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	Diocese: No New Abuse Cases in '05 783 New Credible Claims Nationally, Bishops Say Charlotte Observer March 31, 2006 http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/local/14228934.htm WASHINGTON - Figures released Thursday by the nation's Roman Catholic bishops show the unrelenting toll of the clergy sex abuse crisis: 783 new credible claims last year, most of which date back decades, and costs of nearly $467 million. While researchers who analyzed 50 years of data on molestation claims concluded the number of new cases is declining, the church is still paying a heavy price for predatory clergy. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte issued a news release Thursday saying that it received no new allegations of sexual misconduct with children during the reporting period for the 2005 audit. The diocese reported that it provided $14,215 in ongoing financial assistance to, or on behalf of, victims, all for counseling services. None of the church workers against whom an allegation was made is in active ministry. The Charlotte-based diocese is not releasing the number of victims or dates of their cases so as not to identify victims. During the 2005 audit period, the Charlotte-based diocese reported conducting background checks on 7,684 clergy, diocesan employees, volunteer religious education teachers and other parish volunteers. The diocese is home to an estimated 300,000 Catholics in 46 counties. Nationally, the abuse problem was already known to have cost dioceses more than $1 billion since 1950. Still, Teresa Kettelkamp, director of the bishops' Office of Child and Youth Protection, said the total abuse-related expenses shelled out in 2005 were probably the largest ever for a single year. The total number of accusations against Catholic clergy now stands at more than 12,000 since 1950. The latest statistics were released as part of the third audit U.S. bishops commissioned to restore trust in their leadership after abuse allegations soared in 2002. Auditors found that 88.5 percent of dioceses had put in place full safeguards for children required by the bishops' reforms. However, advocates for victims called the audit inadequate, since 104 of the 195 American dioceses conducted a "self-audit."
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