When you think of parks and recreation programs, images of children playing sports, summer camps, and community events likely come to mind. However, have you ever considered the important behind-the-scenes work that goes into keeping kids, seniors, and all participants safe?

Parks and recreation departments across the country rely heavily on the selfless efforts of volunteers to coach youth sports teams, lead exercise classes for seniors, organize community gardens, maintain trails and facilities, and more. 

While the majority of these volunteers have the best intentions, the unfortunate reality is a small percentage may have criminal histories that could jeopardize the safety and well-being of your vulnerable populations.

That's why comprehensive background screening is absolutely vital for any parks and recreation organization. 

An adequate background check can uncover previous convictions for violent crimes, sexual offenses, fraud, and other troubling issues that automatically disqualify someone from working with your community.

Why Background Checks Matter

While no one wants to think the worst of volunteers, the fact is a significant portion of the population has criminal records that often go unreported or undetected without proper screening. According to a report by the National Employment Law Project, roughly 1 in 3 American adults have some type of criminal record.

Parks and recreational facilities are commonplace settings where predators could have access to potential victims, especially children and seniors who are more vulnerable.

Even something as seemingly minor as a theft conviction should raise red flags when evaluating volunteers who may have unsupervised access to facilities, equipment rooms, or cash boxes.

The bottom line is while most volunteers are upstanding individuals, it's impossible to know someone's full background without a formal screening process. 

Comprehensive background checks are absolutely essential in order to maintain a safety-first environment for everyone involved.

What Background Checks Should Cover for Parks and Recs

When it comes to screening volunteers, a background check should include several key components beyond just a basic criminal history search. A thorough vetting process helps provide a more complete view of a candidate's background and qualifications.

The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) has their own Recommended Guidelines for Credentialing Volunteers that you and your provider should be aware of.

To get a full picture of your applicants, you’ll want to include:

National Criminal Database

A national criminal records database, like CI’s identity validation inquiry, allows you to uncover conviction information from other states the volunteer may have failed to disclose on their application or interview.

These searches are a great starting point, but they won’t reveal all the details about your applicant. It’s important to pair a national or multijurisdictional criminal search with a county or state criminal search to obtain all available information.

County Criminal Records

At a minimum, county-level criminal records should be searched across all jurisdictions where the volunteer has previously lived, going back at least 7-10 years. This allows you to catch convictions for misdemeanors like simple assault, drug possession, theft, and other non-violent offenses that may still be relevant.

However, county courts in New York do hear misdemeanor cases and thus do not have conviction information. In New York, misdemeanor criminal cases are heard in the lower (town, city, local) courts and felony criminal cases are heard at the county court level  Cases will never go to county court if there are only misdemeanor level offenses.

If you are only doing county criminal searches in New York, you are leaving yourself vulnerable to unknown misdemeanor convictions.

Statewide Criminal Records 

Some states maintain a state criminal repository that has compliant data for the whole state, instead of just one county. Using state criminal inquiries in the states with compliant data can help lower your cost, and turnaround time.

State criminal searches usually include a per name fee, which can put a real strain on budgets. In New York, for example, the NYS Office of Court Administration (NYS OCA) criminal search costs $95 per name, paid to the state.

For organizations in New York, there is another way. CI has a relationship with the NYS law enforcement, which allows us to offer a proprietary New York State criminal search, called Cursory Indicator NY™ (CI NY).

CI NY allows you to obtain the same, or more, New York state criminal history for one third the cost of the NYS OCA.

Sex Offender Registry Checks

Given the number of children's programs, underage sports leagues, and other youth activities run by parks and recreation departments, screening all volunteers against state and national sex offender registries is an absolute must for safety.

Most organizations start with the National Sex Offender Registry (Dru Sjodin), but don’t know they are missing some offender levels. Most sex offender registries categorize offenders into multiple levels. 

For example, In NY Level 1 offenders committed the least severe crime, and are least likely to repeat. Level 3 offenders committed the most severe crimes, and are the most likely to repeat.

The National registry only contains information on only some levels of offenders. For example, It does not contain Level 1 offender information for NYS.

To get the full picture of your volunteer or applicant, you need to search each state specific registry where the person has lived.

Professional License / Certification Verification

For positions like teaching a professional sports clinic, leading outdoor adventure activities, or other specialized roles, verifying any relevant licenses or certifications held by the volunteer is highly recommended.

The screening requirements can potentially expand further, depending on the nature of the volunteer duties. For example, those handling cash transactions may need a credit check or financial criminal search done as well. Volunteers who will be transporting program participants should have driving records examined.

A layered approach combining multiple data sources allows parks and recreation departments to gain better visibility into a volunteer's history and potential safety risks before granting them access to vulnerable community members.

Tailoring Background Checks for Parks and Recreation Volunteers

While background checks are crucial for all parks and recreation volunteers, the specific screening criteria and components can be tailored based on the nature of the volunteer role and level of interaction with vulnerable populations.  

For example, volunteers serving as youth sports coaches or camp counselors with direct supervision over minors should face the strictest screening requirements. At minimum, this should include:

• Identity validation.

• Social security number verification (to catch any aliases/alternate names).

• County, state, and national criminal history searches.

• National and state sex offender registry checks.

• Driving record check if transporting kids.

For these highest-risk roles, some organizations may even require cyber background checks and/or in-person interviews with senior staff as an extra layer of screening.

Volunteers overseeing seniors' activities or programs for other vulnerable adults should undergo similarly stringent vetting, including:

• Identity validation.

• National criminal history search.

• National and state sex offender registry checks.

• Review of any professional licenses/certifications (for teaching roles, etc.).

For lower-risk volunteer roles like trail maintenance, gardening, office/admin work, or community events staffed by multiple volunteers, the screening requirements can potentially be scaled back to identity validation and criminal records searches.

It's also advisable for parks and rec organizations to establish a standardized re-screening cadence for all volunteers, conducting updated background checks on an annual or biennial basis rather than just at the time of initial application. This allows you to catch any new criminal charges or convictions over time.

Some states have specific laws and requirements around background screening for parks/recreation volunteers, coaches, etc. Your background check provider should review and comply with any applicable regulations.

By implementing tailored, role-specific screening packages supplemented with re-screening protocols, parks and recreation departments can develop volunteer background check programs that balance safety with operational feasibility and costs.

Making the Volunteer Screening Process Easier

Implementing background checks is a vital safety measure, but the process doesn't have to be difficult. With the right tools and providers, screening volunteers can be simple and efficient.

One key way to streamline the process is through online background check systems that allow you to order screenings for multiple volunteers simultaneously with just a few clicks. Advanced platforms integrate with mobile phones, enabling volunteers to enter their own information from their smartphones for a fast, paperless experience.

When evaluating potential vendors, look for providers that can package all the key screening components into a single streamlined process.

The provider you choose should also have robust built-in compliance tools to ensure you remain fully aligned with legal requirements like the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

This includes maintaining auditable records, sending proper adverse action notifications if a volunteer is denied due to their background check findings, and following other industry guidelines.

Finally, look for background screening companies that specialize in servicing parks, recreation departments, and youth-serving nonprofits.

They'll have tailored packages refined specifically for your use cases, experienced compliance teams to advise you, and a deeper understanding of the unique risks involved with vetting volunteers versus employees.

At CI, we've been helping parks and recreation organizations implement volunteer background check programs for over 20 years. 

With our full-service online platform, portable digital records, and commitment to compliance, we make screening parks and recs volunteers easier than ever before while providing visibility into any potential safety risks.

Reach out to our team today to learn more about our proven volunteer screening solutions. Your community's safety is our top priority.