A Resource

PROTECTING PROFITS?THEIR

Secrets of Youth Sports Background Screening Revealed

When you conduct background checks on employees, volunteers and coaches, you need to be assured that the search is thorough and performed in a reliable manner to best safeguard your organization from risk. Unfortunately, some background check vendors sell sub-standard services that return large profit margins. Rather than see their profits impacted, some vendors promote a national criminal database and sex offender search as a standalone product and attempt to convince unknowing customers through lavish branding and imagery that it’s a quality screen.

It’s not.

Why the Quality of Your Screen Matters

Protecting Their Profits | 2

Protecting Their Profits | 3

The “National” Database LieAll Background Screens are not created equal, and in the case of “national” database screens, they are extremely unreliable. However, many vendors in youth sports screening, openly promote and recommend a database screen only. This may be the greatest lie told in background screening today, and the truth about “national” databases is that they are very risky for numerous reasons:

• A complete “nationwide” database does not exist in the U.S. because criminal public record information is highly complex and not consistent from state to state.

• Less than 50% of U.S. courts are available in a “national” database

• Some counties do not report to any state or national repositories; for example, any records from Maricopa County in Arizona (Phoenix metro area) are only available at the county level.

• The records in a database may not be the most current or have a final disposition - this is often only found at the court of record.

• Database searches often return large numbers of records when using common names, resulting in false positives, which can be a liability for organizations.

A commercially available National Criminal Database should never be used alone or as the primary method of discovering records, especially when those screened interact with children, even if the vendor tells you they are verifying the data at the county. They are still only verifying the data they found in the database. The database itself is like a wireless provider coverage map that has holes in it everywhere. There are over 3,400 counties in the country and over 5,400 courts, and these databases include less than half of them.

1. Why does the package include one county level search if you promote the National Database as inclusive of all records in the U.S.?Your provider may supplement a “national” search with one county level search of the applicant’s current residence. But if the database search is of such high quality, why would you need that one county? The truth is that at best, this database contains records from about 50% of U.S. courts. 50-50 is great odds for some things - but not for the protection of children.

2. My search is described as multi-jurisdictional or multi-state; it covers everywhere, right?Vendors may call the nationwide search a “Multi-Jurisdictional Search” or “Multi-State and Multi-County Search,” but it’s still the same database. Any vendor who treats this search as if it covers every state and every county is not being truthful about its scope. Calling it something else doesn’t change its deficiencies.

3. How can you offer me a flat fee for unlimited searches that include county level courts?Vendors who offer you a flat fee for unlimited searches are almost assuredly only searching a database. County level searches include a variety of fees that background firms have to pay, including access fees and costs associated

6 Questions to Ask Your Screener Now

Protecting Their Profits | 4

with sending someone to the court, as not all courts allow for electronic retrieval of records. It’s impossible to offer someone an “unlimited use” price unless you are using the extremely cheap option of hitting a database with little human intervention.

4. Is this search compliant with FCRA and the EEOC’s guidance?Unverified database searches routinely leave employers and CRAs in trouble with both the Federal Trade Commission (FTA) which enforces the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and the EEOC, who issued specific guidance in 2012 regarding the use of criminal records in hiring practices. FCRA and the EEOC do not distinguish between a paid and volunteer employee. Multiple CRAs and employers have been sued and had to pay out large settlements or fines for infractions related to database searches.

5. Is verifying records found on a database equivalent to county level searches based on an Address History Trace?Some background screening vendors are very good at wording their marketing and sales pitches and use words like “County Verified” or “Verified at the County” to make customers believe they are using county data. But the difference is in how you decide where to search. If you use a national database to discover records and then add counties for verification, it is substandard.

This type of search is not based on an Address History Trace, which is a report listing known residence history for an individual based on their Social Security number. Additionally, some vendors will call “national” searches “unadjudicated” meaning they will send you anything possible for an applicant. If it’s a common name, expect to receive pages and pages of records that may or may not belong to your applicant. False positives are just as bad as missing records because it erodes the confidence you have in your screening program. 6. Is searching a sex offender registry a sufficient search if it’s what my organization recommends? While searching sex offender registries in real-time (not a database) is part of a best practices search, you shouldn’t stop there. Sexual predators are not the only criminals that should not have access to youths. Offenses like assault, armed robbery or other violent crimes should probably be considered as behaviors not suitable for coaches or volunteers who work with children. These types of offenses are only found through criminal searches.

Another unscrupulous yet highly profitable method some vendors promote is “instant” checks. These firms promise immediate results for visitor and volunteer screening, assuring organizations that this type of screen is effective and compliant.

So what is an “instant” check? Any vendor offering an instant check is simply taking a name and running it against a database that at best includes criminal records electronically available. Typically, these databases are static and updated infrequently. Further, there is no vetting process in an “instant” check, meaning any record found has not been verified to determine a final disposition or if the record even belongs to the applicant in question.

Not only does this type of search create a false sense of safety, but can also be non-compliant. The FCRA requires a 613 letter when individuals are adversely impacted. They must receive this letter at the same time results are provided.

The “Instant” Check DeceptionRecent litigation has proved costly for screening companies that did not fulfill this obligation in a timely manner.

So why do background screen vendors sell these screens? Sadly it’s all about the money. If a vendor charges an organization $12 for an instant database check and

Protecting Their Profits | 5

does not verify any records nor search any counties, its cost for the search is around 50 cents. That’s quite a profit for them. These vendors will also often align themselves with organizations in your industry and provide incentives for the organization to endorse them as a partner, leaving you with a substandard search and your kids at risk.

As a provider of background check services for youth sports organizations and volunteers, BIB believes in the importance of educating these groups on what a thorough and reliable screen is and why it’s important to conduct this level of search.

