Act 268, Session Laws 1999, added this section to require judges, when imposing a sentence, to consider the fact that the crime was committed in the presence of a minor as an aggravating factor of the crime; the court shall consider the aggravating factors in addition to the factors to be considered under §706-606. The legislature found that children who witness domestic violence are harmed in many ways, and acknowledged that domestic violence is a perpetuation of a violent cycle, as children of abuse grow up to be abusers themselves. Studies have documented multiple problems among children that have witnessed continual assaults by one parent on another in the home, including psychological and emotional distress, cognitive functioning problems, and physical problems. Because of the high social and financial costs resulting from domestic violence, the legislature agreed that more serious penalties should be imposed for both their deterrent and punitive effects. Conference Committee Report No. 26.