Convicted sex offenders and criminals serve as Little League volunteers on fields across the country-
How can this happen?
History shows that sex offenders and other criminals applicants apply to volunteer for the organization in droves and that flaws in their safety screening system enable them to serve as Little League volunteers.
Little League International has made statements and issued reports that indicate that they are aware of these cracks in their safety program but the organization and its local representatives have not acted promptly nor effectively to protect players from sex offenders and criminals. Their activities are impacting the welfare of these young men and women and when these poor choices continue to be made, children’s lives can be irrevocably damaged.
Reforms are urgently needed to stop the victimization spurred on by the Little League organization's passivity.
Take a look at just a few examples from the past eighteen years to see why:
1992
In 1992, Little League International specifically did not recommend criminal background checks for its volunteers, nor did they have guidelines in place to try to prevent sexual assaults.
“A spokesman at Little League Baseball headquarters in Williamsport, Pa., said Little League does not recommend criminal background checks for its volunteer coaches. Nor does it have specific guidelines to try to prevent sexual assaults by coaches. “‘We have one of the best methods for detecting potential problems as early as possible, and that's parental involvement’,” said Denny Sullivan, Little League’s Communications Director.” [1]
That same year, former Little League coach Kerry Lynn Bruton pleaded guilty to child molestation and was sentenced to 82 years in prison. Bruton coached a Tri-Cities Little League team in Cupertino, CA. until 1989, when he molested a player in that league. He was then fired as a coach. He immediately went on to coach a Pop Warner Football team and was president of that league when he was arrested again in 1991.
He was convicted of 40 counts of child molestation, including boys from both his Little League team and the Pop Warner league.
Bruton had a prior criminal conviction of annoying or molesting a minor in 1984. [2, 3, 4]
1996
In 1996, USA Baseball’s Medical and Safety Advisory Committee recommended using volunteer applications and conducting background checks for youth sports. Little League International followed suit and made the same recommendations for their volunteers but did not mandate them. [5]
Also in 1996, a Little League volunteer from South Randolph, MA. was dismissed as a coach when league officials learned he was a convicted sex offender who had molested an 11 year old in 1989, according to Police Chief John Barkhouse in an article from the Boston Globe.
After his dismissal, Arnold W. Florence switched leagues and coached for a North Randolph, MA. Little League, until he was arrested and admitted assaulting an 8-year-old boy and molesting an 11-year-old boy.
Florence was convicted of the crime and was sentenced to five to seven years in prison plus ten years probation. [6]
2001-2002
In 2001, Little League’s official web site (www.littleleague.org) began providing local league administrators in the United States with recommendations for conducting background checks on volunteers, as well as links to all searchable state Sex Offender Registries (SOR's). [7]
In 2002, John Racadio, coach for the Sunset Little League team in Stockton, CA. was sentenced to thirty years to life in prison for child molestation.
There were six victims, including members of his Little League team. [8]
While he was coaching Sunset Little League, Racadio was a already a Registered Sex Offender for his prior conviction for child molestation in 1990. [9]
2003-2004
In 2003, Little League International began to require local leagues to check volunteer names solely within their own state’s SOR's.
Information provided by Little League Headquarters indicated this might seal the gap that had allowed sex offenders to infiltrate Little League. According a New York Times interview with Little League International President Stephen Keener, “Keener said he was aware of only two volunteers who applied to be involved with Little League and were turned away after the new background checks.” [10]
But according to other sources at Little League, this was clearly not the case.
“Last year (2003), nine men who applied to become Little League coaches were found on their state’s sex offender registry in Rapsheets.com (which was purchased by Choice Point in 2004) checks, said officials at Little League Headquarters.” [11]
Even more telling is the Power Point presentation which appeared on the Little League District 19 (New York) website in 2009, which indicated there might be a much larger number of applicants in 2003 that had a criminal past. According to the report:
There were nearly 257,000 Little League volunteer applications that were screened through ChoicePoint between March 2003 and September 2006, from leagues that voluntarily chose to do so.
Two out of every five of the Little League applicants had a criminal record and 98 registered sex offenders had applied to be volunteers during this period.
With 98 registered sex offenders identified in this 3 ½ year period that included the 2003 season, how is it that Little League International representatives can say that less than 10 of them applied to be involved with Little League that year?
In 2004, Dan Kirby himself, as Director of Risk Management for Little League International, presented a very strong case for leagues to go beyond the minimum requirement at that time of checking names against a state registry and do a national sex offender registry check instead.
