Effective July 1, 2005 ~ Revised August 20, 2007
In September 2004, the Archdiocese coordinated and distributed Fingerprinting
Policies and Guidelines for the Archdiocese, certain of which have been
updated as the Archdiocese has implemented its internal fingerprinting program.
The following outlines the Fingerprinting Policies and Guidelines in effect
at July 1, 2005, and revised August 20, 2007.
Fingerprinting
Fingerprinting is a key component of the Archdiocese’s background checking
procedures for clergy, religious, paid personnel and volunteers who have
regular contact with minors.
To facilitate the process, the Archdiocese has purchased Livescan machines
and provides fingerprinting on a regular schedule. The schedule will continue
to be distributed monthly to parishes by fax. Since launching the program
in spring 2004, between 40,000 and 50,000 persons have been fingerprinted on the Archdiocesan
machines. Questions concerning fingerprinting should be addressed to William
Heinen, Director, Human Resource Department, at 213 637 7596.
Please note: Effective July 1, 2005, all new fingerprinting in California
must be done through a Livescan System.
1. School Principals, Teachers and all Paid Personnel
in Catholic Schools:
All principals, teachers, coaches, and other administrators, professional
and paid personnel working at an elementary or high school must be fingerprinted
under the Education Code before they commence employment. Preschool personnel
must be fingerprinted under the Health and Safety Code. The fingerprints
are submitted to the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the FBI.
Fingerprint reports for teachers and other staff at the school will be
channeled through the individual schools. The Principal will be the confidential
Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) reporter and receive any
subsequent arrest notifications. Fingerprints for principals will
be channeled through the Department of Catholic Schools. The Director of
Elementary School Personnel will be the confidential CORI reporter for all
principals and will review any subsequent arrest notifications.
2. Parish Personnel and Vendors:
Any paid parish staff who have regular
access to a school facility or school grounds and are likely to be alone
with minors at the school will be subject to fingerprinting under the
Education Code. Third party vendors and their employees at schools are generally
required by the State of California to have a criminal history clearance,
through fingerprinting or otherwise, before they commence activities
at the school.
3. School Volunteers:
Any volunteer, including volunteer coaches, parents,
persons assisting in the classroom, and others who regularly supervise students
or minors at an elementary or secondary school, will be subject to fingerprinting
under the Education Code. Other volunteers at an elementary or secondary
school who are involved regularly with students will be subject to fingerprinting
under the Penal Code. The Principal will consult with the Department of
Catholic Schools, as necessary, to resolve any uncertainties concerning
which protocol to follow for a particular volunteer. Preschools should consult
with the Department of Catholic Schools on the requirements for fingerprinting
of volunteers at a preschool.
4. Clergy:
All clergy who are active in any ministry for the Archdiocese
will be fingerprinted under the Education Code. All clergy fingerprints
will be submitted to the DOJ and the FBI. This requirement covers the Cardinal,
all priests (whether an Archdiocesan priest or a member of a Religious
Order) with faculties in the Archdiocese, as well as all deacons, all seminarians
and any clergy who wish to have a short-term assignment in the Archdiocese.
Fingerprints will be channeled through the Vicar for Clergy who will
be the confidential CORI reporter and will personally receive any subsequent
arrest notifications. Priests who are assigned to oversee preschools
also will need to be fingerprinted under the Health and Safety Code.
5. Men and Women Religious:
Men and Women Religious who are active in any
ministry or other assignment within the Archdiocese will be fingerprinted
in accordance with procedures at their assignment (e.g., in a school, a
parish, in a detention or special ministry, or at the ACC). Their fingerprints
will be channeled accordingly.
6. Pastoral Associates and Parish Life Directors:
Pastoral Associates and
Parish Life Directors will be fingerprinted under the Education Code and
the fingerprints will be submitted to the DOJ and the FBI. Fingerprints
will be channeled in accordance with procedures at their assignment or may
be channeled to the Vicar for Clergy if they are assigned to a parish ministry.
7. Directors of Religious Education, Catechists, Youth
Ministers and Music Ministers working with Youth Choirs or Parish Music
Groups:
Directors of
Religious Education (DREs), Catechists, Youth Ministers and Music Ministers
working with youth choirs or parish youth music groups, whether paid or
volunteer, will be fingerprinted under the Penal Code and the fingerprints will be submitted to the DOJ unless the person
has already been fingerprinted under the Education Code for another current
assignment in the Archdiocese. Fingerprint reports will be channeled through
the Archdiocesan Human Resources Department as the confidential CORI reporter
and that office will receive any subsequent arrest notifications.
8. Parish Volunteers:
It is recommended that all other adult parish volunteers
who have regular supervisory contact with minors be fingerprinted under
the Penal Code. The fingerprints will be submitted to the DOJ. Generally,
unless someone at a parish is already a CORI reporter, the fingerprint reports
will be channeled through the Archdiocesan Human Resources Department as
the confidential CORI reporter and that office will receive any subsequent
arrest notifications. The Archdiocesan policy is to not fingerprint minors.
Therefore, it is recommended that any minors who volunteer in youth ministries
need to work with an adult as members of a team, and, as a general matter,
should not work alone in a supervisory capacity with other minors.
9. Fingerprinting for VIRTUS® Facilitators:
VIRTUS facilitators who have
not already been fingerprinted under the Education Code because of other
assignments in the Archdiocese, will be fingerprinted before they commence
training parish volunteers. The fingerprints will be under the Penal Code
and will be submitted to the DOJ. Fingerprint reports will be channeled
through the Archdiocesan Human Resources Department as the confidential
CORI reporter and that office will receive any subsequent arrest notifications.
Please contact the office listed in each item or, as needed, the Legal
Department at 213 637 7511 should you have questions or comments.