Laws: Cases and Codes : U.S. Code : Title 42 : Section 5119


   
U.S. Code as of: 01/19/04
Section 5119. Reporting child abuse crime information

    (a) In general
      In each State, an authorized criminal justice agency of the State
    shall report child abuse crime information to, or index child abuse
    crime information in, the national criminal history background
    check system. A criminal justice agency may satisfy the requirement
    of this subsection by reporting or indexing all felony and serious
    misdemeanor arrests and dispositions.
    (b) Provision of State child abuse crime records through national
      criminal history background check system
      (1) Not later than 180 days after December 20, 1993, the Attorney
    General shall, subject to availability of appropriations - 
        (A) investigate the criminal history records system of each
      State and determine for each State a timetable by which the State
      should be able to provide child abuse crime records on an on-line
      basis through the national criminal history background check
      system;
        (B) in consultation with State officials, establish guidelines
      for the reporting or indexing of child abuse crime information,
      including guidelines relating to the format, content, and
      accuracy of criminal history records and other procedures for
      carrying out this subchapter; and
        (C) notify each State of the determinations made pursuant to
      subparagraphs (A) and (B).

      (2) The Attorney General shall require as a part of each State
    timetable that the State - 
        (A) by not later than the date that is 5 years after December
      20, 1993, have in a computerized criminal history file at least
      80 percent of the final dispositions that have been rendered in
      all identifiable child abuse crime cases in which there has been
      an event of activity within the last 5 years;
        (B) continue to maintain a reporting rate of at least 80
      percent for final dispositions in all identifiable child abuse
      crime cases in which there has been an event of activity within
      the preceding 5 years; and
        (C) take steps to achieve 100 percent disposition reporting,
      including data quality audits and periodic notices to criminal
      justice agencies identifying records that lack final dispositions
      and requesting those dispositions.
    (c) Liaison
      An authorized agency of a State shall maintain close liaison with
    the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, the National Center
    for Missing and Exploited Children, and the National Center for the
    Prosecution of Child Abuse for the exchange of technical assistance
    in cases of child abuse.
    (d) Annual summary
      (1) The Attorney General shall publish an annual statistical
    summary of child abuse crimes.
      (2) The annual statistical summary described in paragraph (1)
    shall not contain any information that may reveal the identity of
    any particular victim or alleged violator.
    (e) Annual report
      The Attorney General shall, subject to the availability of
    appropriations, publish an annual summary of each State's progress
    in reporting child abuse crime information to the national criminal
    history background check system.
    (f) Study of child abuse offenders
      (1) Not later than 180 days after December 20, 1993, the
    Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
    Prevention shall begin a study based on a statistically significant
    sample of convicted child abuse offenders and other relevant
    information to determine - 
        (A) the percentage of convicted child abuse offenders who have
      more than 1 conviction for an offense involving child abuse;
        (B) the percentage of convicted child abuse offenders who have
      been convicted of an offense involving child abuse in more than 1
      State; and
        (C) the extent to which and the manner in which instances of
      child abuse form a basis for convictions for crimes other than
      child abuse crimes.

      (2) Not later than 2 years after December 20, 1993, the
    Administrator shall submit a report to the Chairman of the
    Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate and the Chairman of the
    Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives
    containing a description of and a summary of the results of the
    study conducted pursuant to paragraph (1).



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