A recent report by the Justice Department’s watchdog revealed that the FBI has failed to report some child sexual abuse allegations to local law enforcement or social service agencies, despite changes made after the mishandling of the Larry Nassar case. The report highlighted concerns about overworked agents handling multiple investigations simultaneously, leading to cases falling through the cracks.
In one instance, the FBI failed to take appropriate action for over a year after receiving an abuse allegation against a registered sex offender, allowing the offender to continue abusing others. The inspector general flagged 42 cases in 2021 and 2023 that required immediate attention due to lack of investigative activity.
The report also revealed that the FBI did not adhere to mandatory reporting requirements to local authorities in 50% of cases and reported allegations within 24 hours only 43% of the time. Despite acknowledging errors, a senior FBI official defended the bureau’s work in combating crimes against children, attributing failures to high workloads and resource constraints.
The FBI’s mishandling of sexual abuse allegations against Nassar allowed him to continue preying on victims for months before his arrest in 2016. The FBI has since settled for $138.7 million with over 100 victims of Nassar, acknowledging the officials’ actions as disgraceful. The FBI has pledged to improve its processes to ensure the safety and security of children, calling it a critical and demanding mission.
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