In history the world has seen many people misuse power, such as former President Richard M. Nixon. But the state had many examples of abuse of power the past year.
"We lose a little faith in leadership," Elyshia Aseltine, associate professor of criminal justice at Lycoming College, said.
The state saw former state Rep. Brett Feese and ex-Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky be the lead story in every news outlet possible over the past year because of their misuse of power.
Feese, of Muncy, was found guilty on 40 counts of corruption for illegally using taxpayers' money for campaign purposes. He is to be sentenced in January.
Jonathan Williamson, department chairman of the political science department at Lycoming College, said the reason was to "achieve and maintain Republican majority."
"There needs to be a clear line between what taxpayers pay their government to do ... and what politicians and supporters do to advocate (for their party)," Williamson said.
Aseltine said there has to be a separation between an individual's role as a public official and the role of a candidate as it creates an unfair edge.
"He has access to data other candidates don't have," she said.
She also said powerful people now have the resources to misuse their power.
"It's a matter of opportunity," she said.
Power also allows individuals to "prevent people from questioning your authority," Aseltine said.
"The reason people seek power is to gain resources," C. Townsend Velkoff, licensed psychologist and director of counseling services at Lycoming College, said.
In his profession, Velkoff explained they describe the ability to do things with the word agency.
"So when you have lots of power, you have lots of agency," Velkoff said.
Velkoff, who also sits on the sex offender board, said athletes and coaches are idolized because the public hopes to be like them.
"They represent the epitome of ... what they would aspire to," he said.
But when someone in a power position uses it to exploit children, he said, it's a "nasty combination."
Sandusky, founder of the Second Mile Foundation, has been the center of a sex-abuse scandal that allegedly has dated to 1994.
The case pitted the state's most recognizable university and head football coach in the middle of a nationwide debate.
After 46 years as the face of the university's football program, head coach Joe Paterno was fired after many questioned whether he did enough when assistant coach Mike McQueary told him of witnessing Sandusky allegedly abusing a child.
Aseltine said an individual's only obligation is to report the incidents, but Velkoff said with his background it's hard to believe there isn't a moral requirement as well.
"Conventional wisdom says you don't stop until it stops," he said.
The effects of sexual abuse on children has a wide variety of possibilities, Velkoff said.
"In really severe cases ... you can have a range of psychological problems," he said.
One common effect is the victim begins to feel different, "but different in a way that can't be discussed," he said.
A victim can begin to disconnect from thoughts, feelings or memories of the events and can disassociate. Acting out is another effect of abuse, Velkoff said.
Although he said these are the more publicized effects, it is not always the case.
"There are some people who go through terrible sexual abuse and are resilient," he said.
New guidelines could be the outcome of such a scandal in an educational setting.
"I imagine there's going to be pressure from state universities to have clear policies," Aseltine said.
Although the two cases are nothing to sweep under the rug, Aseltine said laws always are made in reaction to events like these. She said the system has been corrupt before, but it's getting better.
"It's not like we haven't had problems before," she said.
These cases just may seem bigger because of the number of ways to get information.
"The way we receive information is so much more rapidly," she said.
Both cases could see the public become more cynical of powerful individuals, Velkoff said.
"When Watergate happened ... my views of politicians became very skeptical," he said.
He said though it is possible, it will be hard for the public to undo the skepticism.
"I think what can happen is, it creates a sense of distrust," Velkoff said.
Williamson said on one hand people will be disappointed in the individuals involved but they also should be satisfied they eventually were caught.
He also said the Feese conviction could make public servants more watchful.
"Both the watchers will watch more carefully and elected officials will be more vigilant," he said.
Although he could not predict the effects those events will have on the state, Williamson did offer a historical context: "The effects of Watergate on the nation were long-lasting."
