State Stalking Statutes

While all 50 states have adopted stalking laws, the legal definition of stalking varies from state to state, and some states' definition of stalking is quite narrow. To illustrate: in some jurisdictions, stalking victims under 18 years of age may be unable to petition for protective orders; in other jurisdictions, protective orders may be unavailable if the teen victim does not have the requisite prior relationship with the offender, such as marriage or a child in common. Also, in some jurisdictions, stalking behavior alone without prior physical abuse may be insufficient grounds for issuing a protective order.

Events

End Violence Against Women International Conference on Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence and Stalking
May 18, 2009 - May 20, 2009
Anaheim, California
Visit the OVC exhibit.

Division of Forensic Psychology Annual Conference
June 23, 2009 - June 25, 2009
Lancashire

Historic Triangle Conference on Crimes Against Women
August 20, 2009 - August 21, 2009
Williamsburg, Virginia

Links

National Center for Victims of Crime Stalking Resource Center

Bureau of Justice Statistics Stalking Victimization in the United States

Bureau of Justice Statistics FY 2008 NCHIP Stalking and Domestic Violence Records Improvement

Stalking | National Institute of Justice

Office for Victims of Crime - Stalking

COPS Office: Stalking

Help for Victims of Stalking

Media Advisory: Department of Justice Officials to Hold Briefings on Findings of Stalking

National Stalking Awareness Month

NCJRS: Stalking Awareness Special Feature

National Institute of Justice (NIJ): Stalking

End Stalking in America, Inc.

National Center for Victims of Crime Stalking Resource Center

Articles

Stalkers Using GPS Devices To Track Victims
KCTV5.com
2009

Greenstein Anti-Stalking Bill Signed into Law
PolitickerNJ.com
March 23, 2009

Internet Stalking Bill Signed by the Governor
California Chronical
September 30, 2008

Hi-Tech Stalking Devices Extend Abusers' Reach
Marie Tessier: WeNews correspondent
October 1, 2006

Academic Resources

Stalking Victimization in the United States
Katrina Baum, Ph.D., Shannan Catalano, Ph.D., and Michael Rand
January 2009

Stalking: Problem-Oriented Guides for Police
U.S. Department of Justice: National Center for Victims of Crime
January 2004

Stalking Laws and Implementation Practices: A National Review for Policymakers and Practitioners
Neal Miller
October 24, 2002

Stalking: Its Role in Serious Domestic Violence Cases
Patricia Tjaden Ph.D., Nancy Thoennes Ph.D.
March 26, 2001

Stalking: Intervention Orders
John Willis and Marilyn McMahon
December 2000

Women Stalking in Iran
Amir Hossein Kordvani
December 2000

Is this Stalking? A Comparison Between Legal and Community Definitions of Stalking
Susan Dennison and Don Thomson
December 2000

Stalking in the Netherlands
Dr. Marijke Malsch
December 2000

Stalking: Criminal Justice Responses in Australia
Dr. Emma Ogilvie
December 2000

Women Stalking Women at Work: A Preliminary Study on Nurses' Experiences
Dr. Charmaine Hockley
December 2000