Did You Know?

• Members of church congregations have been the victims of many crimes including murder, assault, theft, sexual assault, and more.
  
• Pedophiles target churches because most churches do not screen staff and volunteers, and the church has an abundant supply of children in which to target.
  
• Churches and denominational organizations are legally responsible for the actions and behavior of those they employ and appoint to volunteer positions.
  
• Even some people who profess a relationship with God are not honest about their background.
  
• Churches are responsible for conducting a reasonable investigation into the fitness of those they allow to participate in the ministry of the church.
  
• Negligent hiring and negligent retention are concepts with which churches must be familiar.
  
• Background screening can have a deterrent effect on those who may wish to become involved in the ministry of the church but have a negative background that can be detrimental to the church and its mission.
  
• Churches have a responsibility to provide a safe place in which people can come to worship God.
  
• Many states have passed legislation making it mandatory for certain industries to obtain criminal reports on anyone they hire.
  
• 40 million Americans have arrest records.
  
• There are 1.5 million probationers.
  
• A high percentage of claims in workers' compensation cases involve fraud.
  
• Over 85% of all resumes contain errors, omissions and false statements.
  
• The U.S. Department of Justice states that 16% of all assaults happen at the workplace.

Employment Statistics Affecting Your Church

• Church volunteers commit 50% of all incidents of sexual abuse in churches.
  
• Paid staff commit 30% of incidents of sexual abuse in churches.
  
• Other children commit 20% of incidents of sexual abuse in churches.
  
• 60% of college registrars regularly experience attempts to document false credentials.
  
• 33% of job applicants falsify employment applications.
  
• 30% of businesses failures are caused by employee theft.
  
• $15-25 billion lost to employee theft a year according to the Bureau of National Affairs.
  
• Average employee embezzlement is over $125,000.
  
• Persons with substance abuse are 10 times more likely to miss work, 3 times more likely to have an accident, 33% less productive on the job and file 5 times as many workers' compensation claims.
  
• The workplace is the scene of approximately 3.2 million crimes and thefts every year.
  
• Over 2 million personal thefts happen annually in the workplace.
  
• 1 in 6 violent crimes occur in the work place.
  
• Workplace violence cost employers in access of $5 billion in lost work and legal fees.