The Dallas Charter for the protection of children already requires each diocese to make referral to law enforcement for any complaint of clergy abuse against a minor. Both the individual reporting the abuse and the one taking the report have this duty, although one cannot make the reporter of the abuse do this.
The Church’s investigation has to do with establishing credibility of the accusation in order to deal with the alleged perpetrator from a canonical standpoint. The investgation by civil authorities follows a separate process looking at the criminal implications. And, of course, action in civil proceedings is always possible.
What I’ve described is what takes place since the charter was adopted nation wide in 2002. Much of the reprehensible cover up took place prior to that.
While it is possible that a Diocese might not follow the charter, it’s no longer likely. The USCCB has an office that can conduct Diocesan reviews on how the charter has been implemented and how to improve it in each diocese.
To me, the biggest problem historically has been the bishops’ passivity about pursuing aggressive measures.
Tell the cops. The media. And the Bishop. In that order.
And "the problem" is not just a matter of legally-defined abuse (of minors). Every instance of clerical unchastity is a sin of sacrilege, and maintains that "sex network" which is at the root of the problem.
So I'll listen when the bishop says that he will root out every instance of clerical unchastity in his diocese, whether the cleric was acting out sexually with children or adults, females or males, including each other.
Every Diocese needs to have a public ceremony in which every priest, deacon, and seminarian individually takes an oath to live in perfect sexual continence, and to resist and report every person who makes any attempt to compromise their chastity in any way. No matter what, no matter who.