Some non-profit organizations that serve children want a continuous report of all staff and volunteer criminal records--including misdemeanors.  About 15 Boys and Girls Clubs are currently using technology by Verified Person of New York, which claims to capture more than 70 percent of all felony and misdemeanor convictions.  Other groups such as the Boy Scouts of America and Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Central Arizona are considering the value of this service to screen their staff and volunteers.  These groups feel that privacy concerns should not be a barrier to making sure the people dealing with children are fit for the job, whether or not they are paid.  As a parent, I think this type of service is great.  After all, we are still cleaning up the mess from the Roman Catholic Church, and I, like most parents feel that no amount of protection is too much when it comes to screening.  Civil rights groups are questioning the practice, and I suppose they do have a valid argument in some respects.  From the article, “‘The real point is that all this is happening without rules and boundaries and thought and legislation,’ said Ira Glasser, president of the Drug Policy Alliance and former executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union. “ As a parent, I would never want someone flagged during their volunteer work and then prevented from getting a job they truly deserve, but I do want to know that any organization my child is associated with is doing the most they possibly can to ensure all the children’s safety. 

Regardless of how you feel about privacy, the basic message is:  organizations can subscribe to this service, so if you want to have the staff and volunteers screened, you should definitely ask about the policies and find out what information they are collecting. 

The New York Times (free, registration required) brings us this update which is not directed to parents in particular, but is certainly interesting.  I had no idea that volunteers were even screened, and it makes a lot of sense, given that our children come in contact with these folks.  Make sure you find out from any non-profit organization what they are doing to screen the staff and volunteers.  Their answer will either help you sleep better at night or make you want to find another activity for your kids.  Either way you and your kids are ahead.