Queen’s University professor Jill Scott, who researches forgiveness, can comment on whether former Penn State football coach should be forgiven by his victims. Mr. Sandusky was sentenced today to life behind bars for 45 counts of child sexual abuse.

“Jerry Sandusky is still proclaiming his innocence while some are convinced of his guilt,” says Dr. Scott, acting associate head of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. “Meanwhile, the blogosphere is rife with debates on forgiveness. Should Sandusky be forgiven? If so, can only victims forgive? Should religious beliefs play a role here? But the larger question is whether forgiveness—be it interpersonal or religious—has any bearing on legal matters and whether it can sway opinion to influence judicial decisions.

Dr. Scott is the author of A Poetics of Forgiveness: Cultural Responses to Loss and Forgiveness (Palgrave Macmillan 2010).

To arrange an interview, please contact communication officers Anne Craig at 613-533-2877 or anne.craig@queensu.ca or Michael Onesi at 613.533.6000 ext. 77513 or michael.onesi@queensu.at Queen’s University News and Media Services Department in Kingston, Ont., Canada.

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