Fwd: Background Checks (long)
Laura Hix (Hixbough@AOL.COM)
Wed, 31 Mar 1999 09:51:37 EST
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From: Hixbough@aol.com
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To: SCOUTS-L@listserv.tcu.edu
Subject: Background Checks (long)
Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 08:31:18 EST
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Our council has a background check form. You can get a person to fill this
out and the council runs the check and gives us back a yes or no. No
particulars, just OK or not. I don't know if this is a practice that is used
throughout the country or just in Circle Ten Council.
As Robert Wright said in his post, Texas has the publicdata.com. I have used
it to run every person that is in my units (I am a unit commissioner) I also
am a YPT trainer. If I have had a "feeling" about someone that I have come
across, I have used it. This doesn't tell you any particulars, it is used to
tell you if they have a criminal record, drivers license, or a sex offender.
BTW everyone so far has been OK.
But I have also used the references and have turned down some applications.
If they have organizations listed. Call them. Other groups that they have
worked in like churches or girl scouts. Call them. Your first flag would be
if a person doesn't want his/her references checked.
These resources won't weed out everyone in every situation. But it is a good
start. But again, short of a sex offender, murderer etc. Just because a
person has a "record" doesn't mean that person wouldn't be an excellent
influence on a child. You must weigh every person separately. A person may
have been arrested in their early adult life, but then has never been in
trouble again. And just because a person is in a motorcycle gang doesn't make
them of ill repute.
Does a person's job disqualify them? Does a person's tattoos disqualify them?
Weigh each person, check their job references, check their personal
references, check everything listed on an application. Yes, it takes time,
but it is worth it.
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