This shocking case is another argument for why we need something totally different for helping desperate kids than so-called "Child Protective" "Services" (CPS.) They simply are so INCOMPETENT and so desperately inefficient themselves that they do NOTHING to protect kids, and instead they continuously put them more and more at risk, both by acts of commission and omission.
Rather than putting just a little more effort into picking only good and qualified people to be foster parents, they let almost anybody do the job and then pay (and make the taxpayers pay even more) for their poor performance. CPS inattention and inactivity is so serious and costly that everyone has to deal with the consequences of the inevitable REAL abuse to which they un-necessarily expose innocent children.
Check out this link:
Here is the first excerpt:
"A popular Christian radio personality, youth baseball official and parent of five adopted foster children has a long history of committing sexual abuse and was plotting a strange virginity pact involving his child and the stepchildren of his girlfriend, according to two close family members. The allegations raise serious questions about the vetting of potential foster parents.
J.D. Smith began this week as the midday deejay for SOS Radio, a web-based Christian music station. Now, according to SOS, which announced after the Current’s story Monday that Smith was no longer employed, Smith and his family are 'Involved in multiple investigations,' and Smith is asking his Facebook friends to 'Please pray for my wife, my kids and myself. Our world has changed this week because of some choices I made'.”
When are CPS personnel going to learn that NOTHING substitutes for actual intelligence and a little bit of investigative work? Just because someone calls themselves a Christian does NOT mean they are safe to leave around vulnerable children. They need to CHECK the backgrounds of the people to whom they intend to give hard-earned taxpayer money and our nation's most precious resource. What exactly ARE they teaching to these kids that get four-year degrees in so-called social work?
(Perpetrator J.D. Smith, courtesy of nevadacurrent.com.)
The allegations against the couple in this case are so bizarrely evil I don't want to even go into them. You can go to the link and read about it yourself, if you choose. (WARNING: You'll never be able to "unread" that stuff if you do.) An earlier abuse victim of this guy had this to say about his attempt to warn Nevada's version of CPS (DFS for "Department of Family Services") when he heard Smith had applied to be a foster parent:
"'I did voice concern, but every time I have told my story to family or friends they look at him and see this Christian radio guy and just say I’m wrong,' Smith’s relative says.
J.D. Smith proclaims on social media that he’s 'Dad to five kids and countless foster kids.'... The allegations against Smith raise questions about the vetting of foster parents in Clark County and the reaction of child welfare officials to allegations of sexual abuse.
Clark County’s Department of Family Services (DFS) declined to be interviewed for this story."
You don't say. And that's another thing...How does DFS get away with refusing to talk to the press about their failings...especially when this came after many previous failings were aired, and after numerous studies, commissions, so-called "reforms" and other promised changes? ...Oh, and of course, greatly increased budgets and salaries?
These "public servants" should somehow be FORCED into openness and into compliance with media investigations. Without true transparency, all reforms, and new procedures are not even worth the paper they are written on.
Here's what one Nevada politician admitted:
"State Sen. Patricia Farley says there are basically two kinds of foster parents — grandparents and other relatives in the kinship program, and people who are looking to pay their bills with the meager stipends paid by the state per child. 'We don’t take the time and effort to screen out bad people,' says Farley, who is also a foster parent.
'The system is so bad they can’t get good families and they’re not attracting a ton of good families because the process is ridiculous,' Farley laments. 'They (DFS) spend time worrying about trash can lids in the kitchen but not training parents and providing treatment for the issues the kids may have or the turmoil the house may be in.'
'It takes too long to get services, and the kid is out in six months and on to another placement,' Farley says. 'It’s not the people. It’s the policies and the funding is so screwed up. We don’t let the good people do the job in the interest of the kids and we keep the bad ones around too long'.”
(State Senator Patricia Farley, courtesy of knpr.org.)
Thank goodness we do have a few brave and honest politicians (at least at the state level) who are willing to tell the truth. Maybe there's something to that claim that conservatives are better looking too, right? Maybe Patricia Farley can run for Governor when she finishes raising her own foster children...then President.
I'm serious. I'm beginning to think the best way to get rid of CPS may be to elect a bunch of people--and to force the election of a President--who make defunding and eliminating CPS a priority in their campaigns.
If we can let our candidates drone on and on about relative non-issues such as the shape and scope of the socialist "healthcare" scheme they prefer, or where a foreign country puts its capital, maybe we can finally do something to finally protect our families and our children, right?
In the meanwhile, I sure would like to see more Nevada State legislators speaking out passionately about the need to vet the people they let take in the few truly needy children that should be away from parents, so they don't get stuck with people who are WORSE than those parents.