Physical Child Abuse

As mentioned earlier, a child’s family plays an extremely large role in determining what kind of person they become. A vicious cycle is likely to begin when a child is brought up in a home where abuse is present and the likelihood of that child entering the criminal justice system increases dramatically.

According to the Prevent Future Abuse website, there are 140,000 injuries to children due to abuse each year and 1,500 children die each year from abuse. The graph shows that parents are overwhelmingly responsible for the abuse of their child. It’s a frightening thought to think that the people who are supposed to love a child the most, can actually intentionally, physically harm them. However, it is reality and the state has to do whatever it can to help prevent abuse.

All 50 states have established some type of child abuse reporting law which is a start. Professionals working in a line of work that gives them access to children who may be abused, need to make sure they’re held accountable if they don’t step in when there is suspected abuse. There are too many instances when people turn the other cheek and consequently injuries and even deaths could have been avoided.

Also, closer tabs need to be kept on people who are convicted of child abuse. The article below is a recent case that takes place in the nearby city of Tracy, CA. A woman, who had previously been convicted of felony child abuse only a year ago, had the opportunity to do it again. She was living in a different county and in a house with multiple children. It was too easy for her to commit the crime she is suspected of committing: kidnapping and torturing a juvenile for months.


http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_11123834?nclick_check=1