Abstract
This Note examines cyberbullying's impact on adolescents' mental health and psychological development and explores an Ohio-specific legislative response to the problem. Part II addresses the urgent need for cyberbullying legislation, the inadequacy of Ohio law, and the detrimental effects that may result when juveniles are targeted by cyberbullies. Part III demonstrates how other states have reacted to the cyberbullying problem by amending already enacted bullying statutes or by creating new and specific cyberbullying laws. Part IV proposes a new cyberbullying statute that criminalizes the more extreme cases of cyberbullying, incorporates age as a sentencing factor, and introduces school-employee liability for any reckless or knowing disregard for cyberbullying instances. This section also proposes amending the current bullying statutes applicable to state boards of education. Finally, Part V provides forward-looking recommendations about how legislators, parents, and schools should respond to cyberbullying and includes concluding remarks on cyberbullying and the current legal landscape.
Recommended Citation
Note, Bullies in a Wired World: The Impact of Cyberspace Victimization on Adolescent Mental Health and the Need for Cyberbullying Legislation in Ohio, 25 J.L. & Health 155 (2012) available at http://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/jlh/vol25/iss1/7