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ETpro's avatar

Who should pay for the mental health care for the victims of the Penn State Defesnive Coordinator, Jerry Sandusky's victims?

Asked by ETpro (34605points) November 17th, 2011

Let’s assume for sake of discussion that Jerry Sandusky is found guilty of pedophilia. If the victims who were raped as children while participating in his charity need mental health counseling, who should pay for it. Should Sandusky and his estate be first in line? Penn State? Taxpayers of Pennsylvania? Or perhaps the victims themselves. Who do you think should pay to make proven victims of child predators whole?

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11 Answers

wonderingwhy's avatar

If a victim is independently assessed as needing counseling as a direct result of Sandusky’s actions, Sandusky should be liable for the cost.

jrpowell's avatar

I’m going to have to say the State. If they need help the State should provide it by default. If the state wants to sue Sandusky to recoup the cost I wouldn’t mind.

But what if the guy who did the raping worked at Burger King and didn’t have any assets?

bkcunningham's avatar

In all reality it will most likely be through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crimes and Delinquency’s Victims Services Program. The state agency administers federal and state tax payer dollars to advocate in various ways, including counseling, for victims of crimes. Most states have similar organizations.

SavoirFaire's avatar

Ideally, I would have Sandusky liable for the cost first. Regardless of how the victims were treated—that is, whether by a public or private facility—the expense incurred as a result of the treatment should be passed on to Sandusky. When Sandusky’s resources run dry, Penn State should be on the hook for at least part of the remaining bill given their role in perpetuating the problem. The world is not ideal, of course, but this is how I would want it to go.

LuckyGuy's avatar

In an ideal world Sandusky would pay. but we know that won’t happen. Instead, as we speak, lawyers are salivating while lining up to sue anyone with deep pockets.
They will be the big winners in this.

marinelife's avatar

First, the victims can never be made whole. They can, with counseling and good people around them, live good lives, but what he took from them, they can never get back.

I think that if the statute of limitations has not run out, that the courts should determine it through a lawsuit. There is plenty of guild to go around: Sandusky himself, the charity, the University (which is an extension of the state).

Blackberry's avatar

Sandusky, then Penn Sate.

marinelife's avatar

Ack, that should be guilt.

Mamradpivo's avatar

The boosters who contributed millions to this football program full of people wiling to look the other way in order to keep the football going.

Neizvestnaya's avatar

Ideally Sandusky should but I also agree with @Mamradpivo.

ETpro's avatar

@bkcunningham Thanks for the detailed insightrs into how the system works in Pennsylvania.

@worriedguy &Blackberry I completely agree with that thought. Not sure that’s how it plays out, but that’s how it should.

@marinelife Your innocence, once taken from you, can never be returned. That said, if nobody takes it from us, most of us at some point willingly give it away.

@Mamradpivo & @Neizvestnaya Those boosters may have been guilty of being terribly Rah Rah” about something as trivial as football, but do you think they had any way od knowing what was going on and who was covering it up?

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