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Revolution and Reassessment

Child Custody in Context
  • Charlene E. Depner
Chapter

Abstract

Dramatic transformations in family demographics pose unprecedented challenges for family law and policy. Demographers predict that just half of all U.S. children born in the 1980s will grow up residing with both parents (Bumpass & Sweet, 1989). For other girls and boys in this generation, legal custody standards and parental responsibilities are the focus of active policy deliberation. What family environments will best promote the welfare of American children? The last decade witnessed a revolution in child custody standards. Over 40 states have now enacted legislation that permits joint custody or shared parenting (Folberg, 1991). In the wake of this change, custody standards are the subject of rancorous debate among legal theorists and policymakers (Bartlett & Stack, 1991). Some argue that joint custody has not fulfilled its promise and has resulted in unintended consequences for family members.

Keywords

Child Support Interparental Conflict Marital Disruption Shared Parenting Child Custody 
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© Springer Science+Business Media New York 1994

Authors and Affiliations

  • Charlene E. Depner
    • 1
  1. 1.Statewide Office of Family Court ServicesSan FranciscoUSA

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