Citing the decision as one that sends a strong message about covering up child abuse, Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin today applauded the NCAA sanctions against Penn State.
"No one individual or institution is immune from the responsibility to report the physical or sexual abuse of a child," said Attorney General Kilmartin. "While nothing can erase the trauma experienced by the victims of this case, today's decision by the NCAA sends a clear message that the actions of not only Jerry Sandusky, but members of the Penn State administration, who turned a blind eye on the victims in favor of gridiron glory, will not be tolerated."
In December 2011, Attorney General Kilmartin established Child Abuse Unit within the Office of Attorney General; comprised of prosecutors, victim advocates and support staff, all trained to handle the psychological and physical effects associated with abuse of children.
"Physical and sexual abuse of children cuts across all strata of our society, and affects us all. We believe that child abuse is more than simply another criminal justice issue. The complexity of the cases and the overriding need to consider the welfare of the child first makes dealing with these cases a specialized job which requires diligence, patience and talent. The formation of this Unit is to improve upon what we already have in place to help our children, to improve the way we prosecute cases and to hold these perpetrators of these most egregious acts accountable," said Kilmartin.