Kirby gave two examples where the results of state SOR information paled in comparison with what was available through the national sex offender registry. “In the large state of Texas, 130,000 people in all of Rapsheets.com’s Texas data have sex-related charges, but only 35,000 people are listed on the state’s SOR. In Utah, a smaller population state, 10,500 people are listed as having sex-related charges, but only 4,000 people show up on Utah’s official SOR. [12]
Kirby detailed more reasons to order national sex offender reports. “Other Statistics show child molesters are four times more likely to re-offend than other violent criminals. Sex offenders move from state to state without re-registering in the new state’s Sex Offender Registries.” [13]
He also outlined how convicted felons could slip into a Little League volunteer role if a criminal background check was not ordered. “A presentation at the 2004 Little League Baseball Congress on the one-year-old agreement between Little League and Rapsheets.com (the precursor to ChoicePoint/LexisNexis) demonstrated that many leagues are finding concerns with potential volunteers who would not be screened out by the Sexual Offenders Registry search”, the article read.
In a six week period in the spring of 2004, there were 27,657 Rapsheets.com searches conducted on potential Little League volunteers. Of these searches, nearly 500 felony convictions appeared for volunteers applying within the same state, but only two were on that state’s sex offender registry (SOR).
Types of felonies found included incest, risk of injury to a child, second degree sexual assault and sexual battery by a custodian-victim under age 18. Types of misdemeanors found included selling liquor to minors, third degree sexual assault, assault-family violence and lewdness/indecent exposure. Any offenses against children and child family members would disqualify a volunteer applicant according to the restrictions of Little League Regulation I c (9), but “the majority of these non-SOR offenses would never come to light without a more thorough check,” Kirby said. [14]
2007
With this knowledge of these risks their players faced, Little League International still did not mandate a nationwide sex offender registry check until 2007 and to date still does not require their volunteers to have criminal background checks.
In May 2007, a Sacramento Little League coach took his son and a friend, both players on his team, on a camping trip. Richard Toby Tinoco molested his son’s friend during the trip and was convicted of the crimes of lewd acts with a minor and sexual battery restrained and sentenced to six years in prison for the crime. [15]
At the time he was coaching Little League, Tinoco was a convicted felon whose criminal past included a 1997 conviction for misdemeanor sexual battery and a 1998 conviction for felony sex with a minor. His record also included convictions for felony false imprisonment in 1997, felony methamphetamine possession in 1998 and possession of drug paraphernalia in 2005. [16]
Today, Little League rules still only require volunteers to be screened through the National SOR.
“Several organizations have responded to the recent attention on sexual abuse in youth-serving organizations by requiring volunteers and employees in their organizations to undergo a simple search of a state’s sex-offender registry. Unfortunately, this provides a false sense of security given the fact that according to a survey of law enforcement officials responsible for sex offender registries in all 50 states, police have lost track of one in four of the sex offenders who are supposed to be registered,” according to the National Council of Youth Sports (NCYS) website, www.NCYS.org.
In 2009, the National SOR contained only 664,631 individuals, where as a criminal background check through ChoicePoint would have given information on 11.5 million sex-related crimes. [17]
The reasons why the National Sex Offender Registry database includes less than 1/12th of the sex-related crimes of Lexis/Nexus ChoicePoint include:
- Crimes that qualify convicted criminals to be put on the SOR vary from state to state. [18]
- Some offenders are not subject to public disclosure as defined by the laws of their state.
Some states, such as Massachusetts and Minnesota, only provide the profiles of those considered to be the most violent of sex offenders, Level 3, to the SOR and exclude all Level 1 and 2 offenders. [19-20]
- Sex-related crimes are often pleaded down to lesser offenses not listed on SORs. [21-22]
- What qualifies as a felony sex crime against a child in one state might be considered a misdemeanor in another and might not be found in the sex offender registry. [23]
- States such as Pennsylvania do not state whether or not the victim is a minor if the offender’s conviction occurred prior to November 30, 2006 in the SOR. [24]
- The dates that qualify convicted criminals to be listed in the registry vary by state.
For example:
In Alaska, only persons convicted of certain sex offenses that were incarcerated, on probation, on parole or convicted on or after August 10, 1994 will be included on the sex offender registry, as the Alaska Sex Offender Registration Act’s registration requirement does not apply to persons who committed their crimes before the act became effective on August 10, 1994. [25]
In Maryland, persons convicted after October 1, 1995 of certain sex offenses against children will be included on the sex offender registry. Persons convicted of serious sex crimes before October 1, 1995 will not be included in the registry. [26]
In New Mexico, any person convicted of sex-related crimes before July 1, 1995 will not be included in the registry. [27]
Other crimes that involve children, such as providing alcohol/drugs to minors, physical abuse, danger and neglect are not listed on SORs. [28]
Criminal background checks need to be ordered to capture these child-related crimes and more.
