Study finds 'extreme' racial disparities in DCS cases, Phoenix family says they were 'stereotyped'

PHOENIX — Racial disparities have been documented for years at the Arizona Department of Child Services (DCS). The most recent data shows that roughly one out of every 34 Black children in our state ends up in foster care at some point.

"We estimate 63% of Black children, between birth and 18, will be investigated [by DCS] in Maricopa [County]. For white children, we estimate 33%...So, nearly double the risk," said Dr. Frank Edwards, a professor at Rutgers University who co-authored a national review of CPS data around disparities."

African American kids are four-and-a-half times more likely to end up in foster care than Hispanic children, and four times more likely than white children, according to the Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children of Arizona (CASA).

Queen Ranger nearly became part of those statistics. In the end, her case was closed by a judge, but only after Queen's parents went to intense lengths to keep their child from being taken.

Read the full article written by Zach Crenshaw HERE.