As journalist Ada Calhoun "started casting around for potential good news in the child welfare world," she began delving into the country's "baby courts," where judges take a far more active role in bringing families back together.
It has long been known that growing up in impoverished and dangerous neighborhoods such as Ferguson, Missouri dims life prospects. But now a commanding body of medical research presents a disturbing, biological picture of why.
Even though people in California's Del Norte County have been reporting domestic violence at a staggering rate, most abuse is suffered in secrecy. That can make it easy to overlook the fact that Native American communities are disproportionately affected.
For some residents of Del Norte County in Northern California, domestic violence is a daily occurrence. The story of Tara Williams shows just how difficult it can be to find a way out.
Domestic violence is reported at a higher rate in Del Norte County than anywhere else in California. And experts say the number of convictions, arrests, and 911 calls reflects only a fraction of the actual violence and abuse taking place.
About 128,000 children in Georgia and an estimated 103,000 grandparents and other non-parental relatives could be affected by legislation scheduled to be introduced this week by Rep. Stacey Abrams (D-DeKalb) and others.
At program for troubled youths in Hawaii revolves around a cultural practice called "hooponopono," a self-reflective process that stresses healing and strengthening relationships to restore balance in one’s life. “This is a very unorthodox program, but it’s not new,” the director says.
Sexually exploited minors are often arrested on prostitution charges and put behind bars. But in one LAPD unit, officers are trained to recognize exploited teens and put them in touch with social services, instead of juvenile court.
Every year, thousands of kids appear before Arkansas judges, having broke laws that apply only to children. The courts are expected to treat them differently from children who commit adult crimes. Yet hundreds of these kids end up in the same lockups as those who've raped, robbed and murdered.
Detroit has the highest rate of asthma among young children in America’s 18 largest cities, a problem that experts link to urban ills that could affect their health and learning for the rest of their lives.