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Kidnapping began as a crime which involved forcibly abducting someone and carrying him or her to a different country. Today, kidnapping occurs when someone forcibly abducts or confines another person against his or her will.
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Consequences of a Child Molestation Conviction
Those convicted of child molestation face long prison sentences and must register as a sex offender.
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Child Abuse: Laws & Criminal Penalties
Children occupy a special place in the law. Legal systems presume that children do not have the mental capacity to care for themselves or make their own choices. Instead, many of the choices a child has are often made by the child's parent, legal guardian, or custodian.
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While some states may punish child endangerment as a different offense than child abuse, other states include child endangerment activity as a type of child abuse.
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Child Desertion and Abandonment
Parents or guardians who care for minor children have a legal responsibility to protect the children and ensure they are not exposed to harm. When such an adult deserts or abandons a child, that behavior is often a crime. Even though child abandonment and desertion laws differ significantly among states, all states have laws that criminalize this type of behavior.
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Criminal Consequences of Spanking Your Children
Currently, parents in all states have a limited right to spank their children. Whether by statute or by legal opinion, states permit parents to use physical discipline against their children as long as it is done in moderation and does not cause injury.
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With the rise in the use of computers and cell phones, sexting has become a phenomenon among both adults and teens. Sexting laws generally seek to punish adults more harshly than minors.
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Though specific teen sexting laws are not present in a majority of states, the trend appears to be towards more widespread adoption of sexting laws. In the meantime, in those states without sexting laws, sexting may still be punished under pre-existing laws that target child pornography.
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Is Sexting Illegal for Adults?
Between consenting adults, the private sharing of nude or suggestive photos is generally not illegal. However, that does not mean that adults can freely engage in sexting.
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What is the Crime of "Child Enticement?"
Child enticement is a crime that involves an adult persuading, or attempting to persuade, a child to accompany him or her for the purposes of sexual activity. The type of situations that can lead to child enticement charges differs from state to state.
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While some states may punish child endangerment as a different offense than child abuse, other states include child endangerment activity as a type of child abuse.
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Statutory Rape Laws and Charges
Someone who has sex with a person under a certain age, even when the two people are close in age, and even when both people are under a certain age, can be charged with a crime in some states, even when the sex is consensual.
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Do statutory rape laws apply when the adult is an older woman and the minor is male?
Statutory rape law applies to both men and women, even where the underage person willingly participates.
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Can I Be Convicted of Statutory Rape If My Partner Looked Like or Claimed to Be an Adult?
Question: Can I be convicted of statutory rape if my partner claimed to be and looked like an adult?
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Do Statutory Rape Laws Apply in Same-Sex Situations?
Statutory rape laws and defenses usually apply to both opposite- and same-sex sexual relationships involving a person under the age of consent.