Criminal Background Check Records​

1 Purpose of Records

Consistent with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, the archdiocese requires fingerprint background checks for all clergy and religious, as well as for all employees and volunteers who have contact with minors at archdiocesan schools or parishes or who have supervisory or disciplinary power over minors in their care. The archdiocese submits the fingerprints to the California Department of Justice​ (DOJ), which sends back a confidential report indicating if the individual has a criminal record. The DOJ also sends follow-up notices to the archdiocese to report any subsequent criminal conviction.

2 Use of Records

Fingerprint background check records are used to determine whether the individual has a criminal history that would disqualify him or her from employment or volunteering in certain settings (e.g., an applicant would be disqualified from employment as a teacher if he or she had a prior offense involving child abuse). The information received from the California DOJ​ is kept in confidential files, with strictly limited access. The archdiocese receives and retains criminal history information received from the DOJ in a manner consistent with the requirements of state law and the regulations issued by the DOJ.

3 Retention of Records

Criminal background check records are retained for as long as the individual continues to be associated with any location. Retention according to this schedule is an operational necessity for the archdiocese, given that staff members may engage in ministry in, work in, or volunteer at different locations (or may work in one location and volunteer at another). The records will be destroyed when the individual ceases engaging in ministry in, being employed by, or volunteering for any location, and when the individual provides the archdiocese with notice that he or she no longer intends thereafter to volunteer or work for any location.