Coaches Sex Allegations Raise Questions About Background Check

Two Florida men are under arrest after being nabbed in a child pornography sting. The men were both youth football sports coaches, and while criminal checks were run on the two, they did not reveal any criminal pasts. Both men had free access to numerous schools.

One of the men arrested not only coached a football team, but also had access to the school through his multimedia company. The other man was employed through his company as a vendor, and had a criminal past which ranged from aggravated assault, to battery, and carrying a concealed weapon.

The school however did not screen for these offenses when he was hired, opting rather to search only for sexual offenses. This narrow search was ineffective at stopping an ex-criminal from committing more crimes, this time with youths.

Youths need to be protected, and a full criminal record checkis a necessity in accomplishing this goal. Obtaining only limited information on those who have access to schools is short-sighted and can be a detriment not only to the well being of youths, but also to the schools and programs they attend.

As Canada’s leader in pre-employment background screening, BackCheck advocates obtaining the most complete picture of a new candidate prior to hire. Our clients continue to be pleased by the quality and detail of the reports we produce, and the aid this lends in making good and informed hiring decisions.