Volunteers – Background Screening

1. Volunteers – Background Screening Past Behaviors is the BEST Indicator of Future Behaviors

2. Background Checks in Youth Sports • “Participation in extracurricular activities can put children at risk unless safety measure are in place to prevent physical or mental abuse by volunteer youth sports workers.” • NAYS • 7.5% of all would be coaches and volunteers have criminal histories!

3. Nine-step Background Screening Process • Step 1: Have a screening policy in writing. • All volunteers should go through the process • Communicate this policy to everyone • Step 2: Provide job descriptions for every position. • A job description should be detailed and outline all responsibilities and duties of the job • Make sure it is read, signed, dated, and filed

4. Nine-step Background Screening Process • Step 3: Obtain completed application form for all positions • Regardless of the need, every volunteer should complete a form which includes name, address, references and former employees. • Step 4: Consent/release form must be signed and dated • Authorizes your agency to investigate his/her background and inform volunteer what will be done

5. Nine-step Background Screening Process • Step 5: Evaluate application and review references, employers and information • Take the time to do a thorough job of this! • Step 6: Interview the applicant • Use a systematic approach and develop a standard interview plan and process. • Don’t be afraid to ask tough questions

6. Nine-step Background Screening Process • Step 7: Conduct a criminal background check • Contact local law enforcement agencies for help • Consider the financial costs of checks • 13% of all crimes are found outside of the current residence state. • Information should not be disclosed to anyone except those authorized in the agency. • Disclose information only if the law requires that it be disclosed. • Respect privacy of each individual. • KEY: consult with your legal department or HR department…these departments should be your FRIENDS!!!

7. Background Checks • Minimum standards for background checks: • Social security number and name verification • Social security card, driver’s license, etc. • Address verification for last 7-10 years • Driver’s license • Important to know what counties and states individual has lived • Sexual offender registry search

8. Background Checks • County Courthouse Search • 95% of convictions occur at county level • Location where felonies and misdemeanors originate • Most current database • Accurate source • Most traditional type of search used by employers

9. Background Checks • Local Law Enforcement • Most current source of info and most used • Sometimes at no cost • Limited to searches in that jurisdiction (city or county) • Provided by volunteer (name, DOB, SSN, address) • Provides raw count and data and no interpretation

10. Background Checks • FBI fingerprint-based database • Expensive and long process • Most thorough • Requires fingerprint • Cost $36 + per volunteer • Arrest numbers with no details on crime committed • Database Screening companies • Mostly federal convictions and not state/local • Use as an add-on • See course website

11. Background Checks • Sex Offenders Registry (SOR) • Not available in all states • Relies on “self-reporting” • Only sex offenders…no murders, robberies, kidnapping, etc. • However, every agency should at least do this type of search. • In Indiana, here is the web link: http://www.insor.org/insasoweb/initAdvancedSearchForm.do

12. Nine-step Background Screening Process • Step 8: Review results and provide continuous oversight of volunteers • Decide how to evaluate screening results and determine what issues make a volunteer undesirable • Document decision • Periodically evaluate a volunteer’s performance • Step 9: Provide training for all volunteers and hold them accountable • Have volunteers pledge to uphold a code of ethics • Hold them accountable

13. Disqualifiers in a Background Check • Any sort of abuse or assault/battery • Rape • Any crime of a sexual nature including possession of pornography • Homicide or manslaughter • Attempted murder • Domestic violence • Child neglect • Felony drug crimes • Animal cruelty • Theft/robbery • Forgery/fraud • Kidnapping • Arson • Weapons • Any misdemeanor or felony involving children

14. Other Potential Disqualifiers in a Background Check • DUI or DWI within last 15 years or vehicular manslaughter • Especially if volunteer will be driving a child • Multiple driving citations or accidents • Misdemeanor drug charges within last 15 years • Petty theft within last 15 years • Especially if volunteer will be handling money