Dan Kirby, Risk Management Director at Little League International, stated at the Little League Congress in March of this year that only 700,000 people are listed in all state SORs combined. However, the LexisNexis criminal background records contain 101 million people, with 250 million total records, or over 350 times the records on state SORs. "League officers need all possible information on applicants to make good decisions. Having 350 times the information to base a decision upon just makes sense," a 2010 Little League safety newsletter stated. [29]
A national criminal background check could have raised red flags that a Smyrna, Delaware Little League coach and manager had a criminal past, but without one, no one knew Thomas F. Kane’s secret. Kane coached 7 and 8 year olds for two years, despite convictions that spanned 20 years, including harassment, offensive touching (a misdemeanor), assault and theft. These convictions do not appear on the sex offender registry, so his league remained unaware of his crimes. When coaches and managers in Smyrna Little League had to fill out a form that asked if they had been convicted of any felonies or misdemeanors when they applied to volunteer, Kane reported that he had no prior convictions, League President Pat Taylor said, according to an article in the Delaware State News. [30]
After Kane’s arrest, his league voted to start performing background checks on all of its coaches and managers. Taylor said, “We’re taking steps to ensure the safety of the children, and now that this came to light, we’re going to go above and beyond what’s required.” [31]
Robert Newnam, the District Little League administrator where Kane coached, said he would strongly recommend that all the leagues in his district order criminal histories for the following season. “I’m going to use this case as an example,” he said. “The sex offender check helps protect children, but there are also other people out there who might not be good around children.” [32]
Kane was convicted of stabbing his wife Wendy 20 times with a screw driver. Mrs. Kane had a restraining order against her husband at the time of her death. He was sentenced in 2008 to life in prison. [33-35]
Some official national Little League publications state that Little League already requires criminal background checks, but this is untrue.
For example, a 2008 report from the Little League International Communications Division says:
“Little League is the first and only youth-based sports organization to require national criminal background checks for all of its volunteers with repetitive access to children. Consistent with its will to lead and innovate, Little League took the initiative to act when local leagues individually did not have the will, or means to step up to such a level. The decision to make background checks mandatory was initially seen by some as an invasion of privacy, and at the very least an additional burden on local volunteers, but since the requirement has been in place, it has proven effective as a deterrent and appreciated policing tool.” [36]
Although Little League International does not require criminal background checks for the volunteers who come into contact with children on a regular basis, they do require them for Little League World Series employees. These checks were started after a 1997 discovery that a member of the World Series security team was a convicted drug dealer. The employee, who had worked for the series for two years, was identified to Little League officials on a Friday in August 1997, yet was allowed to work the next day. “This is one that slipped through the cracks”, Little League spokesman Lance Van Auken said. [37]
The following year, Little League International required all employees of the Little League World Series to submit to a criminal background check. [38] In addition, members of the press who attend the Little League World Series must also submit to a criminal background check. [39]
In order to work towards closing the gaps which allow sex offenders and criminals to volunteer for Little League, Little League International must reform their current practice and now require criminal background checks.
On its website, NCYS.org, The National Council of Youth Sports says,
“Many organizations believe it is unreasonable or impractical to screen all employees, volunteers, and coaches. Quality screening programs are necessary and are used in other industries. Yet, what constitutes a quality-screening program is often misunderstood. In general it is agreed that youth-serving organizations cannot guarantee the safety of their participants at all times. They are, however, expected to have taken steps to safeguard participants that would meet or exceed a reasonable standard when compared to other organizations in similar circumstances. What constitutes this reasonable standard has changed significantly in the last decade.”
“It may have been considered unreasonable 10 years ago to expect youth-serving organizations to conduct background checks of prospective employees and volunteers. But 10 years ago, the criminal and sexual offender databases were either nonexistent or not legally accessible to youth-serving organizations. Today, however, the availability of online databases, as well as statutory changes enabling better communication between states and federal agencies, has made conducting background checks both accessible and reasonable.”
“It may have been considered unreasonable 10 years ago to expect youth-serving organizations to conduct background checks of prospective employees and volunteers. But 10 years ago, the criminal and sexual offender databases were either nonexistent or not legally accessible to youth-serving organizations. Today, however, the availability of online databases, as well as statutory changes enabling better communication between states and federal agencies, has made conducting background checks both accessible and reasonable.”
The number of sex related crimes continues to rise exponentially every year. In 2007, ChoicePoint National Criminal Files listed 8.9 million sex related crimes and in 2008, their list had swelled to 11.5 million sex-related crimes. [40]
Each league gets 125 searches each year for free, due to a partnership between Little League International and Choice Point/Lexis Nexis. Additional checks beyond the first 125 will cost only $1 for each check. [41]
The criminal background checks are ordered online in a very simple process. They are ordered through the Little League website, using some basic information, such as name, address and date of birth. No special software is required. There is also a toll-free hotline to provide support with any questions. [42]
Changes must be made to reduce the safety risks to Little League players, including:
1. Arrests and suspensions-Little League International must overturn a policy of non-disclosure of information regarding a volunteer's arrest to the parents and guardians of the children in the league. Little League must also require the mandatory suspension of volunteers who are arrested until a resolution for the crime is determined through a court of law.
