Many of us feel that we know our organization and the people that surround us. Whether the organization has a small, hometown atmosphere or sees hundreds come through its doors, coming to a place of comfort is easy. Finding familiar faces and confirmation by word of mouth puts us at ease regarding individuals within our organizations and the stability of their character. However, the sad truth about the society in which we live today is that the majority of in-house crimes (especially involving children) are committed by long-term members. These people have not only betrayed the trust of your organization; they are most likely repeat offenders.
Sexual predators seek out organizations with lax background screening policies. Not only does neglecting background screening set up an organization as a target for crime, but it also creates a large legal liability. If an incident was to occur in an organization that had not done its due diligence in background screening, serious legal repercussions could ensue.
Some organizations may even be actively screening individuals and believing they are covered. Unbeknownst to many organizations, a local law enforcement search does not cover all grounds. Most repeat offenders will quickly flee the area of their last offense. The state in which an individual commits an offense dictates how the record is made available to the public and to consumer reporting agencies (background screening companies).
Protect My Ministry wants to ensure that every organization has the opportunity be educated on how to find the most accurate screening possible. Protect My Ministry has developed numerous resources to do so, all readily available on our website. Please take the time to make sure that in addition to actively screening candidates, your organization is also selecting a search that is going to produce an accurate report. You will find the links to the previously mentioned resources below.
Screening Recommendations By State
Criminal data is available through the national database