Child abuse in regards to Dungeons and Dragons IRL, how should such things be handled.

[GreyLord]

I'd definitely ask someone a bit more experienced with the local laws about the mandatory reporter thing. Don't expect to the cops to necessarily be right in what they tell you. They might be misinformed, their training out of date, or they might actually be attempting to pressure you, as I said up above, into saying something incriminating.

Yeah, it definitely scares one a bit when they tell you that stuff. What you thought was going to just be a discussion with them makes you nervous really quickly. I'm still a tad shaken up about it and have done a ton of googling to see what exactly I could be in trouble for or if I actually am in trouble.

I probably should confer with a laywer experienced in this stuff, but the thing that also hits me is I was not trying to do anything wrong in this instance. I was actually trying to do the right thing. It makes me feel almost as if I was admitting to something wrong if I go to a lawyer, even though I really didn't try to break any laws at all and tried to keep the law as best I can.

 

[billd91]

Yeah, it definitely scares one a bit when they tell you that stuff. What you thought was going to just be a discussion with them makes you nervous really quickly. I'm still a tad shaken up about it and have done a ton of googling to see what exactly I could be in trouble for or if I actually am in trouble.

I probably should confer with a laywer experienced in this stuff, but the thing that also hits me is I was not trying to do anything wrong in this instance. I was actually trying to do the right thing. It makes me feel almost as if I was admitting to something wrong if I go to a lawyer, even though I really didn't try to break any laws at all and tried to keep the law as best I can.

It may sound cynical, but that's probably exactly how the cops want you to feel - too intimidated to actually research what your rights and responsibilities are. That said, had to you acted the way the cops wanted you to, it would have worked out in this instance because the parents actually seem to be child-abusive lowlifes. It won't always be the case since, as I said way back, everyone has a bad day and loses their cool once in a while. It's the preponderance of that behavior that will determine if it's abusive or not.

 

[Ulfgeir]

Also know that the police in the US ARE allowed to flat out lie to you, and they do NOT need to know the actual laws they uphold (in some cases it is better for the officer to not know the law) . That has been established in court.

And yes pressuring someone into false admissons are common. Common enough that lawyers frequently says that you should not talk to police at all. Even If you are completely innocent, and not even a suspect...

 

[Sacrosanct]

Also know that the police in the US ARE allowed to flat out lie to you, and they do NOT need to know the actual laws they uphold (in some cases it is better for the ofiicrr to not know the law) . That has been established in court.

Eh...not flat out lie. They can’t lie if there is a reasonable chance it would result in a false confession. And of course they won’t have every law memorized. That’s ridiculous. No one knows all of the laws

And yes pressuring someone into false admissons are common. Common enough that lawyers frequently says that you should not talk to police at all. Even If you are completely innocent, and not even a suspect...

And that would be illegal, as I alluded to abive

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Also, just recently a Portland police officer was just suspended for telling a protester that they couldn’t film them. Not even an intentional lie, but still was suspended

 

[Umbran]

I am currently considered a mandatory reporter apparently, and yes, apparently we CAN be charged with a crime if we do not report suspicion on such things. It can be a felony in our case.

The operative phrase in what you quote is "reasonable cause". Let me put emphasis on reasonable.

"I saw the parent shout at their kids once," really does not count as a reasonable basis to suspect overall abuse. It is not a reasonable leap - it is at best a leap of intuition or fear - as is atested by how many folks here said so early in the thread.

 

[Ulfgeir]

Eh...not flat out lie. They can’t lie if there is a reasonable chance it would result in a false confession. And of course they won’t have every law memorized. That’s ridiculous. No one knows all of the laws

There was one interrogation-technique that they were supposed to stop using, as it led to too many false convictions.

And when the police do break the rules, let's just say it takes a LOT to get a court to say so. When I said they did not need to know the laws, I did not mean the details. There has been a number of cases where the officer made up something on the spot for things that were not illegal, and then they basically going on a fishing-expedition to find anything that would incriminate you.

