Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell announced on October 4, 2026, that her office’s investigation uncovered evidence that more than 270 priests sexually abused nearly 1,000 children across several decades. Despite these findings, Campbell stated that prosecutors would not be bringing criminal charges due to legal limitations, primarily related to the state’s statute of limitations.

The statute of limitations sets a deadline for filing criminal charges, which in many cases had expired before the investigation concluded. Many of the abuses occurred prior to 2002, when Massachusetts introduced stronger laws criminalizing reckless endangerment of children and made clergy mandatory reporters of abuse. While the state legislature has since extended or eliminated certain limitation periods — including a 2006 law removing the criminal statute of limitations for most child sexual abuse felonies — prosecutors are still barred from pursuing cases where the alleged acts occurred more than 27 years ago. Additionally, some acts were not considered criminal offenses under state law when committed, limiting retroactive prosecution.

Campbell also noted other challenges in pursuing cases, such as the requirement for independent evidence corroborating allegations and the fact that some accused individuals have since died. DNA evidence can sometimes enable prosecutions outside normal time frames if it establishes the identity of the offender, but this was not sufficient in the current cases.

In terms of civil litigation, Massachusetts law requires survivors of childhood sexual abuse to file lawsuits within 35 years of reaching age 18 or within seven years of discovering that the abuse caused emotional or psychological harm, whichever is later. This means most claims must be filed by age 53. By comparison, at least 20 other states and Washington, D.C., have removed or extended civil statutes of limitations for child sexual abuse claims. Campbell has called attention to the barriers these limitations create for survivors seeking justice.

Campbell also urged the three dioceses investigated — Springfield, Worcester, and Fall River — to improve their reporting and investigation of accused clergy. She recommended that the Worcester Diocese publicly identify credibly accused individuals, a practice some other dioceses in Massachusetts have adopted.

Acknowledging the systemic issues posed by current laws, Campbell, who disclosed her own history as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse during the announcement, expressed support for legislative efforts to reform the statute of limitations. State Representative John Lawn is advocating for the elimination of the civil statute of limitations on child sexual abuse claims through amendments currently under negotiation in the Massachusetts legislature. Campbell and Lawn argue that removing these legal barriers is essential to holding institutions accountable and providing survivors access to justice, especially since many victims come forward decades after their abuse.

The report and ongoing legislative discussions underscore the continuing complexity of addressing historic abuse cases within existing legal frameworks, highlighting tensions between evidentiary and procedural rules and demands for expanded survivor rights.