Ted Poe: “The Child Safety Pilot Program, originally created in 2003 as part of the PROTECT Act, has proven to be a valuable…”

“The Child Safety Pilot Program, originally created in 2003 as part of the PROTECT Act, has proven to be a valuable resource for groups that work with children, such as the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the National Mentoring Partnership, and the National Council of Youth Sports. Using this pilot program, nonprofit organizations that provide youth-focused care, as defined in the National Child Protection Act of 1993, may request criminal history background checks from the FBI on applicants for volunteer or employee positions that involve working with children. Currently, nearly 68,000 background checks have been administered through the Child Safety Pilot Program. Of those checks, over 6 percent of all workers screened had criminal records of concern, including serious crimes such as murder, rape, and child assault cases. More than 41 percent of applicants with a criminal record committed crimes in other States other than the one in which they were applying to work as a volunteer. Only a nationwide check, such as the Child Safety Pilot Program, could have provided this information to employers. A nationwide check is vital to these organization since many of these applicants are looking for work in other States specifically to escape their criminal pasts. That's why I support S. 2950, the Criminal History Background Checks Pilot Extension Act of 2009, which extends this program for 14 more months.”