Signs Of Child Abuse example essay topic

Federal mandates can be very important to the well being of U.S. citizens. Mandate 13031 is for the protection of one of the natural rights of every U.S. citizen; life. The term 'child abuse' means the physical or mental injury, sexual abuse or exploitation, or negligent treatment of a child. This mandate outlines the regulations of who is responsible for reporting possibilities of child abuse.

This mandate is responsible for saving the lives of many abused children. Federal Mandate 13031 falls under U.S.C. Title 42 - The Public Health and Welfare, Chapter 132 - Victims of Child Abuse, Subchapter IV - Reporting Requirements. It leaves the responsibility of reporting suspicions of child abuse with a great number of people. Any one in the medical profession including: physicians, dentists, medical residents or interns, hospital personnel and administrators, nurses, health care practitioners, chiropractors, osteopaths, pharmacists, optometrists, podiatrists, emergency medical technicians, ambulance drivers, undertakers, coroners, medical examiners, alcohol or drug treatment personnel, and persons performing a healing role or practicing the healing arts are required to report child abuse. Other professions included in the mandate are: psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, licensed or unlicensed marriage, family, and individual counselors, teachers, teacher's aides or assistants, school counselors and guidance personnel, school officials, and school administrators, child care workers and administrators, law enforcement personnel, probation officers, criminal prosecutors, and juvenile rehabilitation or detention facility employees, commercial film and photo processors.

Lastly, the parents and / or foster parents are responsible for reporting any suspicion of child abuse or neglect. Despite the large numbers of responsible persons in this mandate, it has only a small impact on the local & state budget priorities. For most of these professions it is normal practice to check for signs of child abuse. It takes very little time and very few resources to look a child over. However, if a child is found to be abused, the costs of investigation, prosecution, and further care of the child can be very expensive. Due to this, there is millions of dollars appropriated each year for the area of child abuse.

Any mandate that deals with the safety of children should never be removed. However, this particular mandate could probably be done without. The mandate simply shows who is required to report suspicions of child abuse. Although it doesn't sound very important, the number of abused children would probably continue to rise.

Without the mandate many of the professions listed would simply ignore the signs of child abuse and neglect. They wouldn't be legally responsible for reporting their findings. Child abuse and neglect is something that should never occur. However, in today's society it does, and that is why we have laws and mandates to prevent them. Mandate 13031 is very important to making sure someone will catch the signs of an abused child, and report the abuse at all costs.

Considering the importance of this mandate, it is definitely worth the money appropriated to the child abuse agencies.