Reporting child abuse and the Church

I refer to the news item on child abuse and the Church response team (March 31).

Is child abuse no longer considered a criminal act? The report made no mention of this.

Am I mistaken in believing that failure to report to the police a criminal act of which a person may have become aware is itself a criminal act, that of complicity?

Church statements have been abundantly clear that these circumstances are not covered by the secrecy of the confessional.