engaged in a similar manner when dealing with accused teachers, as did the Boy Scouts of America. In response to these allegations, defenders of the Church's actions have suggested that in reassigning priests after treatment, bishops were acting on the best medical advice then available, a policy also followed by the U.S. public school system when dealing with accused teachers. Some bishops and psychiatrists have asserted that the prevailing psychology of the times suggested that people could be cured of such behavior through counseling. Many of the abusive priests had received counseling before being reassigned. Critics have questioned whether bishops are necessarily able to form accurate judgments on a priest's recovery. The priests were allowed to resume their previous duties with children only when the bishop was advised by the treating psychologists or psychiatrists that it was safe for them to resume their duties. According to the study, 3% of all priests against whom allegations were made were convicted and about 2% received prison sentences. From a legal perspective, the most serious criticism aside from the incidents of child sexual abuse themselves was by the bishops, who failed to report accusations to the police. In response to the failure to report abuse to the police, lawmakers have changed the law to make reporting of abuse to police compulsory. For example, in 2002 Massachusetts passed a law requiring religious officials to report the abuse of children. See also Barbara Blaine – founder of SNAP (Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests) Crimen sollicitationis Deliver Us from Evil (2006 film) Ferns Report – on sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ferns, Ireland Homosexuality and Roman Catholic priests National Review Board Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors Pontifical Secret Religious abuse Roman Catholic sex abuse cases Roman Catholic sex abuse cases by country "Sex Crimes and the Vatican" – Panorama documentary episode Sexual abuse Sexual misconduct Spiritual abuse Spotlight (film) Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests References External links Audits, Child And Youth Protection; US Conference of Catholic Bishops Charter For The Protection Of Children And Young People; US Conference of Catholic Bishops Child And Youth Protection; US Conference of Catholic Bishops National Review Board, Child And Youth Protection; US Conference of Catholic Bishops Reports and Research, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Safe Environment, Child And Youth Protection; US Conference of Catholic Bishops Victim Assistance, Child And Youth