Wednesday, April 7, 2004

Background checks for coaches now a common occurence

By MICHAEL BOYLAN
mboylan@TheCitizenNews.com

Every parent wants to do everything possible to insure their child’s safety and well-being. This is one of the reasons why background checks for youth coches and instructors have become increasingly prevalent around the country.

Background checks look for convictions for drug possession or distribution, violent crimes, such as assault, rape and murder, as well as crimes of a sexual nature. By searching for these crimes in a person’s past and not allowing one to coach children if they have been convicted of any of these crimes, municipalities and parents hope that it is a preventative measure that will keep their children safe.

All of the recreation departments in Fayette County have their youth coaches and instructors go through background checks. This is the second year that background checks have been done in the county.

Tyrone has those interested in coaching a youth sport or teaching a class to children sign a form authorizing a background check. The town then outsources the background check and a detective on the Tyrone Police Department receives the results. If there is no crime in the person’s past, the coach or instructor just goes along coaching. If there is a crime, the person is called and told of the results, but there is an opportunity for appeal.

The Fayette County Recreation Department’s process is similar, except that the background checks are performed by the Fayette County Marshal’s Office.

Peachtree City makes it mandatory for each youth sports otrganization in the city to have background checks, though they don’t specify which company to use. As for background checks for youth instructors, Sherry McHugh, recreation administrator for Peachtree City Parks and Recreation, stated that they have been conducting background checks for years.

For more information on background checks, visit Cyber Detective or Rapsheets.com, just some of the companies used by local organizations.