The Sandusky verdict: 6 lessons

Disgraced Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky is now in jail, probably for life. What can this case teach us about thwarting other child predators?

Jerry Sandusky leaves court in handcuffs after being convicted on 45 counts of child sex abuse on June 22: Parents can learn from this story to listen to their children, and to ask questions
(Image credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

On June 22, a jury in Bellefonte, Pa., convicted former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky on 45 of 48 counts of sexually abusing 10 boys, ending a closely watched two-week trial and putting a permanent black mark on Sandusky's football and charitable legacy. Sandusky was taken to jail from the courthouse, and after he is sentenced, in about 90 days, he will almost certainly spend the rest of his life behind bars. The verdict is undoubtedly a relief for the eight "courageous" victims who testified at the trial, says Bonnie Rochman at TIME, "but judging by the tears that fell during their testimony, the ensuing decades have done little to dim the pain of being abused by a man they trusted and revered." What can we learn from the Sandusky case that could help us protect other children from similar pain? Here, six possible lessons:

1. Beware — predatory monsters exist

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