All you lawyers out there might find that this is incorrect, but I looked up the Pennsylvania Laws governing failure to report suspected child abuse, and confirmed it to be a third-degree misdemeanor, which is one step above summary offenses ( Stuff that you just get a ticket for).

§6319.  Penalties for failure to report or to refer.
     A person or official required by this chapter to report a case of suspected child abuse or to make a referral to the

     appropriate authorities who willfully fails to do so commits a misdemeanor of the third degree for the first violation and a

     misdemeanor of the second degree for a second or subsequent violation.

     (Nov. 29, 2006, P.L.1581, No.179, eff. 180 days)

§ 923.  Classification of offenses and penalties.
        (a)  General rule.--The following penalties shall be imposed for violations of this title:

  (5)  For a misdemeanor of the third degree, a fine of not  less than $250 nor more than $5,000, or imprisonment not

        exceeding 90 days, or both.

In Pennsylvania, the fine for DUI is higher than for this crime, and I sincerely doubt that any of these gentlemen would have received jail time for being found guilty, IF THEY ARE. So far, this is a question that remains to be seen, since the trials have not even started yet.

This may be crass, but my opinion is that this crime is being exaggerated by the media and public for two reasons:

1) because it concerns young boys, rather than young girls. Young girls are being raped by family members at a frequency approximately equal to the time it took to write this blurb.....not newsworthy since they happen so often, and,

2) because it produced an opportunity for the media and public to crucify Joseph Paterno (who reportedly SEEMS TO have suggested a course of action, which may or may not have been followed, with Jerry being left to predate using PSU as bait). Bad result, with causes that may have had a chance to be exposed in future trials.

PSU may be screwing up these trials with their prejudicial actions. JDM sarcastically suggested that they put a gallows up in place of the Paterno Statue, and forego any of the trials that are coming up, because the media, public, PSU, and BOT have decided that it is not necessary to determine the results of the upcoming trials of our neighbors. Obviously, Spanier, Curley, and Shultz have nothing to do with finding out what happened!

One man's conclusion......... if you think Spanier, Curley, Shultz and Paterno made mistakes, look at the clowns running this place now. No guts, no principals, just hide under a rock and hope the media will go away, cow-tow to a hypocritical NCAA, and take a beating for yet unproven offenses, which are, at most, 3rd degree misdemeanors.

Failure to Report?..............Failure to Lead can be a lot worse.

What is happening now is a much bigger crime than any third-degree misdemeanor.