STATE COLLEGE, CENTRE COUNTY - Penn State has to pay $60 million in fines to an endowment fund, due to the NCAA sanctions that were imposed on the university last month.
On Wednesday, district attorneys across the state say they know where the money should go.
Prosecutors announced at the State College Municipal Building that they want the endowment fund that Penn State will create as part of the NCAA sanctions agreement to fund children advocacy centers statewide.
The facilities allow victims of child abuse to receive counseling services and talk about the abuse once, because attorneys, police, the victim and their families could discuss the abuse in one location.
Child advocates say this would be better than having victims travel to multiple locations to talk about their abuse and risk the chance of being re-traumatized. The idea has been talked about for several years in Centre County, even more so because of the Jerry Sandusky scandal.
"Would things be different in our community if we had a child advocacy center and the proper interviews had been done back in 1998 would there be a different result would there have been less victims?" Stacy Parks Miller, the Centre County district attorney questioned.
The state District Attorneys Association says there's no steady funding for these facilities and that they're in need.
In our area, Jefferson County is the only county that has a child advocacy center. WTAJ has not heard from Penn State about this idea. If you're interested in making a donation, you can contact the United Way.
On Wednesday, district attorneys across the state say they know where the money should go.
Prosecutors announced at the State College Municipal Building that they want the endowment fund that Penn State will create as part of the NCAA sanctions agreement to fund children advocacy centers statewide.
The facilities allow victims of child abuse to receive counseling services and talk about the abuse once, because attorneys, police, the victim and their families could discuss the abuse in one location.
Child advocates say this would be better than having victims travel to multiple locations to talk about their abuse and risk the chance of being re-traumatized. The idea has been talked about for several years in Centre County, even more so because of the Jerry Sandusky scandal.
"Would things be different in our community if we had a child advocacy center and the proper interviews had been done back in 1998 would there be a different result would there have been less victims?" Stacy Parks Miller, the Centre County district attorney questioned.
The state District Attorneys Association says there's no steady funding for these facilities and that they're in need.
In our area, Jefferson County is the only county that has a child advocacy center. WTAJ has not heard from Penn State about this idea. If you're interested in making a donation, you can contact the United Way.
