The Nature and Scope of the Problem
of Sexual Abuse of Minors
by Catholic Priests and Deacons
in the United States

A Research Study Conducted by the
John Jay College of Criminal Justice


[Downloaded from http://www.usccb.org/nrb/johnjaystudy/. This report is a revised version of the John Jay report, hastily prepared for its mandated 2/27/04 release. See also the earlier version, with its afterword on the rush to complete and likely errors, and an article in America magazine about errors in the original report. We have prepared a web version of the revised report.]

In June 2002 the full body of Catholic bishops of the United States in their General Meeting in Dallas approved the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. The Charter created a National Review Board, which was assigned responsibility to commission a descriptive study, with the full cooperation of the dioceses/eparchies, of the nature and scope of the problem of sexual abuse of minors by clergy. The National Review Board engaged the John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York to conduct research, summarize the collected data and issue a summary report to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops of its findings. This report by the John Jay College is authorized for publication by the undersigned.

---Msgr. William P. Fay
General Secretary

CONTENTS

PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

CREDITS: THE JOHN JAY COLLEGE RESEARCH TEAM

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART ONE: The mandate for the study

1.1 Introduction
1.2 Methodology: How the study was carried out
1.3 Study Terminology

PART TWO: Prevalence of abuse of youth under 18 by Catholic priest and deacons

2.1 Estimation of prevalence of sexual abuse of youth under 18 in the United States
2.2 Summary Results: Prevalence of sexual abuse of youth under 18 by Catholic priests and deacons
2.3 Detailed data on prevalence of sexual abuse of youth under 18 by Catholic priests


PART THREE: The priest and deacons accused of sexual abuse

3.1 Introduction
3.2 Summary results: Priest and deacons who have allegations of sexual abuse
3.3 Demographic characteristics of priests and deacons accused of sexual abuse of youths under 18
3.4 Priests with behavioral problems
3.5 Priests and deacons and the allegations
3.6 Serial abusers: Priests with multiple allegations
3.7 Criminal prosecutions and penalties


PART FOUR: Incidents and allegations of child sexual abuse

4.1 Introduction
4.2 Summary results: Characteristics of the incidents of alleged sexual abuse by priests
4.3 Characteristics of children who alleged sexual abuse by Catholic priests
4.4 Characteristics of acts of sexual abuse by Catholic priests
4.5 Circumstances of the abuse allegations


PART FIVE: The response from the dioceses and religious communities


5.1 Introduction
5.2 Reporting of allegations of sexual abuse
5.3 Responses to child sex abuse allegations by dioceses and religious communities
5.4 Sex offender treatment


PART SIX: Costs to dioceses and religious communities

6.1 Total Costs


APPENDIX

A.1.1.1 Questions
A.1.1.2 Diocesan Profile
A.1.1.3 Religious Order Profile
A.1.1.4 Cleric Survey
A.1.1.5 Victim Survey
A.1.1.6 Written Instructions
A.1.1.7 Research Participation Statement
A.1.1.8 Request for Certificate of Confidentiality

A.1.2.1

Regions