“Little League does not have a policy to notify parents when there is an arrest. It depends on local law enforcement to notify parents if there is a concern with a suspect, according to Lance Van Auken, National Little League spokesman. [43] If the suspect does not notify local authorities when he/she is arrested that they belong to a Little League, there is slim chance that law enforcement will even be aware of this association at this time.
Little League International also has no policy to require volunteers to be suspended from service to the league from the period of time they are arrested until an investigation is completed. In March 2005, Michael Glenn Oliver, coach of the Yulee, FL Little League Tigers, with players ages 12-14, was arrested on a charge of sexual battery with a 16 year old girl. The Yulee Little League board took a vote and decided to keep Oliver on as a coach during the criminal investigation. After the Little League vote, the Nassau County Recreation Commission was authorized by the Nassau County Parks and Recreation Commission to override their vote and suspended Oliver from coaching and from county ballparks until proceedings were completed. [44]
Oliver was subsequently convicted for Unlawful Sexual Battery with a minor for this crime and is now a registered sex offender in the state of Florida. [45]
2. Little League International defers to local leagues-Little League International must end their practice of deferring to the decisions of local leagues while publicly stating that they do not support their positions.
In April 2005, Lance Van Auken, senior communications executive for Little League International, said the Yulee Little League had contacted Little League Headquarters regarding the Oliver incident above. He said that although the organization requires a background check for convictions of crimes against minors, the decision in this case was up to the local league.
"Our strong recommendation to that board of directors is that they suspend the volunteers from any duties to the league until the investigation has run its course," Van Auken said. "We don't think it was a very wise decision.” [46]
3. Personal biases from local leagues-Little League International must revoke local league charters when it is publicly disclosed that league board members knew of volunteers with disqualifying crimes but still allowed them to volunteer.
Little League International must make sure that personal bias does not come into play so that crimes relating to children are overlooked by local leagues. When a volunteer ‘does not look dangerous’ or ‘seems to be a good guy’, or ‘is sorry and said he’ll never do it again’, it is often in hindsight that a league takes precautions when they realize how wrong they were-after the fact.
The organization should centralize ordering criminal background checks at headquarters to allow for audits to ensure that reports on being ordered on all applicable volunteers.
Personal bias can lead to victimization and Little League International must be sure that criminal background checks are ordered for all personnel so that those who do not pass are not allowed to volunteer.
Dan Kirby, Risk Manager of Little League International warned that you can’t judge a book by its cover when it comes to volunteers. He cited an example of an elementary school coach who was arrested on suspicion of killing his wife in 2004. At the time of the arrest, other convictions for manslaughter and battery in other states were revealed. Kirby described in the Little League safety newsletter how that could just as easily been a Little League coach: “People could have thought, ‘Hey, he’s a heck of a guy. He’s a coach for the elementary school girls’ basketball team. Let’s ask him to coach. We don’t need to do a background check on him.’” Kirby noted. “But unless you do the check, you don’t know what people are like. You can’t know. People move around, especially if they have something in their past they want to hide.” [47]
Last year, Dan Kirby, Risk Manager of Little League International said, “While sex offenders are a high-profile concern, leagues face a higher probability risk of a person with a criminal history being involved with their league either because the league didn’t check for anything but sex crimes or just didn’t do their required checks at all, and that’s a real concern for Little League. Kirby points out, ‘This is a serious issue and that’s why Little League International put the mandatory background check regulation into place. You need to go back to your leagues and talk about this.’” [48]
Last year, the president of Canton, Ohio Little League was punched to the point of unconsciousness by a coach from his league, Karim Carter. Shawn Thomas was hit in the face by Coach Carter and fell where he stood on the diamond. Carter had disagreed with a call that Thomas made and punched him. Thomas received a concussion and had his teeth broken. [49]
Thomas had been a supporter of Carter in the past, even though he knew that he had a criminal record which included a conviction of assaulting his own league commissioner in July. [50]
Carter's criminal history didn't appear on the league’s check but when Thomas did his own records check at the local courthouse, he found a record of two assaults, domestic violence, disorderly conduct by intoxication and carrying a firearm in a motor vehicle. [51]
“Carter was considered a good coach, and because volunteers are hard to find, Thomas allowed him to manage a team anyway. That decision ultimately came back to haunt Thomas, who now regrets dismissing the coach's past. "I stuck up for him," Thomas said. "I helped him be a coach. Why would he do this to me? I don't know. My trust level has gone to zero on everyone".” [52]
Carter faced a felony charge and up to eight years in prison but by accepting a deal from attorneys, was able to plead guilty to the lesser charge of misdemeanor assault. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail. [53]
But even with more-thorough background checks, volunteers with a record such as Carter's are still eligible to coach, because the current requirement is that solely that crimes must be committed against a child in order to automatically prevent an applicant from volunteering. [54-55]
"I wouldn't want that guy (Carter) coaching my children, either," said Stephen Keener, President of Little League International. [56]
The National Council of Youth Sports recommends that youth organizations abuse/molestation management programs be audited yearly to ensure that, “the program that has been developed and implemented is being followed and has not been weakened or eliminated by employee or board member turnover,” according to their website, NCYS.org.
