For close to a century, the Boy Scouts of America collected what it called “Perversion Files” – documentation on sex offenders and pedophiles that it intended to keep out of its organization in order to protect scouts from becoming victims of sex offenses. A court ordered the scouting organization to release its perversion files covering 1965 to 1985 this month.
With the release, spokesman Deron Smith noted that the Boy Scouts will also review its own files and report any alleged sex offender that may have been missed and allowed to lead a scout troop. Former police detective and current youth protection director Mike Smith will head up the review of the Boy Scouts files.
North Carolina does not have a statute of limitations on sex offenses against minors. Specifically, a sex offense that is considered a felony -a as is sexual abuse of a child – do not have a statute of limitations.
That means that, based on the information expected to be revealed in the release of the Boy Scout’s perversion files, alleged sex offenses that occurred as far back as the 60s may now be pursued. However, more than just a name of the person who committed the alleged sex offense is required to prosecute. Typically there must also be a sex offense victim who is willing to cooperate in the investigation or some other way of corroborating the information contained in the Boy Scout’s files.
Over 900 files will be released that document sex offenses against over 1,000 scouts.
Source: Fox News, “Boy Scouts to notify police departments of suspected pedophiles,” October 1, 2012