Following five months of study and analysis, the panel appointed by Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Camden, to review the existing policies and procedures of the Diocese, has issued its final recommendations.
The final recommendations have been presented to Bishop DiMarzio and are being made public today. We are pleased that Bishop DiMarzio has accepted the recommendations of the panel and is committed to seeing that they are implemented in the Diocese. The ten-person panel convened its first meeting on April 24, 2002.
A total of nine meetings were held at which time the panel reviewed all diocesan policies and procedures related to the protection of children and heard presentations from those trained in the areas of sexual abuse. This thorough review was undertaken in order to better understand the nature of the problem, the impact of abuse on victims, and to develop meaningful recommendations for diocesan policies. While acknowledging that the Diocese has already implemented strong measures to deal with the matter of sexual abuse, this panel took seriously the charge to honestly assess ways to make the policies even better and more effective.
As the conclusion of the document notes, “Much has been done in the Diocese of Camden to protect the children entrusted to its care and to reach out to those who have been victimized. However, steps need to be taken in certain areas to reinforce these efforts [and] to assure that there is an independent review of these efforts.” Although the panel was convened prior to the June meeting of the U.S. bishops in Dallas, the panel used as a framework for its recommendations the Charter for the Protection of Children and the accompanying Norms adopted by the bishops at that meeting. The panel considered the requirements of the Charter as a minimum baseline for its recommendations, which in many cases go beyond the measures outlined in the Charter.
Edward F. Borden, Jr., Esq. Robert L. Crawford, Ed.D, L.P.C. Rabbi Lewis Eron, P.h.D. Mr. John Field Jay H. Greenblatt, Esq. The Honorable Philip A. Gruccio Sheriff James McGettigan The Reverend Christine Regan Mrs. Robin Spadoro Ms. Monica Ward
Among the recommendations which go beyond the requirements of the Charter are:
- the establishment of a Victim Assistance Board (Final Recommendations, Section 1) as an independent vehicle for advocacy and representation for victims and to see that their needs are met;
- that the Diocesan Review Board review diocesan policies on an on-going basis for effectiveness, not just every two years as required by the Charter (Final Recommendations, Section 2);
- that in every case and without exception where sexual abuse by a cleric has been established, that cleric will not only be permanently removed from ministry, but also the bishop should petition the Holy See for his removal from the clerical state (Final Recommendations, Section 2);
- that the Diocese continue its policy of going beyond the state reporting requirement by reporting allegations not just of minors, but also those where the victim is now an adult and where it would appear that the criminal statute of limitations has expired (Final Recommendations, Section 2);
- that not only should there be no confidentiality agreements unless at the request of the victim, but that such agreements can be unilaterally canceled by the victim upon notice to the Diocese (Final Recommendations, Section 2);
- that failure to act on knowledge of sexual abuse of minors may be grounds for discipline, disqualification and/or removal from a position of authority in the Diocese (Final Recommendations, Section 5);
- that knowingly withholding information or failing to act so as to protect the abuser and thereby expose others to abuse in the future shall be treated in the same manner as if such person had committed sexual abuse of a minor (Final Recommendations, Section 5).
A series of Interim Recommendations—which concerned the urgent matters of the provision of assistance to victims and the immediate establishment of a revised mechanism to investigate and deal with allegations of misconduct (including the naming of an Assistance Coordinator and the establishment of a Diocesan Review Board, both called for by the Charter) – were presented to Bishop DiMarzio in August and are incorporated into the Final Recommendations. We believe these recommendations, along with others contained in the report of Final Recommendations, by building on the existing efforts of the Diocese, will protect children, reach out compassionately to victim/survivors, and provide mechanisms which will ensure that following due process and thorough investigation, offenders are removed and never returned to ministry.
The recommendations also make clear that the obligation to be vigilant and to take every means possible to stop abuse belongs to everyone, most especially to those in positions of responsibility and authority. As the report notes, “Those who have failed to act are, in many cases, as responsible for later incidences of abuse that occurred as the deviant abuser himself.” We are hopeful that each person, but especially those in positions of responsibility or authority, will be the “appointed watchman” of whom the Prophet Ezekiel speaks so that these recommendations are implemented in a meaningful way to protect the most vulnerable members of your society – our children.
PANEL MEMBERS Edward F. Borden, Jr., Esq. Former Prosecutor for Camden County Robert L. Crawford, Ed.D, L.P.C. Clinical Associate, Comprehensive Psychotherapy Associates Rabbi Lewis John Eron, P.h.D. Jewish Community Chaplain Mr. John Field Victim of clergy sexual abuse Jay H. Greenblatt, Esq. Former President, New Jersey State Bar Association The Honorable Philip A. Gruccio Former Judge of the Appellate Division of the Superior Court Sheriff James McGettigan Sheriff, Atlantic County The Reverend Christine Regan Pastor, St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, Woodbury Mrs. Robin Spadoro Certified School Counselor Ms. Monica Ward Deputy Director, Camden County Board of Social Services