March 4, 2026: The Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office has released a comprehensive report detailing decades of child sexual abuse involving clergy associated with the Diocese of Providence. The report is the result of a multi-year investigation conducted by the Attorney General’s Office with assistance from the Rhode Island State Police.
Read the Report here
According to the report, investigators reviewed more than 250,000 pages of records produced by the Diocese, including personnel files of priests, internal investigative materials, and correspondence involving senior church leadership. Investigators also attempted to contact more than 300 victims and spoke with nearly 150 survivors about allegations of abuse by clergy members.
The report identifies 75 clergy members who were deemed “credibly accused” of abusing more than 300 victims between 1950 and 2011. These individuals include diocesan priests and deacons, members of religious orders, and one extern priest. The Attorney General’s investigation also resulted in criminal charges against several current or former clergy members for alleged child sexual abuse committed while serving in the Diocese. Those cases are pending, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Diocese of Providence Response to the Attorney General Report
According to the Attorney General’s findings, the report describes historical failures within the Diocese to properly respond to allegations of abuse. Investigators concluded that complaints were sometimes not reported to civil authorities and that accused clergy were, at times, reassigned to other parishes or positions where they continued to have access to children.
The report also outlines several recommendations intended to improve transparency and accountability going forward. These recommendations include establishing a monitoring program for clergy accused of abuse, strengthening background check requirements, improving investigative procedures for abuse complaints, and creating an independent compensation program for survivors.
In addition to recommendations directed at the Diocese, the Attorney General proposed legislative reforms, including expanding Rhode Island’s civil statute of limitations for child sexual abuse claims so that survivors whose claims previously expired may be able to pursue civil actions against institutions or individuals who enabled the abuse.
Investigations and reports examining clergy abuse have taken place in multiple states over the past decade as authorities continue to review historical allegations and institutional responses to reports of abuse.
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