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

2. HPER R472 Youth Sport Management 2 of 14 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. HPER R472 Youth Sport Management 3 of 14 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. HPER R472 Youth Sport Management 4 of 14 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. HPER R472 Youth Sport Management 5 of 14 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. HPER R472 Youth Sport Management 6 of 14 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. HPER R472 Youth Sport Management 7 of 14 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. HPER R472 Youth Sport Management 8 of 14 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. HPER R472 Youth Sport Management 9 of 14 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. HPER R472 Youth Sport Management 10 of 14 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. HPER R472 Youth Sport Management 11 of 14 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/initAdvancedSearch Form.do

12. HPER R472 Youth Sport Management 12 of 14 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. HPER R472 Youth Sport Management 13 of 14 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. HPER R472 Youth Sport Management 14 of 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