NCJ Number
167718
Date Published
1997
Length
53 pages
Annotation
This study reviews the implementation of fingerprint-based background checks in five States under the National Child Protection Act of 1993, as amended, which is Federal legislation that encourages States to enact statutes that authorize fingerprint-based national searches of criminal history records of individuals seeking paid or volunteer positions with organizations that serve children, the elderly, or the disabled.
Abstract
Studies were conducted in California, Florida, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia from March to October 1996 in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. Although there are considerable differences in scope or coverage, each of the five States has enacted statutes that authorize national fingerprint-based background checks regarding paid and volunteer positions at various types of child care-related organizations, such as public schools, day care centers, and youth sports leagues. For 1995 available (but incomplete) information shows that the number of national checks of child care providers in the five States ranged from approximately 1,200 in Texas to approximately 125,000 in Florida, with the majority involving paid positions rather than volunteers. Three of the five States have authority to request national checks of volunteers at nonprofit youth-serving organizations; however, these States do not require that national checks be done, and few checks have been requested. State laws and related fees did not appear to have negatively affected volunteerism at the various nonprofit youth-serving organizations contacted, since applicable statutes permitted rather than required fingerprint-based background checks, and few had been requested. Officials at the various organizations contacted said that national checks are or could be a useful tool that should supplement rather than supplant other important screening practices. For selected job positions, organizations, or local jurisdictions in the five study States, the analysis found that national checks detected some applicants with criminal histories who may not have been detected by less comprehensive practices. According to the FBI, in October 1996 the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System is scheduled to be available to a few (to be selected) States for purposes of conducting national fingerprint checks of applicants, with all other States that have appropriate technology coming on- line by July 1999. 10 tables and appended supplementary information