Making a reasonable effort to access past criminal records has become a standard of care in child-serving organizations, and MinistrySafe offers Background Checks that fit the budget and service positions of every ministry. Background Checks are one element of the MinistrySafe 5-Part Safety System, and no single element serves as a stand-alone safety protocol.
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Background Check Packages
Search Level ONE
- Identity Research
- Multi-Jurisdictional Criminal and Sex Offender Database
Search Level TWO
- Identity Research
- Multi-Jurisdictional Criminal and Sex Offender Database
- Motor Vehicle Records
Search Level THREE
- Identity Research
- Multi-Jurisdictional Criminal and Sex Offender Database
- County of Residence Report
Search Level FOUR
- Identity Research
- Multi-Jurisdictional Criminal and Sex Offender Database
- Motor Vehicle Records
- County of Residence Report
Search Level FIVE
- Identity Research
- Multi-Jurisdictional Criminal and Sex Offender Database
- Motor Vehicle Records
- County of Residence Report
- Federal Court Criminal Search (statewide)
Search Level SIX
- Identity Research
- Multi-Jurisdictional Criminal and Sex Offender Database
- Motor Vehicle Records
- County of Residence Report
- Federal Court Criminal Search (statewide)
*all names and county-level criminal report searches within the past 10 years.
Search Level SEVEN
- Identity Research
- Multi-Jurisdictional Criminal and Sex Offender Database
- Motor Vehicle Records
- County of Residence Report
- Federal Court Criminal Search (statewide)
*all names and county, state, and federal level criminal report searches within the past 10 years.
Background Check Elements
Identity Research
Identity Research or a Social Security Trace is a critical first step in conducting a background check–verifying the identity of the applicant. The Identity Research verifies your applicant’s Social Security Number (SSN), past and present addresses and possible aliases or maiden names used.
What we need to know: It is important to ensure that the name provided by the applicant is actually the person’s name. Identity Research provides confirmation that the name and social security number match. It is important that the ministry ask for a state or federally issued identification to ensure that the applicant identification matches the likeness of the person providing the application information. Misrepresenting one’s identity is the most basic way a person with a criminal record can gain access to vulnerable populations.
Multi-Jurisdictional Criminal Database
This is a computerized search of a massive database of over 500 million records. This database contains records from:
- all 50 individual State databases (in the United States)
- criminal records from State agencies such as County Courts, Department of Public Safety, Department of Corrections, and Administrative Office of Courts
- computerized Sex Offender Registries in all available States
- the Government Terrorist Watch List for all 50 States
- the Office of Inspector General and GSA excluded parties list
What we need to know: Though this sounds impressive, this is a basic multi-jurisdictional database search. This is the primary product being sold by background check vendors and is often represented as having values it does not have. The multi-jurisdictional database search has significant limitations, the most important of which is the incompleteness of the data, as all records are not available, some record sources are not computerized, some states/counties do not sell records, etc.
Despite its limitations, this search is affordable for most ministries. If your ministry is not limited by budgetary concerns, it is highly recommended that you consider a search that adds additional search components—particularly county searches.
National Sex Offender Registry
A Nationwide Sex Offender Registry search includes sex-offender records provided by each state including the District of Columbia.
What we need to know: Less than 10% of sexual abusers will encounter the criminal justice system—much less be convicted of a registration-level offense. This is a search element we must include, but it cannot give a false sense of security that this registry identifies all individuals who may be inappropriate to work with vulnerable populations.
Motor Vehicle Records
Motor Vehicle Records (MVR) report statewide driving records, including Commercial Driver’s License status (CDL) for at least 3 years, oftentimes up to 7 years. We recommend screening Motor Vehicle Records for any position requiring driving, such as transportation of children or other program participants, delivery, trucking, DOT compliance, or any use of company vehicles.
County of Residence Report
Most sexual abuse and violent behavior criminal records are maintained at the county level. Given the weaknesses of the multi-jurisdictional database search, the manner of gathering county criminal records is to request these records directly from the county record-keeper. A County of Residence Report is an effort to hand-retrieve county criminal records by a nationwide network of experienced court researchers. The county criminal records search reports felony and misdemeanor convictions, and searches extend back at least 7 years per FCRA regulations. This search is limited to the applicant’s county of residence. If the applicant is new to the county or lives/works in an area that serves several counties, a ministry may request additional counties for a hand-retrieved county search. Further, the Social Security Trace will reveal the applicant’s past addresses—this can be instructive if a ministry desires a hand-retrieved county search of the records in one or more of the identified past counties of residence. These searches will involve additional fees per county, which may vary from county to county.
Federal Court Criminal Search (statewide)
A Federal Criminal Records Search is a statewide search that retrieves information directly from the Federal District Court repositories and identifies criminal convictions on federal charges. This is particularly relevant in identifying arrests and/or convictions for charges related to child pornography, and screening management and executive candidates for white-collar and financial crimes. Some employment contracts require federal criminal records searches as part of a screening package.
Background Check FAQs
Why should my ministry complete Background Checks?
Making a reasonable effort to access past criminal records of any individual applying to work with children has become a legal standard of care. Checking for past criminal records is an important element of your ministry’s screening process, although less than 10% of sexual abusers will have a past record to check. If an applicant has a past criminal record of sexual abuse, a Background Check is not completed, and a child is victimized, your ministry will likely be liable for the resulting damage.
Background checks and the Skillful Screening Process are valuable tools in your effort to recognize the predator before he or she has access to children in your ministry program.
Why should I use MinistrySafe Background Checks?
As a MinistrySafe member, we want you to become an educated consumer.
Many ministry leaders rely too heavily on Background Checks, and most Background Check companies market their services so as to reinforce this error. We want our members to understand what a Background Check can and cannot do.
Empirical evidence shows that less than 10% of sexual predators will ever encounter the criminal justice system. As a result, Background Checks alone constitute an inadequate safety protocol.
Many first-time offenders are allowed to ‘plea down’ to a lesser (non-sexual) offense in the name of judicial economy. Screening for common ‘plea down’ and ‘grooming’ offenses is an important use for Background Checks, in the hands of an educated consumer.
At MinistrySafe, we recognize that Background Checks have inherent flaws that can endanger children if not properly understood and countered.
Informed consumers make better decisions about Background Check purchases.
Which Background Check should I use for an employee or volunteer?
A common practice is to utilize the same Background Check for each ministry applicant, but this is an overly simplistic approach. Background Checks should be tailored to the position filled by a potential applicant or volunteer; there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ Background Check. An applicant who will have access to children in a less structured environment should undergo a more thorough criminal Background Check. One who has very limited access to children, or will serve in a more structured environment may receive a less stringent Background Check.
Remember, there are some staff members about whom you cannot afford to be wrong (e.g., children’s minister, youth pastor, camp director, headmaster).
MinistrySafe offers seven levels of Background Check screening to meet the needs of all organizations serving children.
How often should I update my employee and volunteer Background Checks?
MinistrySafe recommends updating your criminal Background Checks every two years. Some child-serving organizations are subject to licensure requirements which require more frequent updates. Others, like the camping industry, tend to update Background Checks yearly.
