ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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I had this discussion recently with a police officer in our community. His
point was that to do a truly useful and comprehensive background check is
fairly expense per person. That brings to question whether the free
background checks we do with our local police department are useful. This
service, at least in our area, really only checks issues that would have
arisen in this particular town and may not reveal issues outside of the
area, state or country.
We continue to use this service as it is free and gives us at list some
ability to identify concerns. I do question the value of it, but my feeling
is that it shows an intent, on our part, to provide some screening for
volunteers that will be working with children and the public.
Basically, it is important to know what information is revealed by the
background check, how extensive and how large a geographic area is covered.
And you certainly need to know how you plan on using the information, what
criteria you set for declining a prospective volunteer.
Chris Wallace Hostetler
Executive Director
ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum
1500 East Main
Ashland, Oregon 97520
541-482-6767 ext. 31
"Nature and art are too sublime to aim at purpose, nor need they, for
relationships are everywhere present, and relationships are life." - Goethe
-----Original Message-----
From: Informal Science Education Network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Kathy Krafft
Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2005 3:05 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: background checks
ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
institutions.
****************************************************************************
*
Hi all--
We rely heavily on volunteers for events, exhibit development, mailings,
groups of students who come in for a day of service and do landscaping
or whatever (Cornell University and Ithaca College), etc. One question
that has arisen in our museum safety committee is about background checks.
Currently the only screening we do is for folks sentenced by the courts
to do community service (DWI, or this being a college town, for underage
drinking, are typical offenses)-- we ask about the offense and obviously
don't accept people whose offense is not suited for our public facility.
Any thoughts to share would be most appreciated:
1. What is the feeling about doing background checks?
2. We send volunteers out to staff off-site events to which we bring
activities. Do we have to worry about these people driving to the
events, about their dealing with the public off-site, any other issues?
Thanks--
Kathy Krafft
Director of Exhibits
Sciencenter
Ithaca, NY
607-272-0600 ext 25
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