Also, just recently a Portland police officer was just suspended for telling a protester that they couldn’t film them. Not even an intentional lie, but still was suspended

Well, there has been a number of cases recently where the the police have tried to stop people from filming even though those persons were legally allowed to do so. So if the same department has had previous such cases, or the officer doing similar things before and knowing that (s)he was in the wrong, then yes.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

@GreyLord

Because police are legally allowed to lie to suspects and witnesses as part of the investigative process, it is FAR more likely that that is precisely what they were doing if/when they told you you were one.

In all probability, you are NOT a mandatory reporter. That classification is reserved for first responders, mental health/medical professionals, CPS, teachers, clergy, etc.- people who have some form of duty to protect individuals and/or society.

 

[Sacrosanct]

@GreyLord

Because police are legally allowed to lie to suspects and witnesses as part of the investigative process, it is FAR more likely that that is precisely what they were doing if/when they told you you were one.

In all probability, you are NOT a mandatory reporter. That classification is reserved for first responders, mental health/medical professionals, CPS, teachers, clergy, etc.- people who have some form of duty to protect individuals and/or society.

This is what constitutes a mandatory reporter in my state (most states are similar). Notice a trend? Government employees, clergymen, medical professionals, and paid coaches of children’s teams. Running D&D games is not on the list unless said DM is being paid by the game store under some sort of community program to run camps just for kids. To avoid confusion:

• Physician or physician assistant licensed under ORS chapter 677 or naturopathic physician, including any intern or resident;
• Dentists;
• School employee, including an employee of a higher education institution;
• Licensed practical nurse, registered nurse, nurse practitioner, nurse’s aide, home health aide or employee of an in-home health service;
• Peace officer;
• Psychologist;
• Member of the clergy;
• Regulated social worker;
• Optometrist;
• Chiropractor;
• Certified provider of foster care, or an employee thereof;
• Attorney;
• Licensed professional counselor;
• Licensed marriage and family therapist;
• Firefighter or emergency medical services provider;
• A court appointed special advocate, as defined in ORS 419A.004;
• A child care provider registered or certified under ORS 329A.030 and 329A.250 to 329A.450;
• Member of the Legislative Assembly;
• Physical, speech or occupational therapist;
• Audiologist;
• Speech-language pathologist;
• Employee of the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission directly involved in investigations or discipline by the commission;
• Pharmacist;
• An operator of a preschool recorded program under ORS 329A.255;
• An operator of a school-age recorded program under ORS 329A.257;
• Employee of a private agency or organization facilitating the provision of respite services, as defined in ORS 418.205, for parents pursuant to a properly executed power of attorney under ORS 109.056;
  • Employee of a public or private organization providing child-related services or activities: Including but not limited to youth groups or centers, scout groups or camps, summer or day camps, survival camps or groups, centers or camps that are operated under the guidance, supervision or auspices of religious, public or private educational systems or community service organizations; and
  • Excluding community-based, nonprofit organizations whose primary purpose is to provide confidential, direct services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking or human trafficking
• A coach, assistant coach or trainer of an amateur, semiprofessional or professional athlete, if compensated and if the athlete is a child.

 

[FrogReaver]

No, you won't (and cannot) be charged. If anyone who witnessed a parent yelling at a child were required to report it - there would be thousands upon thousands of such reports a day, and the justice system could in now way handle that volume.

There are some people who are "mandatory reporters" - random dude on the street is not one of them. That status is reserved for teachers, doctors, and others who have regular contact with children in their professional life.

Well in all honesty, it wouldn't be the first time the police got the law wrong or embellished it to such a point that what he's saying can happen can but cannot happen in situations very similar to the one currently in front of him.

Long story short - I love the police and they do work around the law and have some first hand knowledge, but so much of what they do know just isn't true.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Again, not necessarily a question of knowledge, but rather investigatory tactics.