In the news today, the Catholic church is going to change it’s policy, and contact the police when their priests are accused of child molestation.
Now, in most states, it is currently required by law to notify police about such incidents, regardless of who is involved. Why does the Catholic church just now decide to conform to what is for everyone else already the law? Why has this church been able to ignore such a law in the past?
First of all, the Catholic Church per se is not changing any policy. This is an administrative policy determined by the bishop or archbishop of the relevant area. At least some bishops in the US are going to notify the relevant authorities. Haven’t seen the news, so I don’t know how many areas are affected.
As for your question, guess what? People and organizations break the law all the time. Certain portions of the Catholic Church have been able to ignore the law for the same reason other people and organizations have been “able” to ignore any law - they hadn’t been caught. Now some have been caught and, like in Boston, they are paying a heavy price in settlements and attorneys’ fees.
The Church wasn’t “above the law” and didn’t have a dispensation to ignore the law. The particular diocese simply had, until now, decided that the cost of obeying the law was greater than violating it. They have been disabused of that notion.
Kinda like Enron.
Sua
Some states may require anyone to report any crime they know of, but not all states do. In NY, only mandated reporters ( and clergy are not mandated) are required to report abuse and neglect. Those who are mandated are only required to report certain cases, generally those where the perpetrator is in some way responsible for the child (parent, day-care employee etc). To give an example, a mandated reporter would be required to report to the child abuse registry that a child was assaulted by his parent, but not required to report to the police that a child was assaulted by a stranger.There is now talk of changing the law in NY to include clergy in mandated reporters.I haven’t heard if they’re going to change which perpetrators must be reported.
[hijack] If the bishops are supposed to have known about the abuse, they must have been told by someone.I assume in most cases complaints were made by the victims and/or their parents. Why in the world did they not report it to the police?I’m not at all excusing the Church for what I believe they did do ( move the problem without taking any steps to stop it), but if a teacher committed any crime against my child,I’d tell the principal in addition to,not instead of, the police. [/hijack]
Just found out- the Manhattan DA is talking about expanding the reporting law “beyond the family setting” to include clergy, coaches, Scout leaders,etc.
Doreen