Dear Friends,

The New Jersey Law Review Commission is in the process of revisiting and revising the child welfare laws of our state.   In the course of this process, I have been working to have the definition of child abuse improved.   Over the last year, that work has included efforts to have a line included that would protect infants from physical maltreatment, including shaking and beating. 

The request is in part because very young children are especially vulnerable to severe injury and death from shaking and striking.  Per the annual U.S. report Child Maltreatment, 3 children die every day in the U.S. from abuse.  Almost half of them are under 1 year of age, and over 75 percent are under age 3.  Hurting a baby is not just unkind, it's very dangerous.

The request is also in part due to babies' stages in cognitive development.  Infants are unable to see a parent's choice to strike them as reactionary to their own behavior, based on displeasure caused to the parent by the child prior to the strike.   Babies under age 2 do understand some simple cause and effect concepts as they grow, but not at that higher level yet.

The addition protecting babies from shaking and striking had been added to the definition of child abuse in the law prior to a recent meeting among concerned parties, including representatives from the Division of Youth and Family Services.    However, the line has since been removed as a response to the opposition from several parties including someone representing our state child services group!  There have been several questionable reasons given, but not one justifies a reasonable need for any parent or caretaker to shake or strike an infant. 

Thankfully, the state child law draft is still under review.   There is still a short window of time for action.  We as concerned parents and citizens can write letters asking to have the line protecting babies from shaking and beating added back into the draft.   There is still time before the draft goes up for a vote.

Please take a moment to send a letter in to the New Jersey Law Review Commission asking for infants to be protected from physical maltreatment, including shaking and hitting, IN the state law definition of child abuse.  

An email letter appears below.  If you would like to send a letter by postal mail, their address is:

New Jersey Law Review Commission
153 Halsey Street, 7th Floor
Newark, New Jersey 07102

There is no good reason to shake or strike a baby.  It is not unreasonable to add this common sense into law.  Adding this in will not only help with addressing infant abuse when it happens, but will go a long way toward prevention and awareness too.  

Children of all ages can enjoy more freedom from physical endangerment if new and expecting parents are taught that hitting their young children is unlawful.  This small change for small people can have a large and far reaching positive impact.

Thank you in advance for your help!