The Justice Department says the FBI is not reporting all cases of suspected child sexual abuse to the appropriate law enforcement agencies, despite changes prompted by its handling of the case against former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar. Surveillance Report It was released on Thursday.
The inspector general's review of more than 300 cases in 2021 and 2023 found no evidence that the FBI was in compliance with mandatory reporting requirements to local law enforcement agencies at about 50%.
When the FBI did report, it did so within 24 hours, as required by Department of Justice policy, in just 43 percent of cases.
In one case, the report said, the FBI failed to take appropriate investigative action for more than a year after receiving allegations of abuse from a registered sex offender.
The investigation found that the FBI failed to respond appropriately to an allegation that the individual had abused at least one other person over a 15-month period.
This investigation was launched following the FBI's failure to investigate Larry Nassar quickly enough.
The inspector general found numerous problems with the FBI's response to suspected child sex crimes and reported 42 cases of concern to the bureau, including cases where there was no evidence the FBI had taken any recent investigative action.
A senior FBI official acknowledged that the bureau has made mistakes in investigating crimes against children but said the “vast majority of the work” is handled properly.
The official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity because of ground rules set by the FBI, said the bureau has put policies and procedures in place to continue improving because “this is a mission that cannot be failed.”
“Ensuring the safety and security of children is not just a priority for the FBI. It is a solemn duty committed to the highest standards. The FBI's work to combat crimes against children is among the most important and demanding we do,” the FBI said in a statement.
While acknowledging mistakes, FBI officials cited the “overwhelming” burden on agents investigating crimes against children, including the conduct involved, an influx of tips to law enforcement agencies, the increased use of encryption technology to conceal crimes, and budget cuts.
The report follows a Justice Department inspector general's investigation into the FBI's response to the sexual abuse allegations against Nassar.
The investigation found that the FBI failed to promptly investigate the allegations against Nassar, allowing him to continue preying on victims for months before his arrest in 2016.
