Duty to Report' Statutes in Criminal Law

Date

2002

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

William and Mary Bill of Rights

Abstract

Description

At both the federal and state levels, numerous criminal laws require individuals to report suspicions of criminal conduct, such as child and elder abuse, violent crimes including domestic violence, environmental crimes, and financial offenses. Reporting duties are imposed on people in many different types of professions, depending on the type of offense being reported, and increasingly may be imposed on all persons without regard to profession. The laws have made the failure to report criminally punishable and, in some instances, all for civil liability as well. This Article examines several types of reporting duties to highlight the trend to turn numerous types of professionals into a white-collar police force. The Article aims to raise awareness of the gradual transformation of our legal culture brought about by the increasing numbers of laws requirement professionals to report suspicions of criminality.

Keywords

Child abuse, Law

Citation

DOI