Criminal
Nov. 26, 2001
Mens Rea
One of the more difficult laws to understand and apply in California is the child-abuse statute, Penal Code Section 273a. The law is intended to protect children against many different types of abuse, providing stiff penalties of up to six years in prison for some offenses. The statute covers direct forms of abuse, such as hitting or violently shaking a child, as well as indirect forms of abuse, which usually involve placing a child in a dangerous situation or failing to provide nourishment or medical attention for the child.
By Alex Ricciardulli
One of the more difficult laws to understand and apply in California is the child-abuse statute, Penal Code Section 273a. The law is intended to protect children against many different types of abuse, providing stiff penalties of up to six years in prison for some offenses. The statute cove...
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