HD18 - The Feasibility of Development of a Behavioral Profile to Screen Prospective Workers in Child-Caring Positions

  • Published: 1988
  • Author: Department of Social Services and Department of Education
  • Enabling Authority: House Joint Resolution 258 (Regular Session, 1987)

Executive Summary:
House Joint Resolution No. 258, agreed to by the 1987 General Assembly, requested a study of the feasibility of the development of a behavioral profile to screen prospective workers in child-caring positions (Appendix A). The Departments of Social Services and Education in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General were directed to study and evaluate the feasibility of the development of a behavioral profile to aid in identifying potential child molesters. The Department of Social Services in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Education convened a study committee. The committee members selected represent expertise in the fields of child sexual abuse, personnel and screening procedures, legislation, education, child protective services, and children's advocacy. Delegate Alan E. Mayer, patron of House Joint Resolution No. 258 and a member of the Joint Subcommittee Studying Screening of Child Care Personnel, was in attendance and provided a link to the prior study.

The following discussion will highlight the activities, findings and recommendations of the Study Committee.

Activities of the Study Committee

The Committee met three times over the course of the study. In establishing the parameters of the study, one of the Committee's first tasks was to frame a definition of a behavioral profile. It was agreed that the search should be for disqualifying behaviors that could be used to screen applicants. The Committee therefore defined behavioral profile as:

Behavioral Profile: A list of distinctive behaviors that characterize child molesters and can be used to identify known or potential molesters in order to disqualify them from employment in child care settings.

Having established this definition of a behavioral profile, the Committee, in order to assess feasibility, focused its research in four major areas:

1. literature search on sexual molesters and their common characteristics

2. survey of experts with knowledge of child sexual abuse and the development of profiles

3. survey of other states in regard to the use of profiles for screening child care personnel

4. research on the legal feasibility of developing and using a child molester profile

Findings

In exploring the feasibility of the development of a behavioral profile to screen child molesters, the Committee relied heavily on research in the field of child sexual abuse and on the opinions of experts in this field as well as in the area of employment screening. A summary of the findings which influenced the Committee in assessing the feasibility of the use of a behavioral profile in employment screening follows.

1. There are many different types or subgroups of molesters; no unique or distinct characteristics have emerged that distinguish any of these types from the general population.

2. Unlike the behaviors identified in other profiles in use such as the hijacker profile, the behaviors and characteristics that are present in child molesters have low visibility (i.e., are not observable and identifiable) and therefore require more evaluation and judgment on the part of the observer.

3. Experts agree that child molesters engage in denial and response distortion which makes information gathered through self-reporting less reliable; as a result, information obtained during an interview with a molester is not likely to be distinguishable from that of a non-molester.

4. The majority of experts in the field of sexual abuse do not believe that the characteristics and behaviors that have been associated with child molesters can be used as reliable or valid predictors.

5. The fact that information gathered during an employment interview is not gathered as a result of an allegation and that a job applicant may have a protected interest, imposes additional legal constraints on the kind of information that can be solicited.

6. Although some molester characteristics can be easily incorporated into the hiring process (e.g., frequent moves, separation from the military), others require gathering highly personal information (e.g., spousal relationships) and are, therefore, subject to many legal constraints on the kind of information that can be solicited.

Statement on Feasibility

Given all of these factors, the development of a behavioral profile of child molesters for use as an employment screening tool does not seem feasible at this time. What is feasible is a more uniform and consistent application of what is currently known about child molesters in a context that can be reasonably and legally addressed in the hiring process.

Recommendation
The recommendation below seeks to build on the research conducted by the Committee and to strengthen the screening practices of child care personnel by establishing guidelines that promote and support the hiring of quality staff.

FUNDS SHOULD BE APPROPRIATED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND DISSEMINATION OF VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES FOR THE SCREENING AND HIRING OF CHILD CARE PERSONNEL AND FOR TRAINING IN THE USE OF SUCH GUIDELINES.