There is no excuse for not reporting crimes against children.
None.
L
Reporting "crimes against children is not the issue here. At all. The seal of the confessional is absolute and includes all possible crimes; murder, rape, kidnapping, child abuse, robbery....anything. Violating the seal of the confessional would have no impact on the state's ability to apprehend criminals since;
1) a priest already can demand that someone who confesses a serious crime must report himself to the police as a condition of absolution. In this way, the seal of confession remains intact and the penitent either reports himself or does not receive absolution.
2) confession is often anonymous. The priest does not know the person with whom he is speaking, as others have pointed out.
3) "individual X" told me this, is simply hearsay and easily deniable. Legally, it's of little value.
4) a criminal who knows that confession to a priest is essentially a confession to the police, will simply avoid the confessional.
So in practical terms, if the aim is improved apprehension of child molesters, this would be essentially worthless. No, the real issue here, is that the Church is claiming a priest-penitent privilege without the state's consent and beyond the state's jurisdiction. This is offensive to those who believe that the state is the ultimate arbiter of right and wrong and has authority to intervene wherever and whenever it feels justified. This is a Church-state confrontation. The state is saying "we'll tell you how to administer your sacraments". The Church is saying "no you won't".