FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE · FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE · FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ANCPR NEWS

ANCPR LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN TO REDEFINE THE "BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILD"

"It is in the best interest of children to spend equal time with both parents. Just because you dissolve a marriage, doesn't mean you should dissolve a family," says Lowell Jaks, President of the Alliance for Non-Custodial Parents Rights.

Current Family Law forces one parent out of the child's life, denying the child the benefit of the love and guidance that the non-custodial parent could provide. Given that over 50% of marriages end in divorce, this means that over half of the nation's 73 million children under 18 will be directly effected. In today's winner-take-all world sometimes the father loses, sometimes the mother loses, but the child loses every time.

The effects of over twenty years of this policy are clear. Today's children have lower academic performance, are inclined to violent crime, teen suicide, teen pregnancy, and drug abuse. Every study demonstrates that children do better when both parents are actively involved in their upbringing. Yet many professionals concerned with this issue define the best interest of the child solely in terms of money. The problem is compounded by a legal system that encourages adversarial relationships by pitting one parent against the other. Lawyers and politicians who exploit the situation for their own benefit further exacerbate this vicious circle.

ANCPR believes that the "best interest of the child" should be redefined to place greater emphasis on shared parenting arrangements that include 50/50 joint physical custody. The court system should adopt this position in all divorce proceedings.

ANCPR is a non-profit organization fighting for the rights of non-custodial parents.

Lowell Jaks, the President of ANCPR is available for interviews.

#####