Mandated Reporting In North Carolina

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Mandated Reporting in North Carolina
Mandatory reporting is a way to protect children, the elderly, and the disabled from maltreatment. The state of North Carolina is a mandatory reporting state and according to the North Carolina law N.C.G.S. § 7B-301, every citizen has a “duty to report abuse, neglect, dependency, or death due to maltreatment” (North Carolina General Assembly, n.d.). Also N.C.G.S. § 7B-309, protects citizens as long as they are acting in good faith which results in immunity “from any civil or criminal liability that might otherwise be incurred or imposed for that action” (North Carolina General Assembly, n.d.). In addition, the abuse, neglect, and/or exploitation of the elderly and disabled by their caretakers, falls under
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Neglect is defined by the North Carolina Juvenile Code as a child who is not receiving proper care, supervision, discipline, been abandoned, not receiving necessary medical or remedial care, live in an environment that is injurious to the child’s welfare and/or placed unlawfully in care or adoption. Abuse is defined under several categories to include emotional, physical, and/or sexual. If the parent/guardian or caregiver perpetrate abuse or if the parent/guardian or caregiver allows someone else to inflict abuse knowingly it is abuse (Mason & University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2013). When making reports for abuse and/or neglect it is important to include as much information as …show more content…
General Statue § 90-21.20 which requires them to report any injuries that were caused by guns or poisoning in all cases, and knives/sharp objects, or extensive bodily harm in suspected cases based on criminal violence. All cases are reported to the chief of police in the city or town in which the hospital provided treatment (North Carolina General Assembly, n.d.). School Principals fall under N.C. General Statue § 115C-288(g) which requires them to report any incident in which he/she has knowledge that involves assault that results in serious personal injury, any sexual offense, firearms on school grounds, and/or possession of a controlled substance. All reports are made to Law Enforcement and the Superintendent (North Carolina General Assembly, n.d.). Computer Technicians who stumble across images related to minors engaging in sexual activity must report such findings to the National Center for Missing and Exploited children or law enforcement in the area in which the image was submitted (North Carolina General Assembly, n.d.). Failure to report suspected abuse/neglect or preventing someone else from making a report when juveniles are involved is a Class 1-Misdemeanor in the state of North Carolina. Department of Social Service Directors that fails to notify the State Bureau of Investigation of a report involving sexual abuse of a juvenile at a childcare facility is guilty of a Class 1-Misdemeanor. There is no penalty or