Jordynn Ihle

Research Topic Proposal

Throughout this semester I want to learn why the court system works the way it

does. For this research topic I want to write about why unfit moms get custody of their

children no matter what the circumstance is. One of my cousins started experimenting

with drugs at a very young age and as he got older his addiction to drugs became a

disease that could not be fixed. Before we knew it, he was addicted to heroin. My entire

family kicked him out of our lives after he began stealing from us and always asking for

money, we didn’t talk to him for many years, but we still got random phone calls time to

time from him. Every time he popped back into our lives and tried to become clean we

were always there to help him but he let us down and always fell off the wagon within in

a few months. A few years ago he was dating a girl and he got her pregnant, she

continued shooting up heroin while she was pregnant. When my baby cousin was born

he was addicted to heroin and had to wear a helmet at all times. He became clean and

tried to get custody of his son. When the court continued to give custody to the mom he

relapsed and was back with her doing drugs and nothing had changed. Two years ago

my cousin came to us and decided he didn’t want to live life suffering anymore and now

he is two years clean and we have never been more proud. He is now working on trying

to gain custody of his son, things still aren’t looking out for him and the mom is still

winning custody when she hasn’t been clean a day in her life. I want to write about this

topic because it has happened in my family and I can’t fully understand why unfit moms

always win custody. I need to do more background research about the court system and

other cases similar to this one. Other people may believe that the mother no matter

what should always have custody but it’s sad when young children are brought in the
 Jordynn Ihle

Research Topic Proposal

world experiencing terrible things their entire lives. In writing this paper I anticipate

problems of people disagreeing with me, but I am willing to do a lot of research to try

and persuade people to be on my side.