Justice Department watchdog finds flaws in FBI’s reporting of sex crimes against children

The FBI has failed to report all suspected child sexual abuse cases to appropriate law enforcement agencies despite changes prompted by its handling of the case against former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar, according to a Justice Department watchdog report (pdf download) released Thursday.

In a review of more than 300 cases in 2021 and 2023, the inspector general found no evidence that the FBI complied with mandatory reporting requirements to local law enforcement about 50 percent of the time. When the FBI did make a report, it did so within the 24-hour period, as is required by Justice Department policy, in only 43 percent of the cases.

In a review of more than 300 cases in 2021 and 2023, the inspector general found no evidence that the FBI complied with mandatory reporting requirements to local law enforcement about 50 percent of the time. When the FBI did make a report, it did so within the 24-hour period, as is required by Justice Department policy, in only 43 percent of the cases.

In one case, the FBI did not take appropriate investigative action for more than a year after it received an allegation of abuse by a registered sex offender, according to the report. The person was accused of abusing at least one other person over 15 months while the FBI failed to appropriately act, the review found.