Criminal Background Checks

Welcome
David’s House strives to create a safe home-like environment for you and your family. Background checks are done to protect your safety and the safety of all guests, staff, and volunteers.  To this end, David’s House utilizes resources to screen an individual’s suitability for staying in a shared living environment among the other guests.  A criminal record which reveals behavior that may adversely affect another individual’s health, safety, welfare, and ability to peacefully enjoy David’s House shall result in that individual’s room request being denied.

Cost
There is no cost to you.

Turn-around time
We get results the same day that a prospective guest submits their information.

Frequency
The results of the background check will remain on file for one year (365 days). If an additional stay is needed after one year, you will be asked to complete the background process again.

Privacy
Certain identifying information collected about you or your family members will be shared ONLY with a third-party screening service (see below).  The information obtained during the background check process will be used by staff at David’s House to determine whether to grant access to our program and will only be shared with those individuals or entities that David’s House deems necessary to review the information and ONLY to assure safety for all.

Who Checks Records
We enlisted the service of a national company, BCS Background Screening, to assist us in performing these background checks.  They secure all data and will release information about you only to staff at David’s House.

Information Collected
BCS will conduct its search against a large database for criminal convictions as well as the National Sex Offender Public Registry.  We do not consider past arrest records that did not result in a conviction. We might consider an arrest that has not yet been settled in court.  We will not collect data about your consumer habits or your credit.

Our Policy
All individuals aged 18 and over who request to stay at David’s House must agree to a criminal background check.  Each person who applies to stay, as well as each member of the person’s family age 18 or older who will or may seek to stay at David’s House, must complete a Background Check Authorization Form, which will be emailed to you by a David’s House staff member.  This Form gives us legal permission to run a criminal background check. Any person over the age of 18 who has a conviction of violent crimes, crimes against children, sexually related offenses, or other serious or repeat convictions that may affect the safety of a community environment will not be allowed to utilize David’s House as an overnight or day guest.  Additionally, a potential guest will be disqualified if he/she has any offense against a minor, or an offense against a household member or intimate partner that is a member of the party wishing to stay. Your background check will remain valid and on-file for 1 year (365 days).

See below for examples of disqualifying criminal offenses. This list evaluates convictions based on the language contained within NH & VT laws and is not all-inclusive. David’s House reserves the right to interpret laws from other States, Provinces, Territories and Countries, where the acts leading to the conviction could fit within the scope of New Hampshire and or Vermont laws.  Should you have questions or concerns about whether a conviction from outside of NH or VT would make you ineligible to stay, please contact our Executive Director to discuss your concerns further.

Permanently Disqualifying Offenses:

• Murder and or Homicide
• Assaultive Acts and or a history of Assaultive Behaviors (see below for Simple Assault)
• Stalking
• Sex Crimes
  • Sexual Assault
  • Child Pornography
  • False Imprisonment
  • Cybersex
  • Registration as a Sex Offender/Failure to register
• Domestic & Family Crimes
  • Kidnapping
  • Child Stealing/Parental Kidnapping
  • Child & Elder Abuse

Potentially Disqualifying Offenses*:

• Simple Assault*
• Reckless Use of a Weapon*
• Open Warrants**

Special Notations: 

*While convictions of Simple Assault and or Reckless Use of a Weapon are potential grounds for ineligibility, David’s House will evaluate the circumstances surrounding your convictions on a case-by-case basis. This process requires your transparency and cooperation and does not guarantee your eligibility to stay at David’s House.

** Open Warrants: If it is discovered that you have an open warrant, you will be required to complete the necessary steps to remediate the warrant and show proof that the warrant has been vacated or that you have been bailed.

Questions
If you have questions about the online form you must sign, data collected, or our policy, contact our Executive Director at 603-643-2298.