THIS LAW JOURNAL ARTICLE REVIEWS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CURRENT KNOWLEDGE ABOUT CHILD MALTREATMENT AND ITS SOCIETAL IMPLICATIONS. CHILD MALTREATMENT HAS BEEN DEFINED TO INCLUDE DEPRIVATION OF FOOD AND SHELTER, AS WELL AS DELIBERATE PHYSICAL OR EMOTIONAL ABUSE. THE MEDICAL PROFESSION HAS A MORAL AND LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY TO REPORT SUSPECTED INSTANCES OF CHILD MALTREATMENT. NUMEROUS STUDIES PROFILE THE ABUSED CHILD, THE ABUSIVE PARENT, AND FAMILY DYNAMICS TO HELP CONCERNED PROFESSIONALS TO RECOGNIZE CASES OF CHILD MALTREATMENT. IN ADDITION TO REQUIRING MANDATORY REPORTING AND ESTABLISHING PROTECTIVE MEASURES FOR THE MALTREATED, LEGISLATORS MUST CLEARLY DEFINE CHILD ABUSE AND OTHER FORMS OF CHILD MALTREATMENT. FEDERAL LEGISLATION, SPECIFICALLY THE CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT ACT, AUTHORIZES GRANTS TO PUBLIC AGENCIES AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATONS TO DEVELOP PROJECTS FOR PREVENTION, IDENTIFICATION, AND TREATMENT OF CHILD MALTREATMENT. THE LEGAL SYSTEM, AS WELL AS SOCIAL WELFARE AGENCIES, RESPONDS TO THE IMMEDIATE AND LONGTERM NEEDS OF THE CHILD AND ALSO MUST DETERMINE WHETHER TO TREAT THE ABUSIVE PARENT THROUGH RETRIBUTIVE OR REHABILITATIVE MEASURES. HIGH AGENCY AND COURT CASELOADS, AS WELL AS INSUFFICIENT STAFF, WORK AGAINST OPTIMAL CASE COVERAGE. RECOGNIZING THE CHILD AS AN INDIVIDUAL WITH CERTAIN RIGHTS REQUIRES THAT ALL PARTIES (THE STATE, THE PARENT, AND THE CHILD) INVOLVED IN A TERMINATION OF CUSTODY PROCEEDING SHOULD HAVE INDEPENDENT REPRESENTATION. FINALLY, CHILD MALTREATMENT MUST BE ACCEPTED AS A PROBLEM WHICH EXISTS IN ALL ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CLASSES. OVER 125 FOOTNOTES DETAIL SIGNIFICANT MEDICAL AND LEGAL ISSUES.