Police Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Report: Penn State Officials Disregarded Sandusky Victims

Top Penn State officials demonstrated little concern for the welfare of Jerry Sandusky's victims until after his arrest, former FBI Director Louis Freeh found in his investigation of the case.

July 12, 2012
3 min to read


Top Penn State officials demonstrated little concern for the welfare of Jerry Sandusky's victims until after his arrest, former FBI Director Louis J. Freeh found in his investigation of the case.

Freeh's 267-page report, released Thursday, singled out former university president Graham Spanier, vice president Gary Schultz, coach Joe Paterno and athletic director Tim Curley. Freeh, now a federal judge, was also highly critical of Penn State's board of trustees.

Ad Loading...

"The most saddening finding by the Special Investigative counsel is the total and consistent disregard by the most senior leaders at Penn State for the safety and welfare of Sandusky's child victims," Freeh wrote in his report.

"There was no 'attempt to investigate, to identify Victim 2, or to protect that child or any others from similar conduct except as related to preventing its re-occurrence on university property,'" Freeh wrote, quoting an earlier grand jury report.

In June, a jury found former assistant football coach Sandusky guilty of 45 out of 48 charges of child sex abuse. The university appointed Freeh as a special investigator in November 2011 to review the case.

Penn State's top administrators "failed to protect against a child sexual predator harming children for over a decade," the report claims. "These men concealed Sandusky's activities from the Board of Trustees, the university community and authorities. They exhibited a striking lack of empathy for Sandusky's victims by failing to inquire as to their safety and well-being, especially by not attempting to determine the identity of the child who Sandusky assaulted in the Lasch Building in 2001."

The report also criticized school leaders for failing to notify authorities, after assistant football coach Mike McQueary reported seeing Sandusky with a victim in the locker room shower on Feb. 9, 2001. "They exposed this child to additional harm by alerting Sandusky, who was the only one who knew the child's identity," according to the report.

Ad Loading...

"These individuals, unchecked by the Board of Trustees that did not perform its oversight duties, empowered Sandusky to attract potential victims to the campus and football events by allowing him to have continued, unrestricted and unsupervised access to the university's facilities and affiliation with the university's prominent football program.

"Some coaches, administrators and football program staff members ignored the red flags of Sandusky’s behaviors, and no one warned the public about him," Freeh wrote.

The report goes on to state that Spanier failed in his duties as president of Penn State by not promptly telling the board of trustees about the 1998 and 2001 allegations against Sandusky. Freeh also claims the board failed to oversee Spanier and other top university officials by not inquiring about important university matters and "by not creating an environment where senior university officials felt accountable."

Penn State officials are currently reviewing the report.

"We want to ensure we are giving the report careful scrutiny and consideration before making any announcements or recommendations," the school said in a statement. "We are convening an internal team comprising the Board of Trustees, university administration and our legal counsel to begin analyzing the report and digesting Judge Freeh's findings."

Ad Loading...

School officials vowed to "take every action to ensure that events like these never happen again in our university community," reports Campus Safety Magazine.

Read the full report here.

Related:

Former FBI Director Leads Wide-Ranging Penn State Probe

More Patrol

Security officer wearing an earpiece uses a handheld two-way radio at an outdoor event, with PositionPTT push-to-talk radio accessories and earpiece shown alongside for professional communications.
PatrolJuly 28, 2026

PositionPTT & Pryme Combine Communication Technologies to Deliver Distracted Driving Compliance

Pryme Radio Accessories and hardware/software maker PositionPTT join forces to advance hands-free communications and ensure Department of Transportation compliance using an integrated system of push-to-talk platforms, devices, and audio equipment.

Read More →
Graphic announcing $25 million in law enforcement grants and resources over a photo of the U.S. Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, D.C., with large blue-and-white headline text overlaying the building.
PatrolJuly 23, 2026

Justice Department Releases $25M in Law Enforcement Grants & Resources

The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services has just released $25 million in new grant Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) to support law enforcement. The recently released NOFOs include the Safer Outcomes: Enhancing Crisis Response Training for Law Enforcement Program and other grant programs.

