"Because the swing of every pendulum brings with it potential adverse consequences, it is important to emphasize that in the area of child abuse, as with the investigation and prosecution of all crimes, the state is constrained by the substantive and procedural guarantees of the Constitution.


The fact that the suspected crime may be heinous – whether it involves children or adults - does not provide cause for the state to ignore the rights of the accused or any other parties.



Otherwise, serious injustices may result. "


Syl.Pt.3,WALLIS v. SPENCER, 202 F.3d 1126(9th Cir. 2000)

Mother meant the whole world to me and there wasn’t anything I could do to get her back. It was like I had lost everything. Lucie, Age 19

I felt so bad for my mom and I constantly felt like it was my fault because I couldn’t do anything to stop it.
PoemGirl, Age 17

I felt so disappointed and heartbroken. I hated my life.
Brittany, Age 13

How does it feel to be a Foster Child? It’s like being in a great world of your own. MARK, Age 12

I felt very sad and I knew I could not do anything about it. I had to get over it. I know how it feels to be pushed around. I have been there.Einstein, Age 11

The placements did not work because in my heart I felt alone but in my mind I felt grown….The only problem in the home was me. There I was almost thirteen and hated the world. I could not trust anyone. I didn’t want to trust anyone. How could I trust someone? I had to
protect myself from hurt. The only way I could do that was to guard my heart….I messed up four homes because of this. Flower Girl, Age 18

I think that when you become an adult it’s just like a toddler you’re a caterpillar, and when you’re a kid you’re a cocoon and finally you become an adult which would be a butterfly. Jesse, Age 9

We should all make our foster care family a possibility.
MeMe, Age 17

The best advice I have from one foster child to another is that you never give up….Never think that you are worthless. Jane, Age 10