1. Background Screening Overview (Processing A New Applicant)
Table of Content:
Why we screen
Who must be screened
How to request a screening
Screening process & timeframes
Rating -Who can/cannot be hired
Exemption process
Fingerprint Retention
Annual Affidavit
How to contact us

2. Background Screening is not optional.
It’s the Law!
Florida Statute
Requires background screening to be completed *prior to employment and volunteering
Requires background screening of current employees & volunteers *every 5 years of employment or volunteering
DJJ Background screening is mandated by FS , which states screenings must be completed before a person is hired or utilized as a volunteer and every 5 years of continued service.

3. Purpose for Background Screening
To ensure all applicants for employment or who want to volunteer meet screening requirements prior to having contact with youth or confidential youth records

4. Who Must Be Screened? ALL: Employees, Volunteers, Mentors, Interns,
and Researchers
The following individuals must be screened.
Note: Contract provider volunteers, interns, and mentors who volunteer for less than 10 hours per month don’t have to be screened, but must always be in the line of sight of a screened staff member while volunteering. (This clause only applies to contract providers and does not apply to DJJ volunteers.)

5. Who else must be Screened?
ALL counselors, doctors, nurses, ministers, and others who are not employees, but seek to conduct unsupervised activities with youth
Any person wanting to conduct unsupervised activities with youth, must be screened.
Note: Occasional guest speakers do not have to be screened as long as they are in the constant line of sight of screened personnel.

6. Screening School Board Teachers
School Board Teachers that are *paid by DJJ or a DJJ contract/grant provider to teach in a program must be screened by DJJ.
If your facility/program will provide educational services to youth…
*If the funding source is the school board or a school
board contract provider a DJJ background screening
is not required.

7. Screening Law Enforcement or Security Officers
Law Enforcement or Security Officers that are *paid by DJJ or a DJJ contract/grant provider to work in a program must be screened by DJJ.
*If the funding source is not DJJ or a DJJ contract provider a background screening is not required.

8. Employee Transfers & Promotions
When an employee is promoted or transferred within the same company, a new background screening is not required unless there is a break in service.
(Note: See procedure 1800P (DJJ) or 1800PC (Providers) for details about a break in service.)
*Transferring from DJJ to Provider (or visa versa) requires a new background screening.

9. How to Process A New Applicant Screening (Option 1) Faxing
Applicant will complete the appropriate background screening forms:
IG/BSU 001 (DJJ)
IG/BSU 002 (Providers)
IG/BSU 003 (Mandatory for DJJ & Providers)
HR Rep will send applicant to a Clearinghouse (CLH) Livescan Service Provider to electronically submit fingerprints
HR Rep will fax the forms, a copy of the applicant’s driver’s license & social security card, and the service provider receipt to the BSU at (850) or
To locate a CLH service provider, providers must log into the SSO CLH portal.
The Background Screening process is this…
The background screening forms are on the DJJ website at: by clicking: DJJ services, Inspector general, background screening

10. How to Process A New Applicant Screening (Option 2) Mailing
Applicant will complete the appropriate background screening forms:
IG/BSU 001 (DJJ)
IG/BSU 002 (Providers)
IG/BSU 003 (Mandatory for DJJ & Providers)
HR Rep will mail the forms and a:
Copy of the driver’s license
Social security card
Fingerprint card
Payment or receipt for *$66.15 to the BSU (*Fees only apply to contract/grant provider applicants.)
Use our online credit card payment system or
Send company check or money order made out to the Department of Juvenile Justice
The Background Screening packet consists of…
The background screening forms are on the DJJ website at: by clicking: DJJ services, Inspector general, background screening.

11. Send packaged documents
Our Mailing Address
(Option 2) Continued
Send packaged documents to
Department of Juvenile Justice Office of the Inspector General Background Screening Unit 2737 Centerview Drive,
Suite 3400 Tallahassee, FL
Remember: Payment must be submitted with
provider screenings when fingerprint cards are
included.
Packets must be mailed when the fingerprint card is included in the packet.

12. Background Screening Unit (BSU) Process
The BSU will:
Process the screening
Apply a rating (Eligible/Ineligible)
* /Fax results to the DJJ HR Rep
Provider HR Reps will view results in the CLH portal.
*Legibly print HR representatives address and fax number in section B of the screening form.
When the screening documents are received, the BSU will process the request and the results to the HR Rep. listed in section B of the Request for Livescan form.

13. BSU Process (continued)
A completed screening will be /faxed to the DJJ HR Reps within 5 to 10 days
Providers results will be viewable on the *CLH SSO portal.
*Link to CLH SSO portal:
The BSU will complete the screening and it to the requestor (HR Rep.) in 5 to 10 business days.

14. Rating Types Eligible or Eligible w/Charges:
No criminal history exists OR
Criminal history exists with no disqualifying charges

15. Eligible or Eligible W/ Charges
Applicant can immediately be hired

16. Rating Types Ineligible:
A criminal history exists with *disqualifying charges
*Disqualifying charges are listed on the Criminal History & PREA
Acknowledgement (Form IG/BSU-003)

17. Ineligible Applicant CANNOT be hired until an exemption is granted
If the rating is…

18. EXEMPTION Exemptions are granted or denied by the Agency Head
Applicants can apply for an Exemption if:
At least 3 years has elapsed since they completed or was lawfully released from confinement, supervision, or sanction for the most recent felony disqualifying offense.
(Disqualifying offenses are listed in F.S. 435)
The Exemption process becomes an option when a person is rated Ineligible and…
A list of disqualifying offenses can be found in F.S. 435 or on the Criminal History Acknowledgement Form IG/BSU 003.
The recent bill signed by the Governor will change the 7 year period to 3 years beginning October 1, 2010.
DOAH=The Department of Administrative Hearings

19. EXEMPTION (Continued)
If the disqualifying offense is a misdemeanor or was a felony when committed, but is now a misdemeanor, the applicant can apply when the sanctions associated with the offense are lawfully completed.
The Exemption process becomes an option when a person is rated Ineligible …

20. EXEMPTION (Continued)
Exemptions can not be granted to persons deemed a:
Sexual Predator (F.S )
Career Offender (F.S )
Sexual Offender (F.S ) unless the requirement to register as a sexual offender has been removed pursuant to F.S
The Exemption process is NOT an option when a person is rated Ineligible and…

21. Fingerprint Retention Process
FDLE keeps the fingerprints of everyone screened until a request is made to remove them. (*This process is referred to as Fingerprint Retention.)
Providers will pay $6.48 to FDLE per year for each employee’s fingerprints retained.
Retention payment for providers will be paid to the CLH vendor
Providers screened prior to the CLH will submit payment to DJJ in the form of a check, money order, or online credit card payment.
*Fingerprint Retention is not optional

22. Retention Removal Process
Removal of retained prints can occur when:
A person is no longer employed
A person is screened but not hired
To request removal:
HR Representative must the person’s name, last 4 digits of SSN and Transaction Control Number (TCN) to

23. Annual Affidavit of Level 2 Screening Standards
(Form IG/BSU-006)
Form IG/BSU-006 must be submitted once a year to attest that all employees and volunteers at your program were screened by DJJ.
Completing Form:
Facility Administrator will sign & notarize form
Scan, Fax, or Mail document to BSU
Due by January 30 of each year

24. Contact Us Send an e-mail to: Generalbsu@djj.state.fl.us
Mail requests to: Department of Juvenile Justice Office of the Inspector General Background Screening Unit Centerview Drive, Suite Tallahassee, FL
The BSU contact information is as follows:
PH: (850)
FAX: (850)
(850)