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Reporting Trouble

Knowing Your Legal Rights

Many state laws already exist to protect children and families against harrassment, but crimes committed in "cyberspace" can present unique challenges to finding legal help - if you live in Missouri, while the criminal lives in New York, which state laws apply? In most cases, the crime should be reported in the state where the crime was committed (where the criminal's computer is located).

To get a detailed version of your state laws relating to child abuse, you can buy a book of state laws that includes all 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. To purchase "State Statutes Related to Child Abuse and Neglect: 1988," contact the Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information, PO Box 1182, Washington, DC 20013, (703) 385-7565.