Statewide Criminal Background Checks revealed that 66 teachers and 399 other school employees are felons and sex offenders.
Nearly 500 felons and registered sex offenders were working in Michigan schools as of January 2006, according to a state report released in April 2006. A statewide criminal background check of 200,000 school employees revealed that 66 teachers and 399 other school employees are felons with eleven more being state-registered sex offenders. The Michigan state government performed these criminal background checks because of a new law that was written for protecting children.
The criminal background checks may be the first comprehensive and accurate accounting of the criminal histories of all school employees in the state’s history. Last fall, lawmakers passed the Student Safety Initiative requiring the review. It was prompted by a Detroit News investigation that revealed flaws in the system.
Sex Offender Background Checks: A Cost-Effective Business Activity
Currently only about 60% of businesses have pre-employment processes that screen for registered sex offenders as well as perform criminal background checks. Many businesses are worried that the cost of such screening practices out weighs the benefits of the screening. At PeopleCheck we would like to remind businesses that almost 80% of sex crimes are committed by registered sex offenders. PeopleCheck can offer your company a basic criminal background check that includes a sex offender registry search for, in most cases, under $20 per employee. This basic screening package can potentially save your company thousands of dollars in legal fees. Contact a PeopleCheck representative today to learn more about how to protect your customers and your business.