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A Summary Of 2,500 Church Job Applicants

By James F. Cobble

Sidebars to the article Ten Legal Risks Facing Churches And Church Leaders In The 21st Century Understanding The Profile Of Sex Offenders: Implications For Screening And Supervising Church Workers A Summary Of 2,500 Church Job Applicants

Just how common is it for someone applying for a church position to have a criminal background? According to data from Pinkerton Services Group, church applicants have about the same conviction hit rate (4.9 percent) as do applicants for any position. The following data is based on 2,500 church applicants.

• Criminal traffic offenses—34
• Theft—18
• Drug offenses—18
• Assault and battery—16
• Worthless checks—11
• Vandalism—10
• Welfare fraud—9
• Resisting arrest—8
• Trespassing—4
• Underage drinking—4
• Burglary—3
• Disorderly conduct—3
• Domestic violence—3
• Weapons violations—3
• Murder/attempted murder—2
• Car jacking—2
• Forgery—2
• Fugitive from justice—2
• Embezzlement—1
• Indecent exposure—1
• Kidnapping—1

—James F. Cobble, Jr., Ph.D., Matthews, North Carolina.
Data collected by Pinkerton Services Group.