CHILD ABUSE LEGISLATION (FROM CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT ISSUES ON INNOVATION AND IMPLEMENTATION - V 1, 1978, BY MICHAEL L LAUDERDALE, ET AL - SEE NCJ-59268)

• NCJ Number: 59284
• Author(s): A LINDEMAN
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 4 pages
• Corporate Author: US Dept of Health and Human Services
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE INITIATION AND INTRODUCTION OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT LEGISLATION ARE DISCUSSED, AND LEGISLATIVE TRENDS IN CHILD ABUSE TREATMENT AND PREVENTION STATUTES ARE CONSIDERED.

Abstract

THERE ARE THREE WAYS AN IDEA OR PROBLEM MAY BE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF A STATE LEGISLATURE; THE LEGISLATURE OR A LEGISLATOR MAY ACT ON ITS OWN; THE LEGISLATURE MAY REACT TO PUBLIC OUTCRY ON A PARTICULAR ISSUE; OR INTEREST GROUPS MAY BRING A PROBLEM BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE. THIS PRESENTATION DEALS WITH INTEREST GROUPS AND THEIR ATTEMPTS TO MAKE LEGISLATURES RECOGNIZE PROBLEMS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT. TO INITIATE LEGISLATION EFFECTIVELY, ONE OF THE PRIMARY STEPS IS TO FORM A BROAD BASE OF SUPPORTERS. SEVERAL MODELS EXIST IN CHILD ABUSE SERVICE SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. IN ORDER TO FORM AN EFFECTIVE COALITION, THE GROUPS WORKING OUT OF THESE MODELS MUST CROSS-FERTILIZE ONE ANOTHER IN ORDER TO BROADEN THE KNOWLEDGE BASE OUT OF WHICH A COALITION GROUP WILL PRESENT THE PROBLEM AND SUGGESTED LEGISLATION. SUCH MODELS ARE THE MEDICAL MODEL (COMPOSED OF PHYSICIANS, HOSPITAL PERSONNEL, COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS, MEDICAL SCHOOLS, AND RELATED FACILITIES), THE LEGAL MODEL (INVOLVES BROADENING THE BASE OF THOSE MANDATED TO REPORT CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT INCIDENTS), THE PUBLIC EDUCATION MODEL (INVOLVING VARIOUS EDUCATIONAL PERSONNEL), AND THE SOCIAL SERVICE MODEL (STATE PROTECTIVE SERVICE AGENCIES OR WELFARE SERVICE PERSONNEL). EACH OF THESE MODELS AND ITS ROLE IN DEALING WITH CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT IS DISCUSSED. ONCE A COALITION IS FORMED AND AN ACCURATE POOL OF MATERIALS EXISTS, COMMUNITY EDUCATION MUST BE UNDERTAKEN, FOLLOWED BY CONTACT WITH LEGISLATORS. A WELL-INFORMED PERSON FROM EACH GROUP IN THE COALITION AND AN OVERALL COORDINATOR SHOULC PRESENT AN OUTLINE OF LEGISLATION TO A RECEPTIVE SPONSOR. THE PROCEDURE FOR INFLUENCING THE INTRODUCTION OF LEGISLATION AS IT PROCEEDS THROUGH COMMITTEE TO THE FLOOR OF THE LEGISLATURE IS DISCUSSED. MANDATORY REPORTING LAWS, A CHILD'S RIGHT TO LEGAL REPRESENTATION, THE RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS VERSUS INSTITUTIONS IN EACH STATE, AND A CENTRAL RECEIVING AGENCY FOR DATA ON CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT ARE CONSIDERED FOCAL POINTS FOR LEGISLATIVE TRENDS PERTAINING TO CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT. (RCB)