No background checks for many camp workers
No background checks for many camp workers August 12, 2007 - Random checks performed by the state finds workers in violation of state law. COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Nearly half of 21 summer camps recently inspected by the state failed to prove they had checked all of their employees' backgrounds, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services said Friday. Of the camps randomly selected for review by the department this summer, 10 were missing proof of fingerprint-based background checks, a violation state law, said department spokeswoman Scarlett Bouder. By the end of the month, the department will check about 10 more camps randomly chosen from the 280 day and overnight camps registered with the state, Bouder said. This is the third year the department has performed random inspections since the Legislature passed a law requiring background checks on employees through the state Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation. Last year the numbers were about the same: 10 of 26 camps inspected were out of compliance, Bouder said. "It's true that the numbers aren't good," she said. Although most camps are cooperative, the law is still somewhat new and staff often needs clarification, Bouder said. The department hopes a series of tightened controls to be implemented next summer will force more camps into compliance. Pat Lyons, the director of Prevent Child Abuse Ohio said the number of camps out of compliance was extremely unfortunate. "Anytime a person is left in a position of authority with children, it needs to be taken very seriously," she said. Dennis Elliott, of the Ohio chapter of the American Camp Association, said it is not yet clear just how out of compliance the ten camps in the state were. Camp Joy near Wilmington, for example, has 75 employees and just one staff member's information was missing, he said. However, a group that has programs for high risk youth in central Ohio didn't have background checks for 17 of its college-age counselors, The Columbus Dispatch reported. Checks performed at the Community for New Direction Summer Day Camps in the three weeks since inspection have revealed no problems, Gregory Jefferson, executive director of the camp, told the paper. He said a staff member assigned to handle the background checks had failed to do the job and may be fired. Specific details about the camps that are out of compliance were not available from the state Friday because Job and Family Services staff is still compiling data, said spokesman Dennis Evans. After being notified of problems by the state, camps are given three days to comply with the law or face a fine. The department has not yet recommended fine amounts. http://abclocal.go.com/wtvg/story?section=local&id=5561697

I saw this article as well. It made me and board members reevaluate how we are doing things at CASOO. At this time we are working with getting all our volunteers back ground checks. We are also in the process of eliminating a few volunteers after our reveiw but not because of being a sexual perp, or anything like that. How could this happen?