NCJ Number
122262
Date Published
Unknown
Length
12 pages
Annotation
Over the past 25 years, there has been a steady increase in State legislative activity related to child abuse and neglect.
Abstract
Child protection mandatory reporting laws have been broadened to cover sexually-exploited children, handicapped infants who are deprived of medical or nutritional care, and children who are victims of abuse in out-of-home care settings (day care centers, schools, and residential facilities). The designation of those constituting perpetrators of abuse under State laws has also been expanded to include persons residing in a child's household other than parents or legal guardians, teachers, and day care providers. State laws have been broadened to encourage more professionals to report suspected abuse and neglect, and some reforms related to child abuse and neglect case management have been adopted. Probably no other area of child abuse legislative reform has been as widespread in recent years as new legislation to make the process of judicial system intervention less traumatic for the abused child. Innovative statutory reforms related to child protection have focused on reporting laws, child protective service agency responsibilities and functions, power of courts hearing abuse and neglect cases, and criminal offenses for child abuse.