ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book paints a picture of life in the US for African-American children, compiling statistics on indicators of wellbeing for different groups and places, and in particular for areas of concentrated poverty. It describes the current legal environment that consigns a substantial portion of black children to the custody of unfit parents and to lives in dangerous and unhealthy homes and neighborhoods, or else to the limbo of foster or kin care, and as a consequence all but destroy for many their prospects for a happy and fulfilling life. The book also describes the dominant liberal reaction to these or similar reforms, which in each case has amounted to categorically rejecting the proposals because of their expected impact on adults. It discusses parentage decision-making and state response to parental unfitness. It addresses procreation and pregnancy.
