The Church should have always turned these guys over to the secular authorities. The Church doesn’t have a jail or a penal code. There are two prongs.. First, pedophile priests should be defrocked or even excommunicated (in the Maciel case an excommunication was warranted). Second, there should be punishment for bishops who knowingly cover up the abuses.
I agree with you, but our bishops have shown us time and again that they're not willing to act forcefully. They'll change their tune if their brother bishops start sitting in jail.