Failure to report child abuse
Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term
A person who, while engaged in a professional capacity or activity described in subsection (b) of section 226 of the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990 on Federal land or in a federally operated (or contracted) facility, or a covered individual as described in subsection (a)(2) of such section 226 who, learns of facts that give reason to suspect that a child has suffered an incident of child abuse, as defined in subsection (c) of that section, and fails to make a timely report as required by subsection (a) of that section, shall be or imprisoned not more than 1 year or both.
History: (Added Pub. L. 101–647, title II, §226(g)(1), Nov. 29, 1990, 104 Stat. 4808 (PDF, 27 MB); amended Pub. L. 109–248, title II, §209, July 27, 2006, 120 Stat. 615; Pub. L. 115–126, title I, §101(b), Feb. 14, 2018, 132 Stat. 319.)
Simplified explanation
It is a federal crime for certain professionals working on federal land or in a federally run or contracted facility, and other people covered by federal child abuse reporting law, to fail to report suspected child abuse on time. This applies when they learn facts that give reason to suspect a child has been abused. The specific people covered and the reporting rules are set by section 226 of the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990.