The state attorney general's office says the Diocese of Manchester must fix problems in its program for preventing sexual abuse by church personnel. In a letter to Bishop John McCormack, Attorney General Kelly Ayotte cites deficiencies that "undermine some of the core principles of the agreement":

• Lack of oversight. The state says the diocese has been ineffective in enforcing compliance with the agreement and its own policies. "This ineffectiveness has resulted in repeated missed deadlines . . . incomplete training, incomplete written acknowledgements, lack of background checks and unfilled positions," Ayotte wrote.

• Inconsistent compliance.Ayotte cited one parish in which "only 16 percent of employees of volunteers who worked with children had a sex offender registry check completed."

• Inadequate record-keeping. According to the state, diocese databases are "either complete or inaccurate."

• Failure to train all key personnel. There is no way to tell whether all church staff who work with children have been to the training required of the diocese, Ayotte said.

• Noncompliant personnel policies. Ayotte said that the diocese has failed to put together a policy to remove people accused of abuse "from any position in which there is a possibility for contact with a minor."

• Reporting discrepancies. The diocese must ensure that all allegations of child abuse are reported to law enforcement officials in a "timely manner," Ayotte said.