1. Mark Pan December 6 th, 2010 Thesis Presentation The Illusion of Safety: Background Checks for Philadelphia Public School Volunteers AGENDA PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS DISCUSSION COSTSAFETYVOLUNTEERISMEFFICIENCYEFFICACY

2. PREFACE INTRODUCTION problem question claims LITERATURE history currently universities government pub schools volunteers parents METHODS DATA chac survey interviews RECOMMENDATIONS cost centralizing reform

3. Practicality PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS DISCUSSION

4. Lack of research Practicality PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS DISCUSSION

5. Doable Lack of research Practicality PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS DISCUSSION

6. Frustration Lack of research Practicality Doable PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS DISCUSSION

7. Safety PREFACE INTRODUCTION problem question claims LITERATURE METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS

8. Volunteerism Safety PREFACE INTRODUCTION problem question claims LITERATURE METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS

9. Cost Safety Volunteerism PREFACE INTRODUCTION problem question claims LITERATURE METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS

10. Efficiency Safety Cost Volunteerism PREFACE INTRODUCTION problem question claims LITERATURE METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS

11. Efficiency Safety Cost Volunteerism PREFACE INTRODUCTION problem question claims LITERATURE METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS EFFECTIVENESS ?

12. Efficiency Safety Cost Volunteerism PREFACE INTRODUCTION problem question claims LITERATURE METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS EFFECTIVENESS ? How can we align background check practices and policies with practicality and safety? practicality safety

13. PREFACE INTRODUCTION problem question claims LITERATURE METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS How can we align background check practices and policies with practicality and safety? Efficacy Checks’ efficacy are unproven

14. PREFACE INTRODUCTION problem question claims LITERATURE METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS How can we align background check practices and policies with practicality and safety? Efficacy Checks’ efficacy are unproven Volunteerism Checks are a significant hindrance to volunteerism

15. PREFACE INTRODUCTION problem question claims LITERATURE METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS How can we align background check practices and policies with practicality and safety? Efficacy Checks’ efficacy are unproven Volunteerism Checks are a significant hindrance to volunteerism Excess Many unnecessary checks are being conducted

16. PREFACE INTRODUCTION problem question claims LITERATURE METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS How can we align background check practices and policies with practicality and safety? Efficacy Checks’ efficacy are unproven Volunteerism Checks are a significant hindrance to volunteerism Excess Many unnecessary checks are being conducted Misguidance Fears unrelated to volunteers penalizing volunteers

17. PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE history currently universities government pub schools volunteers parents METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS Unfounded fear

18. PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE history currently universities government pub schools volunteers parents METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS 2003: Massachusetts begins requirements as Boston is seen as center for Church sexual abuse scandals April 2007: PA requires all public school employees and student teachers to get checks child molestation fears and concerns about liability on the part of schools Unfounded fear

19. PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE history currently universities government pub schools volunteers parents METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS 2003: Massachusetts begins requirements as Boston is seen as center for Church sexual abuse scandals April 2007: PA requires all public school employees and student teachers to get checks child molestation fears and concerns about liability on the part of schools Unfounded fear

20. PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE history currently universities government pub schools volunteers parents METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS Federal Criminal History ($35.50) PA State Criminal Record ($10) Child Abuse ($10) “about half of the nation's 15,500 public-school districts have background checks for volunteers” - Ronald Stephens Executive Director, National School Safety Center

21. Centralization PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE history currently universities government pub schools volunteers parents METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS

22. Centralization Cost PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE history currently universities government pub schools volunteers parents METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS

23. Liability Centralization Cost PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE history currently universities government pub schools volunteers parents METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS

24. Liability Centralization Cost Volunteer Quality/Quantity PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE history currently universities government pub schools volunteers parents METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS

