Letter: Diocese Outlines Abuse Case Rules

By Kenneth Doyle
Albany Times Union
March 13, 2012

http://www.timesunion.com/opinion/article/Letter-Diocese-outlines-abuse-case-rules-3400876.php

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany recently signed an agreement with the 14 district attorneys addressing how allegations of clergy sexual abuse of minors are handled. For nearly 10 years, the diocese has followed a standard protocol when handling sexual abuse allegations, based on the recommendations of the DAs and an independent task force of experts. The new memorandum of understanding updates the protocol based on the collective experience of the last decade.

Much of the Times Union's March 6 editorial on the topic ("Not the last word on sexual abuse") was wrong, even though the newspaper had or easily could have had accurate information.

Here are the facts:

It has been and will continue to be our policy to immediately notify the appropriate district attorney of any allegation regarding sexual or physical abuse of a minor by a member of the clergy or employee of the diocese, regardless of when such an act was committed.

It has been and will continue to be our policy to fully cooperate with the DA and to defer our investigation until the DA's investigation is done.

We do not and will not prescreen or pre-investigate complaints before referring them to law enforcement.

The diocese makes no determination as to whether an alleged incident of abuse occurred within the statute of limitations nor conduct any investigation nor make any advance determination as to the credibility of a complaint before referring it to the DA.

Historically, the diocese made limited requests for information from individuals making sexual abuse complaints, sufficient to send the complaint to the DA's office and provide emergency counseling to the complainant, if requested.

The diocese respects individuals' HIPPA confidentiality rights. When providing for emergency counseling, we ensure that therapists are licensed, and that there are goals for the treatment process. The diocese does not direct the therapy nor request copies of any therapy notes.

REV KENNETH DOYLE

Chancellor

Diocese of Albany

Rozell Whitehead was reportedly hit and killed by a speeding driver after leaving work at a flower shop.

In the Times Union's front page story ("Questions follow death on road," Feb. 27), the reader learns of the sad circumstances of Mr. Whitehead's death on Henry Johnson Boulevard. Hit a block from where he worked, he was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

But, then, the reader learns a great deal about Mr. Whitehead's past criminal convictions. We should have all asked, "What does that have to do with his tragic death?"

In providing this additional information that was not key to the story, the Times Union did what so many in our community do. It defined Mr. Whitehead by a criminal conviction and, hence, devalued his life. He was a human being with a life as precious as that of all others.

Sadly, our community continues to demean, devalue, punish, stereotype, and, often times, destroy people who have a conviction record. Most of us have committed a crime for which we could have been arrested. It does not make us less of a human being.

Even after he paid his debt to society, Mr. Whitehead remained imprisoned in his own community due to a long list of the legal and societal barriers erected to continue a lifetime of punishment of the convicted (legal discrimination in employment, housing, voting rights, etc.)

Too many in our community are stuck in the resulting "caste system," defined by Michelle Alexander in her book, "The New Jim Crow."