Courant on Child-Abuse Reporting (Inkel Case Not Investigated by DCF or cops)

[Mort Zuckerman]

To: kathleen...@hhs.gov, francis...@nih.hhs.gov,
margaret...@fda.hhs.gov, dwh...@forbes.com,
ca...@drcarolgoodheart.com, lPick...@cdc.gov, Durlan...@yale.edu,
Aa...@columbia.edu, gary_w...@nymc.edu,
scientifi...@ostp.gov, pkru...@princeton.edu,
Stanle...@fiu.edu, margaret...@hhs.fds.gov,
emcsw...@niaid.nih.gov, afa...@niaid.nih.gov,
Spin...@yahoogroups.com, kshe...@calea.org, fit...@gmail.com,
patrick.f...@usdoj.gov, model...@sbcglobal.net,
jdr...@nejm.org, let...@courant.com, Jgerb...@cdc.gov,
michae...@ct.gov, con...@po.state.ct.us, executive-
edi...@nytimes.com, managin...@nytimes.com, news-
ti...@nytimes.com, biz...@nytimes.com, for...@nytimes.com,
nati...@nytimes.com, dv...@cdc.gov, brigidc...@optonline.net,
tr...@hotmail.com, illino...@aol.com, jle...@courant.com,
tinaj...@yahoo.com, jhorn...@fff.org, thomas...@usdoj.gov,
thoma...@ct.gov, kur...@washpost.com, georg...@washpost.com,
p...@allegorypress.com, commissi...@po.state.ct.us,
brans...@comcast.net, vts...@comcast.net, o...@po.state.ct.us,
freet...@charter.net, scott....@po.state.ct.us,
govern...@po.state.ct.us, attorney...@ct.gov,
randall...@usdoj.gov, Robert....@yale.edu, editor@greenwich-
post.com, harol...@yale.edu, sedm...@nswbc.org, rrmcg...@aol.com,
fr...@nytimes.com, saint....@sbcglobal.net
Cc: fra...@ucia.gov, dr-ahma...@president.ir,
eugener...@washpost.com, bmi...@newstimes.com, tr...@hotmail.com,
rast...@aol.com, billc...@gmail.com, amcg...@rms-law.com,
rjmu...@aol.com, paulcrai...@yahoo.com,
criminal...@usdoj.gov, karla.d...@usdoj.gov,
christophe...@usdoj.gov, richar...@yale.edu,
harol...@yale.edu, james.p...@yale.edu, inq...@aldf.com,
ly...@idsociety.org, meganm...@theatlantic.com

Subject: Courant on Child-Abuse Reporting (Inkel Case Not Investigated
by DCF or cops)

Date: Nov 17, 2011 4:49 PM

ARTICLE BELOW
=====================

The Phil Inkel child sexual abuse case was
not investigated by either the DCF or the police,
because the abuse was committed by a foster
carer.

See the video:
http://www.actionlyme.org/CRIMES_OF_CORRUPTICUT.htm
and the related lawsuit linked
from the top navigation bar of
http://www.actionlyme.org
DCF's penisbiter (say the kids).

Plenty of evidence. Even DCF's own
records of abuse of another child
in this psycho's "care."

DCF is about protecting DCF and not
anyone's children. When they're losing
their "case," DCF simply throws their
victim in jail. They never have to
prove the false criminal charges because
DCF's is a secret court.


KMDickson
-------------------------------------

http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-ed-penn-state-1117-20111117,0,4588578.story

(Dean Rohrer illustration)

* State College, PA, USA

November 17, 2011
When legendary pro football coach Vince Lombardi said "Winning isn't
everything — it's the only thing," he was talking about the focused,
almost obsessive pursuit of victory that led his team, the Green Bay
Packers, to championships.

Distort that philosophy slightly and we have the sad case of another
famed coach, Penn State's Joe Paterno. In Mr. Paterno's case, the
notion that nothing — nothing at all — can get in the way of a winning
football program ultimately led not just to gridiron victories, but to
multiple tragedies, including his own dismissal.

For it was Mr. Paterno who, among others, turned a blind eye to strong
evidence that one of Penn State's top assistant coaches, Jerry
Sandusky, was sexually abusing young boys in his charge. Two
custodians, a graduate assistant, Mr. Paterno and the university's
athletic director all saw or were told of Mr. Sandusky's alleged
actions, yet none chose to report them to the police (the graduate
assistant now says he did). In their world, loyalty to the institution
— the Penn State football program — was not just everything. It was
the only thing.

[Sample Our Free Breaking News Alert And 3 P.M. News Newsletters]

In reaction to the Penn State scandal, the co-chairmen of the
Connecticut General Assembly's Select Committee on Children are
investigating whether this state's laws regarding mandated reporting
of suspected sexual abuse of minors need to be clarified or expanded.
That's a fine idea, albeit with a potential devil in the details.

Presently, only certain people — foster parents, school employees,
clergy, health care workers and some others — are required by law to
report suspected abuse. But coaches at the college level are not so
required, and a law including them as "mandated reporters" is overdue.

State Department of Children and Families Commissioner Joette Katz has
said her department will work with legislators to close the college-
coach loophole. She's right to do so. As the commissioner correctly
points out, "we all are responsible for ensuring that athletic
institutions — both professional and collegiate — and athletic
pursuits are not allowed to distort our humanistic values. Athletics
are a way for our children to develop confidence and competence. They
must never be allowed to destroy them."

But one proposal being floated would require all adults, even private
citizens, who see or suspect a sexual assault on a child to tell the
police or face arrest. That's another matter altogether. Legislators
ought to carefully consider the consequences of creating a law that
requires everyone to report suspected abuse.

Is it really needed? About a third of the cases of potential child
abuse reported to the state Department of Children and Families each
year already come from ordinary citizens, so it's evident that many
people don't need a new law to force them to step forward and do the
right thing for children. It's hard to see what would be accomplished
by making it a criminal offense to fail to report a suspicion. Isn't
it possible that the problems associated with such a law might
outweigh the benefits?

And there are other reasons only certain people are on the mandated-
reporter list: Professionals such as nurses, guidance counselors and
social workers have at least some training in identifying the signs of
abuse; their suspicions, therefore, carry a built-in level of
credibility.

Creating a new legal requirement, however, is different from obeying
an ethical standard. Commissioner Katz puts it well: "There is no
question that it is everyone's moral imperative to report. Remaining
silent in the face of this kind of abuse shocks the conscience."

As far as Penn State goes, the episode represents a sorry misplacement
of a college's values. Yes, winning is good, and supporting one's
employer is laudable, but both are greatly overshadowed by the need to
protect vulnerable young people. If anyone should have known that, it
is longtime employees of an educational institution.

A slogan created for another purpose also fits when it comes to abuse
of children, sexual or otherwise, and it's good advice: If you see
something, say something.

KMDickson