"According to Department of Justice statistics, a child in America is sexually assaulted every two minutes. Unfortunately the majority of incidents are not reported because children are afraid to tell anyone what has happened, and the legal procedure for validating an episode is difficult.
Particularly frightening is the fact that perpetrators are not generally the stereotypical creepy stranger lurking in the shadows near the schoolyard. Experts tell us that perpetrators of child abuse are almost always known to the victim and commonly hold positions of trust and confidence in the community. There are currently more than 400,000 known sexual offenders identified on state sex offender registries. These are just the ones we know about.
A 1986 American Medical Association study found that one in four girls and one in eight boys is sexually molested before they reach the age of 18. While these statistics are clearly dated, they still provide us with a sense of how broad the problem is. Although the number of athletes who are abused or exploited by coaches has never been quantified, the research on sexual abuse in general is massive and sobering. Many experts believe that sexual abuse in sport, like sexual abuse in society, goes well beyond isolated incidents. Keith Lanning, an FBI supervisory agent, who has written extensively about child molesters, says that the average “seducer” molester, the kind most common in youth sports, victimizes approximately 120 children before he is caught. Despite today’s charged atmosphere, in which it may seem that allegations are easily made, estimates are that for every serious incident reported, 10 go unreported.
Unfortunately, sports and other youth activities present an ideal opportunity for abusers. Experts say sexual predators typically seek the trust of both the parents and the child before beginning the abuse, so the child will be afraid to complain. This is compounded by the fact that an emotional bond is often created between the youth and the adult.
4. Little League International is not accountable to a higher authority regarding safety concerns-An outside agency must be formed to create the condition of accountability.
There is a need to establish an independent agency to act as an ombudsman for player’s safety. This ombudsman would review any safety concerns from Little League parents, volunteers or the media regarding practices or decisions of Little League International
The ombudsman would also use a newspaper access service to monitor any articles relating to crimes committed by Little League volunteers and bring them to the attention of Little League International if questionable judgment is shown or policies not adhered to in regards to safety. If the ombudsman is not satisfied with a Little League International decision, they should be given the right to present the information to USA Baseball’s Medical/Safety Committee for review and recommendation.
In 2002, Pennridge, Pennsylvania Little League softball coach and umpire and former prison guard Robert Gilmore Jr. was convicted of institutional sexual assault against two female inmates. Gilmore’s crime was known by his local board and they allowed the seven year veteran of the team to continue coaching and umpiring after he was convicted. "I've never hidden anything. I discussed it with the league and their board," he said. [57]
Gilmore was both an umpire and a coach. He wouldn't automatically be disqualified from participating because he's not on the state's sex offender registry and was not convicted of a crime against a child, Lance Van Auken, spokesman for Little League International said. The sex offender list does not include names of people convicted of institutional sexual assault. [58]
In 2002, umpires were not included in SOR checks because they typically didn't have "repetitive access" to children, according to Van Auken. "In some leagues, an umpire might work one or two games a year...you reasonably wouldn't say they have repetitive access...in other leagues, an umpire might work 50 games.” [59]
However, two year later, Chris Downs, spokesman for Little League International said, "If they (Little League volunteers) are going to be around the child more than just in passing, they are going to be subject to a background check” - including coaches, managers, umpires, board of directors members, concession stand workers and grounds crew members. [60]
This year, the spring National Little League safety newsletter echoed that sentiment.
"If a volunteer assists more than once or twice for the season, your league should complete a background check, per the regulations." [61]
Little League headquarters allowed the local league make a judgment call on Gilmore's eligibility. "What matters is what the person was convicted of and whether that makes him eligible for a sex offender registry," Van Auken said. "If the assault was against a minor, there's no question (he'd be dismissed)." [62]
Should a child be considered safe when their coach commits a violent crime, albeit not to a minor, when Judge Kenneth Biehn said at Gilmore’s trial that he “treated these women like objects”? [63]
Another example of a league who took on a volunteer despite his criminal record was the case of convicted embezzler James Michael Anderson. He was the president of the Allendale, Michigan Township Youth Athletic Association’s Little League until he was sentenced this year to 17 months to ten years in jail for stealing money from his league. He had been convicted of embezzlement twice before, been in jail for one year for his latest crime and was on probation when he became Little League president in 2006. He remained on probation the entire time he was alleged to have embezzled funds between January 1, 2007 and May 2008. [64]
John Hanes, succeeded Anderson as president, said he did a criminal background check on Anderson before he took over the presidency. One conviction showed up and the other was still ongoing when the check was run and wasn’t on record yet. "This is an all-volunteer group," Hanes said. "You take what you can get.” [65]
Anderson confessed to taking the money and was given the chance to make restitution with ATYAA quietly.”No attempt was made on behalf of Mr. Anderson to do so," the board said in a statement, so they then pressed criminal charges. [66]
District Little League Representative John Edgerle said he was not involved with the investigation, but expressed concerns about the decisions of the league. Based on what he learned, he said: "And I want to be careful ... you wouldn't think they would put him in that position to begin with." [67]
5. Nationwide criminal standards must be established-An organization-wide policy should be in effect designating which crimes would make a volunteer ineligible for Little League.
