A new Justice Department (DOJ) watchdog report released Thursday claims the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) systemically fails to report suspected child sexual abuse cases to the appropriate authorities.
FBI’s Failure to Comply with Legal Reporting Requirements
The review of FBI activity shows that the FBI did not comply with legal mandatory reporting requirements in half of the cases reviewed by the inspector general.
Persistent Failures Despite Changes Post-Nassar Case
The failures have persisted despite changes made to the Bureau following the failure of the agency to correctly report and protect victims of former USA Gymnastics team physician Larry Nassar.
Scope of the Inspector General’s Review
The inspector general reviewed 327 cases in which the FBI was involved with cases alleging sex crimes against children. In 47 percent of the cases, the inspector general found that the FBI did not report the suspected child abuse to the appropriate authorities, which in this case are local law enforcement agencies.
Failure to Meet 24-Hour Reporting Requirement
Another FBI reporting requirement is to make reports within 24 hours, and the inspector general found that the Bureau complied in less than half, or 43 percent, of cases examined.
FBI’s Response to the Report
An FBI official claims that the “vast majority of work” undertaken by the agency has been appropriately handled but does acknowledge that errors have been made in investigating crimes against children.
FBI’s Commitment to Protecting Children
The FBI official emphasized that protecting children from abuses of all kinds “is a no-fail mission” at the agency and that the Bureau will continue to develop and enforce policies meant to improve reporting outcomes.
FBI’s Public Statement on Child Safety
The FBI released a statement saying, “Ensuring the safety and security of children is not just a priority for the FBI; it is a solemn duty that we are committed to fulfilling with the highest standards. The FBI’s efforts combating crimes against children are among the most critical and demanding undertakings we do.”
Context of the Inspector General Report
The inspector general report was initiated after the agency bolstered its policies in the wake of the conviction of Nassar in 2016. The inspector general at that time found that the FBI’s failure to investigate Nassar when reports were made allowed Nassar to have further access to victims, which could have been averted if the FBI had acted correctly and promptly.
DOJ’s Call for Further Improvements
In Thursday’s press release, the DOJ said that the inspector general “found that further improvements are needed to build upon the FBI’s recent changes to its crimes against children and human trafficking program to ensure it appropriately addresses child sexual abuse allegations.”
Inspector General’s Findings on Immediate Attention Requirements
Specifically, according to the press release, the inspector general found that “child sexual abuse allegations require immediate FBI attention, and flagged particular cases in which there was no record of recent investigative activity… or case updates.”
Non-Compliance with Post-Nassar Rules
According to the report, “substantial non-compliance” was identified in which FBI agents did not report suspected abuse to the appropriate, relevant state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies, and social services agencies.
Need for Adherence to 24-Hour Rule
The report also found that agents needed to comply with rules implemented post-Nassar investigation requiring allegations to be acted upon within 24 hours, including requirements that agents have verbal contact and confirmed receipt when transferring complaints and cases between FBI field offices.
Failure to Offer Victim Services and Updates
Finally, the report said that not all victims were offered victims services and case status updates, as is FBI and DOJ policy. In 36 percent of instances, the victims did not receive the mandatory offer of services and updates.
