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Not all background checks are created equal
Most volunteer coaches have to pass a criminal background check in order to work with kids, but not all checks are equally comprehensive. Experts say some even have major flaws.
James Gunn, who had a conviction for a violent offense, was able to coach kids, and the Beech Grove league he volunteered with said the background check didn't catch the record.
"There is no single database in this country that has all criminal records," explained Mike McCarty, CEO of Danville-based Safe Hiring Solutions.
McCarty, a former police officer, says the situation involving Gunn is very possible, and likely the organization he was volunteering with was using a simple, inexpensive online tool, but one that checks only limited records.
Gunn is accused of attacking a referee two weeks ago during a football game involving 7- and 8-year-olds.
"It's a second grade football youth game. No game should ever, ever revert to violence," a player’s parent said about the incident.
Eyewitness News discovered Gunn was recently on probation for a 2014 violent felony conviction.
"With the alleged background this individual possesses, he should not be around children. He should not be coaching children, he should not be instructing children," said Beech Grove city attorney Craig Wiley.
McCarty says parents should ask their league what type of background check is used. Inexpensive online databases often miss key records.
"So instant and single-source are the two keys that the background screening program is not really quality," he explained.
Parents should be sure the background check looks at multiple local, state and national criminal record databases. Also, it should take a few days to get results. Experts say the more comprehensive the check, the longer it will take.
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