Del. Kathleen Dumais: "I think it is better to try and work on prevention issues than necessarily criminalize things," #sexabuse #failuretoreport #mcps #Vigna #CloverlyElementarySchool .@KathleenDumais1

This WBAL news story is from 2012 and explains why the Maryland legislature does not enact legislation that holds adults accountable when they fail to protect children.  Here in Maryland, keeping children safe is simply not our priority.  Remember it is just Maryland and Wyoming that have failed to enact legislation that would hold adults criminally responsible for their failure to report child sex abuse. 

ANNAPOLIS, Md. —

Some Maryland state lawmakers hope to impose criminal sanctions on people who do not report report suspected child abuse or neglect.

Current state law requires reporting, but the state does does not have the power to prosecute when someone doesn't follow the law. Prompted by events that unfolded at Penn State University involving Jerry Sandusky last year, lawmakers in Maryland are taking action to protect children, but members of the General Assembly are divided...

..."We should make it a civil offense where you could be forced to pay a fine and not actually face jail time. Let's see if that works before we create another crime," said Montgomery County Sen. Jamie Raskin, D-District 20.

"I think it is better to try and work on prevention issues than necessarily criminalize things," said Montgomery County Delegate Kathleen Dumais, D-District 15.

Competing legislation pending in the General Assembly does include criminal penalties.

Deborah Baldwin said she supports criminal penalties. Baldwin said her daughter's cheerleading coach declined to do anything when the girl revealed she was assaulted by a referee.

"We are required by law to send our children to school, and we expect them to be safe," she said. "There should be a law that requires teachers to protect children from these situations."

The General Assembly has declined to pass similar legislation introduced four times in the past eight years...

http://www.wbaltv.com/article/bill-seeks-to-criminalize-failure-to-report-child-abuse/7072485