Editor:
As part of The Buddy Program’s mission to pair youth with an adult mentor in the Roaring Fork Valley, the safety of our children is our number one concern. To ensure that our volunteers are thoroughly screened, we have been fortunate to be included in a federal pilot program called “SafetyNET,” in which volunteers are screened through the FBI fingerprint system.
We have found this nationwide background screening process to be crucial; however, the pilot program is due to expire in July unless action is taken by Congress. Please help The Buddy Program to support the continuance of the SafetyNET program so that we can continue to assure our commitment to the safety of our children through FBI searches. The following information from SafetyNET illustrates the importance of SafetyNET to our program:
“Nearly 40,000 FBI fingerprint checks have been conducted through the PROTECT Act pilot, and 6.1 percent of potential volunteers were found to have criminal records of concern. In addition, over 40 percent of individuals with criminal records had crimes in states other than where they were applying to volunteer — meaning that only a nationwide check would have caught the criminal records. Very serious criminal offenses, including sexual abuse against children, manslaughter, and rapes, have been found.”
The Child Protection Improvements Acts of 2008 (S. 2756 and H.R. 5606) have recently been introduced in Washington to create a permanent successor to SafetyNET that would be available to all organizations that work with young people. The bills would establish a national applicant processing center to conduct the background checks and engage the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in reviewing criminal records and in determining the suitability of volunteers and employees for interaction with children.
Please contact your senators and representative and ask them to co-sponsor this important legislation. If you have any questions, please contact safetynet@mentoring.org.
Thank you for your help!
Kaitlyn Archambault
The Buddy Program
