In 1991, the National Commission on Children called attention to the fact that a small but significant number of parents are failing to fulfill their basic childrearing responsibilities. Dr. Jack C. Westman, an esteemed child advocate, systematically connects the damage caused to children by the failings of those parents to our society's educational, health, safety, and economic problems. A small fraction of the population has reduced public safety to unacceptable levels of danger and sapped the productivity of the nation. These dangerous and dependent individuals are increasing in numbers that drain public funds and erode the productivity of our workforce.