NCJ Number
111273
Date Published
1988
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This memorandum describes 1987 Wisconsin Act 332, relating to crimes and civil offenses against children and providing penalties.
Abstract
The act clarifies and strengthens the crime of physical child abuse by creating a range of penalties related to the offense and degree of harm inflicted. It also penalizes the failure of certain responsible persons to take action to prevent child abuse. The act recognizes the crime of 'mental harm' to a child and penalizes certain persons who do not prevent such harm. The act clarifies the child victim age categories in the sexual assault statute and penalizes certain persons for failure to prevent such abuse. The possession of child pornography is proscribed, and the current statute on sexual exploitation is revised to facilitate enforcement. Current statutes are revised to enhance enforcement against incest, child enticement, sex-organ exposure, exposing a child to harmful material, child abandonment, abduction, custody interference, and contributing to the delinquency or neglect of a child. New crimes are created for the possession of a dangerous weapon on school premises and the delivery of controlled substances near school grounds. The act creates an extended statute of limitations for specified child sexual abuse and decriminalizes several regulatory offenses, such as employment regulations relating to minors and restrictions on the use of lead-bearing paints, to promote the enforcement of these offenses. Appended penalty classification system.