Penn State probe must truly be independent; SNAP says

A panel of Penn State trustees that is supposedly looking into the university's abuse and cover up scandal will speak today.

But Penn State officials shouldn’t even be talking about the school’s internal investigation at this point. It would be much more helpful if the university would instead use its vast resources to beg victims, witnesses and whistleblowers to contact police.

The university can investigate later. Right now, the focus should be on helping law enforcement effectively prosecute every current and former staffer who committed or concealed heinous child sex crimes.

And when the school does investigate internally, the panel must be more independent. We agree with university faculty, who are pushing for more outside individuals on the panel.

Institutions should learn from the example of the Catholic church – so-called investigations stacked with insiders can’t be as effective as those involving outsiders.


Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45383454

Showing 3 comments

  • Michael Ference
    commented 2011-11-21 16:45:49 -0600
    Sadly, the Penn State scandal looks very much like the Franklin Scandal revisited. I wouldn’t trust a PA politician as far as I could throw one. PA politicians are bought and sold like stolen merchandise at an outdoor flea market. The easiest way to compromise a person is to have evidence of sexual contact with a minor. That’s why corruption is the norm in PA. Until they uncover the sex/drug ring behind the Sandusky criminal empire this case should not be closed.

    Right now all you are observing is live theatre. These folks have been through scandals before and everything they are saying and doing is nothing more than an acting job.

    Mike Ference
  • John M Shuster
    commented 2011-11-21 15:10:30 -0600
    We don’t know how many of Penn State’s administration is involved in the Sandusky cover-up. There same people are likely involved in this politically and financially driven self-investigation. This is deeply flawed and lets the wrong people get to incriminating evidence first. State law enforcement personnel from Harrisburg should be heading up this investigation, not Penn State officials.
  • Barbara Dorris
    published this page in Official SNAP Media Statements 2011-11-21 10:46:00 -0600

SNAP Network is a GuideStar Gold Participant