In the Wake of the Sandusky Verdict: Now What?

The Penn State scandal and the resulting trial of Jerry Sandusky shocked the nation and tarnished a football legacy. Many are left wondering what they can do to keep something like this from ever happening again, and Georgia lawmakers have certainly taken notice.

In April, legislators amended House Bill 1176 to broaden the pool of mandated reporters, people required to report suspected child abuse or neglect by law, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

Before the amendment was passed, Georgia law only named teachers, doctors and other professionals as mandated reporters; mandated reporters now include parent chaperones and volunteers at clubs, churches and other organizations. Failure to report suspected child abuse is a misdemeanor and could result in a $1,000 fine and up to one year in jail.

The law will take effect July 1, one week after the reading of Sandusky’s guilty verdict. Some organizations are retraining volunteers about the law’s new requirements. Interfaith Children’s Movement and Stewards of Children offer training to teach volunteers how to correctly identify and report child abuse.

What can be done to ensure abuse never happens in the first place? Tell us in the comments.

But is it enough? Can a law change a culture of silence so engrained that it allegedly kept an entire football program silent about known abuse for years?

After the Catholic church faced its own sex abuse scandal almost a decade ago similar laws were passed and training implemented, but for what?

Now in 2012, we’re having the same conversation and using the same methods to combat abuse, and to what effect? Why is the focus on reporting abuse after it happens?