Disabled Parents and the Family Policing System’s Web of Surveillance

This article was written by Robyn M. Powell and published in the California Law Review.

“This Article provides a nuanced and novel analysis of the extensive surveillance targeted at disabled parents and their children by the family policing system. It begins by detailing the legal framework that supports the surveillance apparatus, investigating constitutional protections, federal and state statutes, and disability rights laws. The exploration then turns to the intricate network of surveillance ensnaring disabled parents and their families. This encompassing scrutiny includes mandated reporting, family policing system investigations, “service” plans, child maltreatment registries, and digital surveillance tools. Subsequently, the Article uncovers the harms arising from this surveillance, both directly and within a broader context of societal injustices.”