25. Volunteer Quality/Quantity PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE history currently universities government pub schools volunteers parents METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS “Once we start down the path of morally judging who can and cannot go into their child's classroom, we are treading on dangerous ground." Barbara Clark President of Nevada's Parent Teacher Association …might tend to discourage persons with questionable backgrounds from even applying for positions within the organization. Eliminates undocumented workers’ ability to volunteer, since one needs a Social Security Number to undergo checks. 28 per cent of those who responded to an online survey said they knew someone who had been put off volunteering

26. PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE history currently universities government pub schools volunteers parents METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS You must act to over-prevent -- even at the cost of the relationship between parents and the school district. …send an immediate notice to would-be volunteers with a background of misconduct that they are not wanted. does not provide a guarantee that children will be safe with a particular adult. It merely identifies that the person has not been convicted of an offence in the past. What happens after the vetting procedure is unpredictable.

27. PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE history currently universities government pub schools volunteers parents METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS You must act to over-prevent -- even at the cost of the relationship between parents and the school district. …send an immediate notice to would-be volunteers with a background of misconduct that they are not wanted. does not provide a guarantee that children will be safe with a particular adult. It merely identifies that the person has not been convicted of an offence in the past. What happens after the vetting procedure is unpredictable. liability

28. PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE history currently universities government pub schools volunteers parents METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS …history? The Catholic priest-molestation scandal and a series of lurid child kidnappings are combining to stoke parents' anxiety as the new school year gears up. And that's prompting more and more districts to require parents to undergo criminal- background checks. SAFETY

29. PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS Student Group Survey UA Discussion Paper Data/Factual Research InterviewsMeetings

30. Student Group Survey UA Discussion Paper Data/Factual Research InterviewsMeetings PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE METHODS DATA survey discussion research interviews meetings RECOMMENDATIONS Approximately 2,462 Penn volunteers require background checks Of these, an estimated 363 have duplicate checks ~$162,624 should be spent by organizations and individuals each year No consistency for follow-up and storage Time consuming Volunteer deterring

31. Student Group Survey UA Discussion Paper Data/Factual Research InterviewsMeetings PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE METHODS DATA survey discussion research interviews meetings RECOMMENDATIONS How high of a priority is this issue to you and the rest of Penn? What would an ideal infrastructure to support the process look like? Can other models better inform the development of this infrastructure? How can the UA encourage the university to support this infrastructure?

32. Student Group Survey UA Discussion Paper Data/Factual Research InterviewsMeetings PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE METHODS DATA survey discussion research interviews meetings RECOMMENDATIONS

33. Student Group Survey UA Discussion Paper Data/Factual Research InterviewsMeetings PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE METHODS DATA survey discussion research interviews meetings RECOMMENDATIONS Mostly incomparable

34. Student Group Survey UA Discussion Paper Data/Factual Research InterviewsMeetings PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE METHODS DATA survey discussion research interviews meetings RECOMMENDATIONS Mostly incomparable Centers process checks

35. Student Group Survey UA Discussion Paper Data/Factual Research InterviewsMeetings PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE METHODS DATA survey discussion research interviews meetings RECOMMENDATIONS Mostly incomparable Centers process checks Often overlooked "I am new here and not sure yet of how the issue is handled throughout the University" Irene King Villanova University – Campus Ministry Director

36. Student Group Survey UA Discussion Paper Data/Factual Research InterviewsMeetings PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE METHODS DATA survey discussion research interviews meetings RECOMMENDATIONS Mostly incomparable Centers process checks Often overlooked High varyiance

37. Student Group Survey UA Discussion Paper Data/Factual Research InterviewsMeetings PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE METHODS DATA survey discussion research interviews meetings RECOMMENDATIONS

38. Subsidization PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS cost centralizing reform

39. Centralization PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS cost centralizing reform Subsidization

40. Centralization PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS cost centralizing reform DISCUSSION Subsidization Longer-Term Policy Recommendations

41. PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS cost centralizing reform DISCUSSION Longer-Term Policy Recommendations Align fears with policy Inform K-12 students Educate school districtsVolunteer agencies centralize checksDifferentiation

42. discussion PREFACE INTRODUCTION LITERATURE METHODS DATA RECOMMENDATIONS DISCUSSION