President Keener admits that there is no set policy to determine these crimes and there are currently no firm guidelines. "We are always reviewing our standards and trying to make things better," Keener said. "But do you disqualify a dad from coaching when he's 40 because he had a DUI or petty theft when he was 19? It's tough to find balance with those standards." [68]
Dan Kirby, Little League Risk Management Director, also questioned what categories of crimes should be acceptable for volunteers. "Kirby pointed out that individuals with drug, assault, robbery, murder, theft, and driving violations don’t appear on a sex offender registry. Which of these categories would be acceptable for volunteers in your league?" [69]
I believe that Little League headquarters should work with such sports safety groups as the International Alliance for Youth Sports (IAYS) to establish criteria as to what crimes should prevent a volunteer’s application from being accepted so that a standard is developed that can be adhered to. For example, IAYS recommends that prospective volunteers with convictions of such crimes as animal cruelty, domestic violence and weapons violations be banned from volunteering and that drunken driving, less-serious drug crimes and petty theft applicant approval could be at the discretion of the league. [70]
Little League International has made a suggestion to its members, outside of ordering reports, to try to prevent infiltration by sex offenders. I agree with the suggestion that parents should be vigilant to watch for signs of sex offenders [71], which all leagues should publish in their handbooks. Handbooks should also include statements encouraging parents to talk with their children about what to do if something happens to them with a league volunteer that they do not feel comfortable with.
The majority of volunteers in Little League International are there for the right reasons-to nurture children and help develop their skills and because they love baseball and want to share that love with the players. But Little League International cannot turn away or feign naivety when it comes to the fact that predators also join Little League for the opportunity to exploit children.
“ ‘The biggest mistake people can make is to think that it just doesn't happen here, that we're safe,’ says FBI special agent Roger Young, an expert on crimes against children, who worked on the (Garen) Pearson case. ‘The size of the town doesn't matter -- sexual exploitation of children occurs everywhere.’ " [72]
NOTE:
Garen, a Las Vegas Little League coach, pleaded guilty to seven sex-related crimes.
Among the victims were Little League players he coached.
In 2001, he was convicted of multiple counts of sexual assault of a child under the age of 14; lewdness with a child under the age of 14; sexual assault with a minor under the age of 16; open or gross lewdness; and two counts of sexual assault.
He is currently serving 36 terms of life in prison, with a minimum of 160 years. [73-77]
Little League International is the only national sports organization to require national sex offender checks for their volunteers-which is commendable; the fact that they do not require criminal background checks despite recognizing the need for them is deplorable.
As you can see throughout this blog, Little League International is fully aware of the need for criminal background checks based on the comments they have made to the media and the publications they have distributed. In addition, I have personally been in contact with both USA Baseball’s Executive Director/CEO Paul Seiler and Little League President Keener for years. I provided Seiler with most of the information and cited you see here more than a year and a half ago and Keener received it over a year ago. They have taken no action.
“Little League officials said they encourage their members to conduct more-thorough background checks and are making plans to mandate broader checks of volunteers in the next few years.” [78]
WHAT ABOUT NOW????
More children will be molested this season because
Little League International HAS NOT TAKEN ACTION
Little League International states, “Background Screening is Easy, Affordable and Vital for the Safety of our Leagues” [79]
YES!!!
There is simply no reason why criminal background checks ordered through ChoicePoint/LexisNexis or another qualified company are not mandated for all Little League volunteers.
All these children want to do is play baseball, the game they love, and shouldn't have to have their lives destroyed because of it.
