Does your organization conduct background screenings on staff and volunteers? If your organization works with minors, you should. Failing to conduct a background check opens you up to several risks should something go wrong.
Even if your organization already conducts background checks as a part of the screening process, it is important that you evaluate your current background screening provider to ensure that they are a reputable source. Not all providers are created equal! We have some tips for you about how to prevent holes in your criminal background checks, and you can read some of these below.
- You get what you pay for! If a provider is noticeably cheaper than all other options, then they may not be the best option for your organization.
- Avoid simple database searches as these often have incomplete or outdated information. Obtaining someone’s criminal history from a database alone may provide a false sense of security when the results come back with no criminal record.
- Be aware of “false hits”. These can happen no matter what type of background screening provider you use. It is possible that your candidate has the same first and last name as someone else who has a criminal record, when your candidate does not, or vice a versa.
- Accidental omissions are another problem to be aware of. Sometimes, when people are arrested, they intentionally misspell their names or give false information to authorities. Accidental misspellings can also happen in court records. As a result, searches that are only name-based, may omit some important information and records.
The best way to ensure that your background check results can be trusted, is to choose a reputable provider! Insurance carriers that specialize in insurance for churches and human services programs will typically form alliances with a provider, and if you haven’t been introduced to one yet, we would to do so.
Your organization should be running background screenings to ensure the safety of the people you serve. Be sure to use a provider that is going to help you accomplish this goal with the upmost accuracy. If you want an additional resource about criminal background screenings, click here to access a free downloadable checklist on background screening best practices.
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