Continuing on our Policies and Procedures strand let us talk about BACKGROUND CHECKS

Who gets background checks and who doesn't?

All employees, both full and part time, should have background checks. Have the background check process built into the employment hiring process so, by default, everyone that it is a staff member will have a background checks.

Volunteers:

Anyone that has anything to do with minor children

Anyone who has the dealings with money - ushers, offertory sort or money count team.

Anyone working in accounting or finance department

Anyone on the security team

Anyone who has access to confidential information

Any of the major services that offer background checks basically use the same method to attain the information. So it's usually a matter of volume as to what company can do the same services for the least about money.

We suggest maintaining those background checks electronically on a secured drive on your network. These background checks will have information that could make identity theft possible and convenient.

Holes in the system:

Child Molester Soccer Coach get past background checks

https://youtu.be/1-f1jIFrjiA

What happened to him?

Nationwide background checks are not available to the public. Access to that data is only available to law enforcement. Public data is only available on a per county basis. Various background check services use information in the public databases to locate which counties a person has worked, then they access the info at the local county records departments.

More holes in the system:

It is possible for a person to have a seemingly clear criminal background and still have a lengthy history of problems with Child Protective Services. Licensing of your child care facility is the only official way to gain information from the CPS Central Registry. A background check from the Texas CPS cost only $2 each and includes a criminal background check.

Background Checks on Minors

When a background check is run on a minor, the first thing done is a social security number trace. This usually comes back clear because they have not had a chance to build up any credit or have multiple addresses to search. Then a sex offender trace and statewide criminal background is done and these come back clear. You are never going to get anything on a minor because it is illegal for us to obtain information about them as they are protected by age and their records are sealed. A minor is considered to be someone age 17 and under. The only way you might get information on a minor is if they were legally tried as an adult for a crime.

Background Checks On-the-Cheap

The term National Background Check, or in their terms "National Criminal File" check is terribly misleading. It preys on a misconception that this information is available to individuals and companies (including churches).

Databases – Over the years, databases have evolved to become dynamic resources for criminal court records, improving turnaround times and significantly reducing screening expenses.

However, databases have a reputation for being outdated, inaccurate and incomplete. So, are database searches as good as live, on-site courthouse inquiries?

The answer is: it depends on who manages the database and how often the information is updated. In this age of modern technology, most municipal, county, state and federal courts use computerized database systems to store criminal court records information. Credible criminal database searches originate from legitimate government agencies that update files frequently and allow ongoing access to their databases. Nevertheless, court processing and data entry delays inherently make database information somewhat outdated.

However, buying access to static criminal databases containing unofficial compilations of criminal court records can produce some useful information from an intelligence point of view.

Employers who knowingly rely on subpar criminal history database searches may have difficulty convincing a jury they met due diligence screening requirements.

Criminal database searches can be used as one component of a robust criminal background screening program. In this regard, employers complete nationwide criminal database searches to gain a broad overview of their applicant’s past criminal activity.

Based on the criminal database results along with address verification results, employers should then conduct secondary “live” county or state criminal court record searches in order to obtain the most complete information available about applicants.