Five Lessons from the Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report

In 2016, the Pennsylvania Attorney General initiated confidential grand jury proceedings to investigate:

• allegations of child sexual abuse by individuals associated with six of the eight Pennsylvania dioceses of the Roman Catholic Church,
• failure of church officials to make mandatory reports of child abuse,
• acts by Catholic priests endangering the welfare of children, and
• obstruction of justice by church officials, community leaders, and public officials.

Prior to the expiration of its term, the grand jury in August submitted a 900-page report of its investigation. The introductory passages of the report state that the grand jury identified more than 300 "predator priests" by name and described their conduct in terms of "what they did—both the sex offenders and those who concealed them … shining a light on their conduct, because that is what the victims deserve." ...