Key findings of the Penn St. investigation
Key findings and recommendations of the investigation into the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal led by former federal judge and ex-FBI director Louis Freeh.
Findings:
- Penn State officials including coach Joe Paterno and university President Graham Spanier concealed information of Sandusky's activities from authorities and the public to avoid bad publicity.
- Paterno, Spanier, Vice President Gary Schultz and athletic director Tim Curley ``empowered Sandusky to attract potential victims'' by failing to restrict his access to the university despite receiving two reports of illicit sexual contact involving him and children.
- Spanier failed in his duties as president by not informing the board of trustees about the allegations against Sandusky and the subsequent grand jury investigation.
- Once aware of the grand jury investigation, the trustees failed in their duty to the university by not pressing Spanier for details about Sandusky's situation.
- The trustees handled Paterno's firing poorly.
- There was no evidence to indicate that Sandusky's 1999 retirement was related to a 1998 police investigation.
Recommendations:
- Reinforce the commitment of all university officials to protect children and create a stronger sense of accountability and transparency among school leadership.
- Evaluate security and access protocols for all campus buildings and better track university programs involving children.
- Require and provide abuse awareness and reporting training to faculty, coaches and staff.
- Establish a policy for university police to seek assistance in sensitive investigations or ones where a conflict of interest may exist.
- Appoint a university ethics officer and an ethics council.
- Strengthen the university's human resources office.