SecureScreen, BIB’s premier background search technology, deploys a comprehensive list of intelligent screening products coupled with an investigative management system to produce a high quality screen. This same screen is being utilized by some of the most scrupulous human resources and loss prevention professionals in corporate America.

If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right. Background checks shouldn’t just be an item you check off because it’s required. Organizations that perform best practices searches provide a safer environment and can be a deterrent for keeping those with serious criminal records away from kids.

What is a Reliable Screen?

Vendors that value profitsover quality could leave you unprotected from predators.

How closely

are you checking

your volunteers?

How closely

are you checking

your volunteers?

Protecting Their Profits | 6

Identity Mapping Technology Creates a jurisdictional profile for an individual through an Address History Trace. Also discovers AKAs (Also Known As) names that should also be searched.

County Court SearchPerform searches in counties based on the identity mapping; the most complete records are found at the county level, which is the court of record.

National Criminal Record Locator Owned by BIB; is the largest domestic national record locator database in the U.S.

Contains over 400 million records (10 times the number of the FBI Database!)

Collected from over 2,500 public agencies

Vetted and verified hits by BIB for every offense at the court of record.

Real-Time National Sex Offender SearchA comprehensive, real-time search of all available registries; not just your local state. BIB’s SecureScreen meets and exceeds all national background screening policies in youth sports including those determined by NRPA, Little League, AYSO, Pop Warner, Babe Ruth and American Legion.

BIB’s SecureScreen: Discover A Professional Grade Search

Protecting Their Profits | 7

Use a “national” database as the key means to find criminal records

Offer only single county searches in packages

Buy records from data brokers, often choosing cheaper data that provides less hits

Depend on the technology of its data sources

Does not include AKAs automatically

May not provide adjudication or policy management solutions

May not offer Adverse Action support

Not available

No ID Cards

Sell screens in blocks requiring pre-payment for services

Charge access fees on top of screen pricing

May not provide final disposition on verified hits

No notification service

Satisfaction levels not published

Never uses a “national” database as a sole source for finding criminal records

Provides a Jurisdictional Profile with an Address History Trace and searches all counties where the applicant has lived and/or worked in the past seven years

Owns a proprietary Criminal Record Locator Database, which houses 10x the records of the FBI Database

Has a superior technology infrastructure

Includes AKAs to ensure all records are found for an individual

Manages “Pass” Determinations with a team of expert criminal researchers

Mails Adverse Action communications to applicants that do not meet your guidelines, keeping you compliant with FCRA

Web based platform for volunteer screening wherein applicants enter their own data

Provides Visual ID Cards to Approved Volunteers

No software investment, monthly fees or pre-payments required. EVER.

Offers the same flat price for screens regardless of where they need to occur, allowing you to budget accordingly

Verifies any hit in National Record Locator at the court of record (county) and provides you with full disposition

Sends automatic emails when re-screens are due

100% of clients are satisfied with BIB with eight out of 10 awarding the highest ranking

BIB’s SecureScreen Other Providers

BIB’s SecureScreen vs. Other Screens

Protecting Their Profits | 8

Never use a national criminal search as the sole source for background checks. There is no single database that receives and aggregates data from every U.S. court. Less than 50% of the court systems’ criminal records are included in the industry’s “national” database search. A search such as this should never be used as a standalone but rather as a record locator that expands the scope outside of the jurisdictional profile. Records found through this search should be verified at the court of record.

Three Tips to Better Screening for Youth Sports OrgsAlways insist on an Address History Trace (AHT) and Multi-County searches. An AHT will reveal the jurisdictions where an individual has lived, discovers important AKAs, and creates a Jurisdictional Profile, signifying what counties should be searched for possible records. Searching only one county is not an effective search, unless the individual has never left that county for the duration of his or her life, which is highly improbable.

Avoid the purchase of blocks of background screens in advance. Reputable firms will offer competitive pricing and not require pre-payment. If you have already paid for a block of screens but are concerned about the accuracy, request a credit from the provider. If they refuse to issue a credit, talk to BIB about a credit.

Protecting Their Profits | 9

We have used BIB for at least

7 years. The service has been

great and easy to use. When

we have questions, customer

service is very polite and

willing to help. - Christian Fellowship Church

They are very thorough and

quick, they are easy to contact,

and the price is very good for

the service you are getting.

- Parent Resource Non-Profit

BIB provides us with background checks for our mentoring program. The process is easy and provides a chance to edit the request before sending in orders to catch any errors! - Communities in Schools

We’ve Got Raving FansRead what fellow volunteer organizations have to say about us! We have been a customer of BIB since

2005 and not once during these 8 years

have I ever experienced a problem with our

services. Speaking of customer service,

one thing I love about BIB is when you

call the office, a live person answers the

phone instead of a machine. Just cannot

say enough good things about BIB - #1

in my book! Would not think of doing

business with anyone other than BIB!

- YMCA

Protecting Their Profits | 10

Ready to test your process for possible gaps?

Contact BIB today for a free assessment of your screening program, and experience confidence in your screening provider.

About BIBBIB offers background screening with integrity. We screen, test and verify the backgrounds of your employees and volunteers. Clients love our responsive service and how we accelerate their speed to hire while reducing their costs. With BIB, you get reliable results and easy technology. We’re good at what matters and have been since 1995. BIB is a founding member of NAPBS and a member of SHRM and NRPA.

About Secure VolunteerSecure Volunteer is a web based, turnkey platform for screening volunteers. Volunteers enter their own data, removing paper forms from the process. Secure Volunteer manages who has been screened and when, facilitates the approval process, provides a professional grade screen and supplies approved volunteers with ID cards. With Secure Volunteer, organizations screen better and quicker without sacrificing quality or breaking their budgets.

Protecting Their Profits | 11