"Children: Hostages of the State" is based upon thirty-four years of working with children both inside and outside the non-juvenile system in several states. Including an inside look at foster care, adoptions, and out-of-home placement of children, it shows a pattern of a county, state, and local government control of children-a system that seems to be out of control, operating outside constitutional law. This message speaks to every parent with a child in foster care or in county, city, state, or government custody. The removals of many children from their homes are in violation of the constitutional and civil rights of both the children and parents. Civil rights violations carry a mandatory investigation. Author William D. Andrews lists a few of the most often violated areas he has seen, pointing to the adoption practice, which often appears to be open fraud. The adopting families, social workers, and judges often appear to be in a tailor-made adoption partnership.

Andrews vows that the practice of removing children from homes without proper application of the law will be stopped. The total rejection of both child and parental rights granted by the US Constitution is a tragedy.