“It’s Like a Leech on Me”: Child Abuse Registries Punish Unsuspecting Parents of Color

One bad parenting decision can lead to decades of consequences for parents and caretakers placed on statewide child abuse registries due to “neglect” – a term not always clearly defined in the child welfare arena. While protecting children is the intent of the registries, a BuzzFeed News investigation found that registries do little or nothing to protect children; yet they can cause adults lasting harm. In addition, a BuzzFeed News analysis found that in New Jersey, a Black parent is nearly four times more likely than a white parent to be added to the state’s registry. Similar disparities have been seen in other states, including California and Arizona. A movement to reform Michigan’s child abuse registry is currently underway. See more about Michigan here. Read the full BuzzFeed article here.