In the United States, each state is responsible for creating and enforcing child abuse laws and battered children laws. Battered Children Syndrome laws have been established to provide protection to children who are suffering from physical or sexual abuse.
In every state, subjecting a child to abuse is a criminal offense. Therefore, an offender may be issued a criminal conviction and subsequently sentenced to an appropriate punishment.
An offender’s sentence will often depend upon the severity of the abuse and the offender’s criminal history. If it was a first time offense, the offender may not be incarcerated. However, in many instances an offender will be sentenced to a period of incarceration.
Battered Children laws require state governments to remove children from dangerous and abusive homes. Subsequently, these children are placed into the foster care system.