Penn State Tragedy | Who Knew What & When | Failure to Protect

An independent investigation of the Jerry Sandusky child sexual abuse scandal that rocked the university last fall has just been released. According to the 267 page report, for more than a decade, the most senior officials at Penn State University failed  to take any steps to protect the children victimized by Jerry Sandusky, Joe Paterno's longtime head assistant football coach. 

Louis J. Freeh, the former federal judge and director of the F.B.I. who oversaw the investigation said: “Our most saddening and sobering finding is the total disregard for the safety and welfare of Sandusky’s child victims.”  * * * “The most powerful men at Penn State failed to take any steps for 14 years to protect the children who Sandusky victimized.”

Freeh’s investigation — which took seven months and involved more than 400 interviews and the review of more than 3.5 million documents — accuses Paterno, the university’s former president and others of deliberately hiding facts about Sandusky's sexually predatory behavior over the years.

The information that Penn State, including Joe Paterno, demonstrated a total lack of concern for the victims in order to protect the football program is disturbing to say the least. This conduct is not, however, surprising since institutions act to protect themselves rather than victims. My opinion? This information creates, for the victims, those who are known and those who are unknown, a new victimization as they have to deal with the total lack of conscience and concern of what was once an esteemed institution.

Freeh's Report may be read here.

Coverage in the New York Times today upon release of the Freeh Report may be read here: Abuse Inquiry Faults Paterno and Others at Penn State , Byline: Ken Belson. Published: July 12, 2012