Criminal%20Background%20Checks

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CriminalBackgroundChecks

• Protecting You, Rotary, and Our Students

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Our Commitment

• Rotary District 7770
• and its member districts are committed to the
  safety and security of each of the young people
  who is in our care through the Rotary Youth
  Exchange Program.

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Our Procedures

• Personal references
• In-home interviews
• Orientation and training
• Criminal background checks
• Monthly student contacts

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Who do we check?

• Anyone volunteer who has direct one-on-one
  unsupervised contact with students
• Host family members 18 or over

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Ineligible

• Anyone who does not provide references
• Anyone who does not authorize a criminal
  background check
• Any host who is not visited at home before and
  during the exchange

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Our Primary Concern

• The primary concern is always to safeguard the
  best interests of the exchange students.

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Exclusion Discretion

• To exclude altogether or limit a prospective
  volunteers/hosts participation in the District
  is exclusively at the discretion of the District

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Decision Factors

• Considerations of the criminal conduct include,
  but are not limited to
• Nature of offense(s)
• Severity
• Lapsed time

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Procedures

• Volunteers and hosts must sign a Youth Exchange
  Volunteer Affidavit authorizing District 7770 to
  conduct a background check

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Procedures

• Application must be accurate
• False information means automatic exclusion

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Procedures

• District will rely on information in background
  report
• District has no control of or liability for
  information received

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Procedures

• District requests National Criminal Background
  and Sex Offender Registry checks plus Social
  Security verification
• District is currently paying for all background
  checks

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Procedures

• District obtains report from Spectrum Security
  and communicates results to Club YEO
• Positive reports notified by e-mail
• Negative reports sent to Alan Walters his
  committee will review report and make a
  determination of the proper course of action

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Procedures

• Discussion and Decision by Alan Walter's
  Committee
• In some cases, may discuss disqualification with
  DG, District Chair, and Club YEO

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Procedures

• Automatic disqualifications
• Crimes against children
• Felony offenses against persons
• Felony offenses against the family
• Crimes of public indecency
• Crimes using weapons
• Arson
• Violent Crime or felony drug-related offenses
• Residing with a registered sex offender

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Procedures

• Possible disqualifications
• First offense DWI, DUI, or possession of a
  controlled substance under two ounces
• Crimes involving theft, fraud, embezzlement, and
  forgery
• For all other criminal offenses (except traffic
  violations classified as misdemeanors)

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Procedures

• Notification
• Provide notice of possible action to volunteer
  before and after adverse decision
• Include the individual's rights under the Fair
  Credit Reporting Act

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Procedures

• Contesting Information
• Provide a written notice to the Alan Walters
  within ten days of being advised that
  participation has been denied.
• Individual's responsibility to challenge the
  report received from Spectrum Security and to
  arrange for any corrections, if necessary.

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Procedures

• Confidentiality
• Background check information kept by Spectrum
  Security and District
• Reference checks done and kept by Club YEO and
  District
• Criminal checks done and kept by Spectrum
  Security, Inc. and maintained by individual
  checked

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Procedures

• Records Retention
• Retained in secure files for ten years
• Electronic files are acceptable
• Hard copies are alternative

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Procedures

• Frequency of Background Checks
• Every five years for volunteers with continuous
  service
• Significant change requires a new check (e.g.
  change of residence or Rotary club)
• Host families annually unless continuous
• Host family members who are also volunteers are
  rechecked every five years

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Procedures

• Criminal Background Checks by District 7770
• Checks must be national and will be coordinated
  by District 7770 acting with authorizations
  obtained by Rotary Clubs.

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Procedures

• Selection of Agent to Conduct Background Checks
• State authorities are not acceptable
• District is currently using Spectrum Security,
  but reserves the right to use another agent in
  the future

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Procedures

• Rates for Background Checks
• District 7770 will work with to develop the
  lowest possible rates that meet acceptable
  standards.

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CriminalBackgroundChecks

• Protecting You, Rotary, and Our Students