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The Civil Death Penalty: Losing Children to the State: A Memoir of Sorts from an Underdog Attorney
If you think you know what’s going on with foster care, think again.
The only legal issue that comes close to being as serious as the death penalty is the termination of parental rights. When attorney Jill Bauer agrees to represent parents of foster kids, she’s more troubled by the idea of helping “bad parents” than the high stakes she’ll face in the courtroom.
Based on real cases from Flint, Michigan, The Civil Death Penalty traces her journey into the frustrating world of child welfare law—where Child Protective Services interference too often devastates vulnerable families, where court personnel routinely disregard the welfare of the youth they are tasked with protecting. Jill uncovers a legal machine rampant with abuse of power, run by poorly trained workers, fueled by racial and economic bias.
The Civil Death Penalty poses an important question—are foster kids victims of parental mistreatment or are their families victims of state overreach?
The only legal issue that comes close to being as serious as the death penalty is the termination of parental rights. When attorney Jill Bauer agrees to represent parents of foster kids, she’s more troubled by the idea of helping “bad parents” than the high stakes she’ll face in the courtroom.
Based on real cases from Flint, Michigan, The Civil Death Penalty traces her journey into the frustrating world of child welfare law—where Child Protective Services interference too often devastates vulnerable families, where court personnel routinely disregard the welfare of the youth they are tasked with protecting. Jill uncovers a legal machine rampant with abuse of power, run by poorly trained workers, fueled by racial and economic bias.
The Civil Death Penalty poses an important question—are foster kids victims of parental mistreatment or are their families victims of state overreach?
302 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 12, 2023
About the author
Jill Creech Bauer
4 books7 followersJill Creech Bauer is an attorney from Flint, Michigan. Jill loves to create. In addition to writing, she dabbles in painting and filmmaking. She is an avid reader and independent film fan. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan and received her law degree from Michigan State.
Jill's nonfiction novel, "The Nine Lives of John Aslin," is a true story of a Native American man who spent 39 years in prison for a nonviolent crime and the experience that his father's generation had when they were forcefully relocated to a "Home for the Feeble Minded" in the 1930's simply for being Ojibwe. John Aslin was released from prison in 2023.
Jill's memoir, "The Civil Death Penalty: Losing Children to the State," covers her decade of experience representing parents whose children were caught up in the foster care system.
"The Soul's Echo: Thirteen Pieces of Short Fiction" is a collection of literary and speculative fiction stories.
Jill's nonfiction novel, "The Nine Lives of John Aslin," is a true story of a Native American man who spent 39 years in prison for a nonviolent crime and the experience that his father's generation had when they were forcefully relocated to a "Home for the Feeble Minded" in the 1930's simply for being Ojibwe. John Aslin was released from prison in 2023.
Jill's memoir, "The Civil Death Penalty: Losing Children to the State," covers her decade of experience representing parents whose children were caught up in the foster care system.
"The Soul's Echo: Thirteen Pieces of Short Fiction" is a collection of literary and speculative fiction stories.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 8, 2024
story like this always get to me
As someone who grew up in Foster care and recently was raised custody of my children, story like this always get to me. This book is a thought-provoking memoir, offering honest depictions of CPS cases. With real-world examples, the author sheds light on the foster care system'. The courtroom drama, coupled with candid narratives will have you in your feelings.
As someone who grew up in Foster care and recently was raised custody of my children, story like this always get to me. This book is a thought-provoking memoir, offering honest depictions of CPS cases. With real-world examples, the author sheds light on the foster care system'. The courtroom drama, coupled with candid narratives will have you in your feelings.
April 25, 2024
Thought-Provoking
While many of the stories themselves were sad and it was disheartening, to say the least, reading about those who are entrusted to care for children being the very ones who cause the greatest damage (and I’m not speaking parents, but of government leaders who abuse their positions), this book really made me rethink my own feelings.
While many of the stories themselves were sad and it was disheartening, to say the least, reading about those who are entrusted to care for children being the very ones who cause the greatest damage (and I’m not speaking parents, but of government leaders who abuse their positions), this book really made me rethink my own feelings.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews