Public education to stop child abuse?

A recent UNH study suggests there is a lack of public understanding of laws regarding the mandatory reporting of suspected child abuse.

New Hampshire is one of 19 U.S. states or territories with mandated reporting laws under which all adults are legally required to report child abuse or neglect if they suspect it.

Proponents of a public education initiative point to the prevalence of a wide variety of misconceptions, which include that reporting suspected abuse will worsen the situation for children. In the UNH study, over half of adults did not realize they could be charged with a misdemeanor for failing to report suspected abuse.

Opponents counter that the existence of the mandatory reporting law is sufficient, and express concern about the potential cost of a public education initiative.