Violent Felons Sent Into Homes as Service Workers
Cincinnati, OH (PRWEB) September 13, 2013 -- This story was originally reported on 08/20/2013 by TODAY. For the full article and corresponding video, please visit TODAY.com. This Site makes no warranties or representations in connection therewith.
TODAY reported that there are no federal laws requiring background checks for service workers such as TV installers or handymen, and only spotty local laws requiring service companies to do background checks. But some of those workers are actually violent felons who have even attacked customers inside their own homes.
According to TODAY, Sally's little girl was just 4 when she was chased around her own living room by a sexual predator. He was there to fix the family's fireplace, sent by a company Sally trusted. "It was a well-known company that did lots of work in homes around Seattle," Sally said, so she figured the worker they sent was safe: "I had no reason to stop and think differently." While the baby sitter was in the next room, James Warning turned his attention to Sally's daughter, playing just feet away. "He said to her, 'Let's play a game. I want you to be as quiet as you can,'" Sally said. "He exposed himself to her and started to touch himself. He wanted her to take off her clothes, and she managed to keep the couch between herself and him so he wasn't able to touch her.
TODAY further reported that James Warning had a criminal past as a violent felon who had spent 15 years in prison for attacking another little girl. His rap sheet includes convictions for kidnapping, attempted child molestation and attempted murder. That reputable company that sent him never did a criminal background check. Warning was caught and thrown back in prison. While cases like his are rare, convicted criminals have been sent to work inside people's homes from Chicago to Memphis to New York. Yet there is no pending federal legislation that would mandate background checks for home service workers. Victims say they're now hoping to get the attention of lawmakers. They say many companies won't do the checks unless they're forced to, because it can get expensive.
James Boeddeker, President of Selection.com, a leading provider of criminal background checks and pre-employment drug screenings stated, "Home service companies are especially vulnerable to these types of situations, which makes it even more important to complete the most thorough background check possible, despite what may or may not be required by law. We run millions of background checks a year for our clients in order to help them minimize the risk of hiring someone with a criminal background."
Selection.com was started in 1991 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Selection.com provides a full range of employee screening background check reports including criminal background checks, employment verifications, education verifications, drug screenings and professional license verifications.
For further questions or to schedule an interview, contact Carl Brown at 513-522-8764.
Photo is used with permission from iStockPhoto
Carl Brown, Selection.com, http://www.selection.com/, 513-522-8764 3030, [email protected]
Share this article