Criminal Background Checks for Leaders to be Completed

Criminal Background Checks:  An Update
As dedicated BSA volunteers, you understand the importance of keeping our youth safe in the Scouting program. To ensure Youth Protection, our organization has conducted criminal background checks on all new volunteers since April 2003. Because some volunteers have been continually registered in the program before April 2003, some have not had a criminal background check. In the next few months, we will be communicating with those volunteers on this issue.

Volunteers who have not had a background check will receive a letter from Chief Scout Executive Bob Mazzuca. The letter will explain the need for consent to conduct a criminal background check (CBC) and direct volunteers to a Web site. The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act mandates that organizations must have a signed authorization from the individual to conduct a CBC. Some versions of the BSA adult applications prior to April 2003 did not have a complete authorization and disclosure statement for a criminal background check to be conducted.

Note: The Boy Scouts of America’s criminal background procedures fall under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act. The checks conducted on our behalf by our vendor report criminal activitynot credit or financial historyon an individual.