Sources:
[1] Benning, V. and Hohler, B.,(1992, Oct.12), Spate of Molestation Claims is Setting Off Parents’ Alarms, The Boston Globe
[2] Author unknown, (1992, February 6), South Bay Coach Gets 82 Years for Molesting Children, San Francisco Chronicle
[3] Author unknown (1991, August 29), Molest Case Widens-Tenth Victim is Discovered, San Jose (CA) Mercury News
[4] Author unknown (1992, February 6), Coach Who Molested Youths Gets 82 Years, Lexington (KY) Herald-Leader
[5] Author unknown, (2002, Oct. 9), Mandatory Background Checks for League Volunteers, Little League International Press release
[6] Arnold, D.,(1996, May 16), Little League Coach is Dismissed, Held in Molestation, The Boston Globe
[7] Author unknown, (2002, Oct. 9), Mandatory Background Checks for League Volunteers, Little League International Press release
[8] KCRA television, Sacramento, CA. website
[9] KMVL radio, Madisonville, TX. website
[10] Pennington, B. (2003, June 25), No Sliding in Little League: No Papers, No Tournament, The New York Times
[11] Gerard, F., (2004, March 14), Coaches Slip Crime Checks, Kids at Risk, The Detroit News
[12] Author unknown, (2004, April-May), Think You Know Somebody? Think Again. ASAP Little League International newsletter, Vol. 11, No. 3
[13] IBID
[14] IBID
[15] Unnamed Staff Reporter (2007, November 21), Ex Little League Coach Sentenced to Six Years for Molesting Player in Pine Grove, (Amador County, CA.) Ledger-Dispatch
[16] IBID
[17] 2009 Little League Background Checks Presentation, Little League International website
[18] U.S. Department of Justice, Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public website
[19] IBID
[20] The Official Website of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS)
[21] Criminalbackgroundrecords.com website
[22] Author unknown, (2007, April) Background Checks: Check ‘Em for Free, ASAP Little League International newsletter Vol. 14 Number 3
[23] Abika.com website
[24] Pennsylvania State Police website
[25] Alaska Department of Public Safety website
[26] Maryland department of Public Safety and Correctional services website
[27] U.S. Department of Justice, Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public website
[28] Author unknown, (2007, April) Background Checks: Check ‘Em for Free, ASAP Little League International newsletter Vol. 14 No. 3
[29] Author unknown (2010, April-May) Use Your Free Checks, ASAP Little League International newsletter Vol. 17 No. 2
[30] Maher, J., (2006, December 7), Coach’s past shocks league: Slaying suspect was manager of Smyrna youth team, Delaware State News
[31] IBID
[32] IBID
[33] (2008, March 26), Man Sentenced to Life at Psychiatric Center for Fatal Stabbing, WBOC-16 TV website
[34] (2006, December 8), Accused Killer Had Lengthy Record But Coached Little League, WBOC-16 TV website
[35] Maher, J., (2006, December 7), Coach’s Past Shocks League: Slaying suspect was manager of Smyrna youth team, Delaware State News
[36] Little League Communications Division, 2008, Hits and Runs…Bumps and Bruises-Health, Safety and Injury Prevention are the Keystone of Little League
[37] Author unknown, (1997, August 26), Little League Vows to Review Job Screening/Convict Worked Security at World Series, Patriot-News, (Harrisburg, PA.)
[38] Author unknown, (1998, August 7), Security Takes Its Place in Little League Lineup/World Series Workers Get Background Checks, Patriot-News, (Harrisburg, PA.)
[39] 2008 Little League Baseball World Series Media Registration Form
[40] 2009 Little League Background Checks Presentation-Choice Point-Lexis/Nexis
[41] IBID
[42] User Guide for Little League Baseball & Softball (2009, February) Choice Point-Lexis/Nexis
[43] McPheron, L.B., (2005, July 22), Man Charged in Child Porn Case Worked with Youth, Southern California Press-Enterprise
[44] Turner, K. (2005, April 16), Little League Coaches Suspended, Florida Times-Union
[45] Florida department of Corrections website
[46] Turner, K. (2005, April 9), County May Suspend Coaches Charged with Sex Crime, Florida Times-Union
[47] Author unknown, (2004, April-May), Think You Know Somebody? Think Again. ASAP Little League International newsletter, Vol. 11, No. 3
[48] Author unknown, (2009, Winter) Now 125 Free LexisNexis Background Checks, Little League safety newsletter ASAP, Vol. 16 No.1
[49] Wagner, M. and Riepenhoff, J. (2010, August 31), Bad Actors Spoil Games, The Columbus (OH) Dispatch
[50] IBID
[51] IBID
[52] IBID
[53] IBID
[54] IBID
[55] Author unknown (2010, April-May) Use Your Free Checks, ASAP Little League International newsletter Vol.17 No.2
[56] Wagner, M. and Riepenhoff, J. (2010, August 31), Bad Actors Spoil Games, The Columbus (OH) Dispatch
[57] Lester, P. (2003, May 4), Youth league's background checks questioned, The Doylestown PA., Intelligencer
[58] IBID
[59] IBID
[60] Rittmeyer, BC (2005, April 24), Youth Leagues Order Background Checks, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
[61] Author unknown (2010, April-May) Use Your Free Checks, ASAP Little League International newsletter Vol. 17 No. 2
[62] Lester, P. (2003, May 4), Youth league's background checks questioned, The Doylestown PA., Intelligencer
[63] IBID
[64] De Lench, B., Three Strikes, You’re Out!, Mom’s Team website
[65] Dieters, B., (2008, September 9), Alleged Little League Embezzler Ordered to Stand Trial, The Grand Rapids (MI.) Press
[66] Author unknown, (2008, September 2), Accused Youth Athletic Association Embezzlement Suspect has Two Previous Convictions, Chronicle News Service
[67] IBID
[68] Wagner, M. and Riepenhoff, J. (2010, August 31), Bad Actors Spoil Games, The Columbus (OH) Dispatch
[69] Author unknown (2010, April-May) Use Your Free Checks, ASAP Little League International newsletter Vol. 17 No. 2
[70] Hunt, D. (2007, April 26), Sidelined by their Past, (Albany, NY.) Times-Union
[71] Lester, P. (2003, May 4), Youth league's background checks questioned, The Doylestown PA., Intelligencer
[72] Nack, W. and Yaeger, D. (1999, September 13), Every Parent's Nightmare, Sportsillustrated.CNN.com.
