All states, including Tennessee, treat child abuse and neglect as a serious crime, often punishable by prison time. Tennessee distinguishes between child abuse, child neglect, and child endangerment, as noted below:

• Child abuse: knowingly treating a child in a manner as to inflict injury.
• Child neglect: knowingly abusing or neglecting a child in a way negatively affects the child's health and welfare.
• Child endangerment: knowingly exposing or failing to protect a child who is 8 years old or younger from abuse or neglect resulting in physical injury. Child endangerment only applies to parents or custodians of the child.

The charges for committing child abuse, neglect, or endangerment will vary based on the circumstances. For example, abusing a child that's eight or younger is charged differently than abusing one who's older.

What Is a Mandatory Reporter?

Most states have "mandatory reporting requirements" which require certain people to report suspected child abuse or neglect. Mandatory reporters are usually physicians, clergy, teachers, day care workers, social workers, and others with regular access to a child. However, in Tennessee, everyone is a mandatory reporter, which means any person who has reasonable cause to believe that a child is being abused or neglected is required to report it to the Tennessee Department of Children's Services or to local law enforcement. Failure to report suspected child abuse or neglect is a Class A misdemeanor.

Tennessee Child Abuse Laws at a Glance

Although reading the actual language of a statute is an important step to legal research, sometimes you just want a quick and easy answer, which is usually not found by reading legally dense statutes. Reading an overview of the law, however, can not only provide a quick answer, but also help you get a better understanding of the statute. The following chart summarizes the main provisions of Tennessee child abuse laws and provides links to relevant statutes.

Note: State laws are always subject to change through the passage of new legislation, rulings in the higher courts (including federal decisions), ballot initiatives, and other means. While we strive to provide the most current information available, please consult an attorney or conduct your own legal research to verify the state law(s) you are researching.

Tennessee Child Abuse Laws: Related Resources

• Tennessee Domestic Violence Laws
• Tennessee Criminal Laws
• Crimes Against Children
• Domestic Violence

Arrested for Violating Tennessee Child Abuse Laws? Get Legal Help

There can sometimes be a fine line between child abuse and child discipline, and a person looking at the situation from the outside may not be able to tell which one is occurring. If you've been arrested for violating Tennessee child abuse laws, it's a good idea to contact a local criminal defense attorney who can help you defend against the charges.