse. According to court cases, many of these were not cases where children were beaten or even spanked roughly with resultant injuries. They are often cases of a traditionally practiced form of discipline.

How is this possible? It is possible because CPS interprets the laws according to their own "protocols" and defines physical discipline as abusive, or at the least, as an indicator that there is a risk of future maltreatment.