TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2021//
TI  - Survey of the written child protection policies of the 32 U.S. archdioceses
JO  - Journal of child sexual abuse
A1  - Dallam, Stephanie
A1  - Hamilton, Marci
A1  - Glocker, Sabine
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - Amid considerable public scrutiny, Roman Catholic institutions in the United States have been called upon to address underlying organizational conditions that may facilitate child sex abuse and establish effective policies for early intervention and prevention. The development of child protection policies has largely been left to the discretion of local dioceses with little in the way of central oversight. This study examined the 32 U.S. archdioceses' written policies on child protection and maintaining a safe environment. We found 14 distinct policies spread across the archdioceses which fit into four general categories or domains: (1) Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse; (2) Detection and Reporting of Abuse; (3) Response to Victims; and (4) Investigational Process and Response to Allegations of Abuse. Using a tool developed from a list of unique components selected from the better policies of all 32 archdioceses, we compared policies across archdioceses. On a group level, we found current policies to be inadequate. The average score for all 32 archdioceses was 100.9 out of 250 possible points or 40%. The range was 61 to 137 (SD 20.4). The variation and inconsistencies across multiple archdioceses within the U.S. reveal the need for the Catholic Church to establish evidence-based standards on appropriately and effectively addressing child sexual abuse within its dioceses. These standards should be based on empirically supported best practices and emerging consensus of experts on better practices for youth-serving organizations in relation to child abuse. This article points to parameters for consideration in developing such standards.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1053-8712
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10538712.2021.1938770
ID  - ref1
ER  -