Test Could Be Missing Link In Background Checks
Jacksonville Beach, FL (PRWEB) July 19, 2013 -- Donald J. Dymer, president and chief executive officer of SingleSource Services background screening corporation, is sharing a recently featured television segment that was broadcast on WJXT in Jacksonville, Florida. Dymer appeared in the segment and talked with television reporter Vic Micolucci about the importance of background screening and an important assessment tool that might hold the key to helping to keep children safe from sexual predators. Dymer explained, "The segment* was prepared by Vic Micolucci, general assignment reporter, WJXT and aired in July."
"The segment aired on July 1, 2013, and we are still receiving a lot of good feedback and inquiries," notes Dymer. "Reporter Vic Micolucci talked to me, he spoke to doctors and he spoke to a group here in Jacksonville, Florida utilizing the test," explained Dymer. According to Micolucci, "it's a topic many people don't want to talk about, but experts say all parents should be aware of -- child sexual abuse. High-profile cases like that of Jerry Sandusky, the Penn State assistant football coach convicted of molesting at least eight boys, have recently brought more attention to the problem. But experts say children are being molested right here in Jacksonville much more than most would think. While the perpetrators are often relatives or close family friends, many times they're teachers, caregivers or counselors."
As part of the segment, reporter Vic Micolucci also provided this quote from a psychologist, 'You can't tell by looking at a person that that's somebody who has a inclination or a sexual attraction towards children,' said forensic Psychologist William Meadows. 'So we have to be careful, we can't judge just based on appearances.'
According to Dymer, the segment asks what is currently being done to safeguard children. The state of Florida requires anyone who's going to spend 10 or more hours a month with kids, whether for work or volunteer purposes, to have a level 2 screening. It means they'll be finger printed and run through FBI databases to look for felony or sex convictions. Reporter Micolucci asked Dymer, "But what about all those people who haven't been caught or convicted before?"
Donald Dymer thinks he has a solution. Dymer is president of SingleSource, a Jacksonville Beach based company which offers background checks for businesses, schools and non-profits. "Five percent of these people that molest children ever get arrested," said Dymer. "So it's critical that we've got to find a way of assessing the other 95 percent, to make sure that there's no one in there, that shouldn't be there. " He believes traditional background checks aren't enough and uses a relatively new test called the Diana Screen. It was developed by Dr. Gene Abel, who spent 18 years studying the minds of convicted sex offenders, trying to unravel their tendencies.
Dymer said it's another line of defense for employers and parents. The Diana Screen gives test-takers a slew of questions; some as simple as 'do you like bargains and sales at auctions?' to serious ones like 'why do you enjoy being around children?' Those who administer it say even if you lie the test has a big chance of catching those who may overstep their boundaries with kids.
Dymer says, "the test costs anywhere from $25 to $30" to take the assessment through his company, while the computer-based test comes with an additional cost which can add up for larger organizations.
The Seamark Ranch** in Clay County, Florida makes all it's prospective employees and volunteers who will work with kids take the Diana Screen, according to CEO Fred Meiners. "We have staff members and we have a lot of employees and some of them are childcare employees," said Meiners. "And we are concerned that we provide the safest environment possible." Meiners says the Diana Screen is especially important to the Seamark Ranch because students who've lost their family live on the property and are supervised by employees around the clock. "We think that it (the Diana Screen) is mostly that we are doing the best that we can to protect the kids," said Meiners. "It's not perfect but it's a lot more accurate than a background check. So we are doing our diligent effort to protect the kids by offering that as a means of protecting them."
Psychologist Dr. Meadows says the Diana Screen certainly isn't going to solve all the problems with child sexual abuse, but it appears to be a step in the right direction. And if it even saves one child from being abused, it's worth it. "Well it's something certainly to consider to add as an addition to looking at a sex offense arrest history, in addition to clinical interviews references, and examining someone's employment history it's one piece of the puzzle in making hiring decisions," said Meadows.
Micolucci continued, "If you're looking to enroll your children in a school, summer camp or day care, experts say ask the hard questions. Questions like 'Do you use the Diana Screen? Click this link to view the segment in its entirety: http://www.news4jax.com/The-Diana-Screen/-/475982/20796800/-/cr3xj9/-/index.html
For more information on the Diana Screen and SingleSource Services, visit the company's website at http://www.singlesourceservices.com ; or call 1-800-713-3412.
Resources: *http://www.news4jax.com/The-Diana-Screen/-/475982/20796800/-/cr3xj9/-/index.htmlContent owned/supplied by News4Jax.com.
**Fred Meiners, Executive Director, Seamark Ranch, Green Cove Springs, Florida.
The Child Molestation Research Institute.
Adrienne Whitman, SingleSource, http://www.SingleSourceServices.com/protectthechildren, 904.613.3982, [email protected]
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