Despite the moral imperative and sound fiscal basis for protecting the legal rights of abused and neglected children, half of U.S. states cheat them of appropriate legal representation, denying them an effective voice in proceedings that determine their futures, according to a state-by-state study conducted by two national child advocacy organizations. The report – A Child’s Right to Counsel: A National Report Card on Legal Representation for Abused and Neglected Children – was released today on Capitol Hill by First Star, a national organization working to improve the lives of America’s abused and neglected children, and the Children’s Advocacy Institute at the University of San Diego School of Law (CAI). To view the full report, visit www.firststar.org, or www.caichildlaw.org.    READ MORE HERE