IN MOST STATES, CENTRAL REGISTRIES ARE DESIGNED TO SERVE BOTH AS CENTRAL WAREHOUSES FOR RESEARCH DATA AND AS PRACTICAL TOOLS TO ASSIST PROFESSIONALS INVOLVED IN DAY-TO-DAY CASE MANAGEMENT. HOWEVER, SOME ALSO VIEW THE REGISTRIES AS A FIRST AND NECESSARY STEP IN TRACKING INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE PRONE TO ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR. REGISTRY ENTRIES USUALLY INCLUDE THE NAME, ADDRESS, AGE, AND SEX OF THE CHILD BELIEVED TO BE ABUSED OR NEGLECTED; THE NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF THE PARENTS OR CARETAKERS; THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF INJURIES; AND EVIDENCE OF PRIOR ABUSE OR NEGLECT. FEW STATES PROVIDE SPECIFIC STATUTORY GUIDELINES DELINEATING WHO MAY GAIN ACCESS TO THE REGISTRY. OTHER PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE REGISTRIES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: (1) ALTHOUGH THE REGISTRIES OFTEN INCLUDE CASES OF SUSPECTED AS WELL AS PROVEN ABUSE AND NEGLECT, PARENTS USUALLY ARE NOT AWARE THAT THEIR NAMES HAVE BEEN LISTED; (2) CRITERIA FOR SPECIFYING THOSE WHO MAY MAKE ENTRIES IN THE REGISTRY TEND TO BE BROAD; AND (3) USUALLY THERE ARE NO PROVISIONS GOVERNING THE TIME PERIOD FOR WHICH A NAME SHOULD REMAIN LISTED. A HYPOTHETICAL CASE STUDY ILLUSTRATES THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES OF THESE AND OTHER PROBLEMS AND RAISES RELATED LEGAL AND CLINICAL MANAGEMENT ISSUES. (LKM)