Moral panic is the intense feeling formulated throughout the population grappling with threatening problems regarding changes in the social order. For moral panic to spread in a community, there must be frequent concerns and comments about the negative behavior of one or more people that impact society. Age of consent laws were constructed to avoid moral panic in an attempt to reduce social concerns about children and children's sexuality in order to protect children's innocence. It is important that children respect the laws created for their protection. Two of the most alarming social concerns impacting children's behavior are that adolescents are forced to make reasonable decisions before they are fully mature and are excluded from today's technology-driven world. Age is not a major factor in determining a child's maturity level. According to Laurie Schaffner, “socially, majority status represents an age of reason, rights, and responsibilities,” although it varies when adolescents may be allowed to reach adulthood. (Schaffner, page 189) For positive and effective development, children must encounter constant nurturing from their parents or guardians. The love, affection and support that an adult can provide to a teenager strengthens his or her self-esteem. This is a fundamental element in the development of the child. Education gives children the opportunity to apply logic and display responsible characteristics. Interacting with the family is necessary, but it is also important to interact with other people who are not part of his immediate family. This is to ensure that the child develops in all aspects, both mentally and socially. The experience of interacting with people outside the family will test and determine whether a... middle of paper... when children are considered acting adults. Depending on the child's experience and involvement with the community of which he or she is a part, the child may develop faster or slower than the average age of consent. Females generally mature faster than males. But if a teenager has been molested or put in a situation that requires reasoning, he or she will be more knowledgeable about what is right and wrong. Sometimes problems with children who mature faster than others or before social structures allow them are the example of children who are maturely underdeveloped. In conclusion, moral panic refers to social concerns about children and children's sexuality because children follow the actions of adults. With the lack of positive examples left for children, more and more moral panic is created, causing greater social concerns for children of the future.