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The John Jay Study

Questions and Answers  

What is the John Jay Study?

The study is a compilation of the number of incidents, offenders and victims of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy in the United States between 1950 and 2002. The  National Review Board, the 12-member group of lay people named 18 months ago by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to investigate sexual abuse, is responsible for commissioning the study. The USCCB and a small amount of private funding financed the study.

Who conducted the study?

The John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York was selected because of its reputation for research and education in the areas of forensic science, criminology and human behavior.

Who participated?

97% of all dioceses and eparchies in the United States participated in the survey, “an extraordinarily high response rate for any type of survey research,” according to the study’s authors.

What did the study entail?

The study gathered information regarding victims, offenders, and incidents of abuse and the costs of therapies, treatment and attorney's fees. There are no known studies of this type or size on record. University experts and researchers evaluated the data according to social science research guidelines and practices.

Are the names of victims or offenders, or details on individual dioceses, included in the study?

No.  This study is anonymous; no names of victims or offenders were included. The researchers knew offenders and victims only by an encrypted code number. The report reflects numbers on a national basis. Each diocese made its own determination whether to release local statistics. In December 2003, following Bishop Howard Hubbard’s emphasis on an open and transparent process, the Albany Diocese was among the first in the country to issue a public report on the statistical incidence of abuse in the Diocese.

What did the Diocese of Albany report?  

The complete Diocese’s report was published in the Diocesan newspaper, The Evangelist, and is posted on the Diocesan Web site (www.rcda.org) for public review. A summary of the report includes:  

• 121 individuals alleged sexual abuse by clergy affiliated with the 
   Albany Diocese between 1950 and November 1, 2003 .  

• 53 Diocesan clergy were accused.  

• The Diocese found reasonable cause to believe allegations against 18 
   clergy — 2 percent of the 814 priests in service during the 53 years.  

• None of the 18 clergy is in ministry today.  

• Investigations are now being conducted into allegations against 13 current 
   or  former clergy.  

• 11 priests were cleared of allegations.  

• The Diocese has insufficient information at this time to assess whether there 
   is reasonable cause to believe allegations against  nine clergy, none of 
   whom is in active service.

• The Diocese referred allegations against 15 non-Diocesan priests to 
   their respective orders or dioceses.  

 

What should an individual do if he or she believes a representative of the Church has engaged in sexual abuse?  

Please contact Albany Diocese Assistance Coordinator, Theresa F. Rodrigues, at 518-453-6646, or by e-mail at victim.assistance@rcda.org