That's the way it's always been. Women are really better parents. Men tend to ignore and abuse their children. Giving women custody is a way to rationalize giving women more money after a divorce. Men don't really want their children.
Judges are sexist.
The system is dominated by staff evaluators. Giving women the children means simpler paperwork for the courts. The County might be sued if they gave joint custody to a man who abused a child. 10.The system is designed primarily to keep women off the Welfare rolls. 11.It's a way to give the women the power to make certain the man keeps paying spousal support.