Read More →
POLICE Topics, Tactics & Tips YouTube thumbnail asking, “What qualifies a device as rugged or fully rugged?” featuring a Panasonic Toughbook laptop on a dark street background.
Patrolby Wayne ParhamJuly 23, 2026

What Makes a Laptop Rugged or Fully Rugged?

What separates a rugged laptop from a fully rugged one? In this video, two Panasonic Connect experts explain the military testing, IP ratings, durability standards, and real-world features that help law enforcement officers rely on their computers in any environment.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Leadership update graphic featuring Team Wendy President Vasilios Brachos standing in front of a display of protective helmets, with POLICE Law Enforcement Solutions branding and text announcing his appointment as company president.
PatrolJuly 22, 2026

Avon Technologies Appoints Vasilios Brachos as Team Wendy President

Longtime ballistic helmet leader Vasilios Brachos has been selected to guide the next chapter of protection, innovation, and growth at Team Wendy.

Read More →
BRINC fundraising announcement graphic featuring a response drone in flight, highlighting a $125 million funding round to expand 911 response drones for police and fire stations, led by Motorola Solutions Ventures with additional investors.
PatrolJuly 16, 2026

Brinc Raises $125M to Put a 911 Response Drone on Every Police and Fire Station Roof

The latest round of funding, $125 million, can help fuel Brinc’s mission to deploy 911-response drones at the 80,000 police and fire stations across the United States.

Read More →
POLICE Topics, Tactics & Tips video series graphic featuring a Garmont Tactical Contact Collection duty boot against a police vehicle with flashing lights. Includes “Watch Now” callout for the video series.
Patrolby Wayne ParhamJuly 9, 2026

Garmont Tactical Contact Collection: New Duty Boots for Law Enforcement

Choosing the right duty boot can make a significant difference during long shifts. In this video overview, Kyle Ferdyn, of Garmont Tactical, introduces the new Contact Collection, designed specifically for law enforcement professionals seeking comfort, traction, and durability.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Benchmade Bailout folding knife with a bronze tanto blade, taiga green handle, and orange accents displayed open against a textured black background, highlighting its lightweight tactical design.
PatrolJuly 9, 2026

Benchmade Launches Taiga Green Bailout

Benchmade has launched its Taiga Green Bailout, which features an anodized aluminum handle, S90V stainless steel, and Burnt Copper hardware accents.

Read More →
Composite image of ADEPT's Nova Titanium tactical helmet, showing front and side views alongside a soldier wearing the helmet in the field, highlighting lightweight ballistic protection for military and tactical applications.
PatrolJuly 9, 2026

Adept Armor Launches the Nova Titanium Combat Helmet: A Metal Ballistic Helmet at Composite-Helmet Weight

Adept Armor said its new Nova Titanium combat helmet delivers rated 9mm protection at 920 grams all-in, low backface deformation, edge-to-edge coverage, and an indefinite shelf life at roughly a quarter the price of premium polyethylene helmets.

Read More →
Two healthcare professionals model 5.11 medical scrubs—one in gray and one in blue—against a blurred hospital background, highlighting the brand’s professional apparel for medical workers.
PatrolJuly 2, 2026

5.11 Expands Professional Services Line with Premium, Performance-Driven Scrubs Designed for Healthcare Professionals

The launch of high-performance medical scrubs marks another major expansion of 5.11’s growing Professional Services category, enabling hospitals and healthcare systems to outfit a wide range of roles.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Close-up of a black SOG Seal FX knife featuring a commemorative 250th anniversary engraving on the blade, displayed on an American flag to honor the United States' semiquincentennial.
PatrolJuly 2, 2026

SOG Knives Unveils 250th Anniversary Limited Edition Fixed Blade

SOG Knives has debuted its 250th Anniversary Limited Edition SEAL FX Fixed Blade, and only 250 are available. It features an advanced 4.3-inch S35VN steel blade and a tough glass-reinforced nylon handle.

Read More →