[73] Stockley, S. (2003, December 23), Fingerprints on the Ballfield, Southern CA.) Press-Enterprise
[74] Wagner, M. and Riepenhoff, J. (2010, August 31), Bad Actors Spoil Games, The Columbus (OH) Dispatch
[75] Author unknown, (2001, May 29) News briefs for May 29, 2001, The Las Vegas Sun
[76] O’Connell, P., (2001, May 29) Child Molester Sentenced to Life, The Las Vegas Review-Journal
[77] Nevada Offender Tracking Information System (NOTIS), www.doc.nv.gov.
[78] Wagner, M. and Riepenhoff, J. (2010, August 31), Bad Actors Spoil Games, The Columbus (OH) Dispatch
[79] Little League ‘Home Safe in 2010’ flyer, Little League International website
Child victimization:
WHAT IS THE MAGNITUDE OF THE PROBLEM?
"According to Department of Justice statistics, a child in America is sexually assaulted every two minutes. Unfortunately the majority of incidents are not reported because children are afraid to tell anyone what has happened, and the legal procedure for validating an episode is difficult.
Particularly frightening is the fact that perpetrators are not generally the stereotypical creepy stranger lurking in the shadows near the schoolyard. Experts tell us that perpetrators of child abuse are almost always known to the victim and commonly hold positions of trust and confidence in the community. There are currently more than 400,000 known sexual offenders identified on state sex offender registries. These are just the ones we know about.
A 1986 American Medical Association study found that one in four girls and one in eight boys is sexually molested before they reach the age of 18. While these statistics are clearly dated, they still provide us with a sense of how broad the problem is. Although the number of athletes who are abused or exploited by coaches has never been quantified, the research on sexual abuse in general is massive and sobering. Many experts believe that sexual abuse in sport, like sexual abuse in society, goes well beyond isolated incidents. Keith Lanning, an FBI supervisory agent, who has written extensively about child molesters, says that the average “seducer” molester, the kind most common in youth sports, victimizes approximately 120 children before he is caught. Despite today’s charged atmosphere, in which it may seem that allegations are easily made, estimates are that for every serious incident reported, 10 go unreported.
Unfortunately, sports and other youth activities present an ideal opportunity for abusers. Experts say sexual predators typically seek the trust of both the parents and the child before beginning the abuse, so the child will be afraid to complain. This is compounded by the fact that an emotional bond is often created between the youth and the adult.
Sexually abused adolescents often display symptoms of anxiety, numbing, hypersensitivity, depression, alcohol or drug use, problem sexual behaviors, and aggression. Typically, molesters will take advantage of their position of authority and trust. Gaining a child’s trust means everything to a molester. Violating it means nothing. When abuse occurs in this context, the betrayal is intensified. The longer the abuse has occurred, the more likely the victim is to feel that he/she should have been able to stop it and thus he or she feels more "guilty."
Recovery from child sexual abuse is an on-going process. Developmental stages, particularly adolescence and young adulthood, may trigger old feelings about the abuse. For example, the time when an adolescent's body begins to develop physically, or when he or she marries, or becomes a parent may restimulate old feelings and memories. Those children who have been abused are far more likely to show signs of depression and to engage in risky health behaviors, including smoking, drinking and using drugs, eating disorders and early pregnancy. When a child is sexually exploited, it is a shattering experience for everyone. Family members often feel the same emotions as the victim: powerlessness, anger, guilt, depression, and fear."
Recovery from child sexual abuse is an on-going process. Developmental stages, particularly adolescence and young adulthood, may trigger old feelings about the abuse. For example, the time when an adolescent's body begins to develop physically, or when he or she marries, or becomes a parent may restimulate old feelings and memories. Those children who have been abused are far more likely to show signs of depression and to engage in risky health behaviors, including smoking, drinking and using drugs, eating disorders and early pregnancy. When a child is sexually exploited, it is a shattering experience for everyone. Family members often feel the same emotions as the victim: powerlessness, anger, guilt, depression, and fear."
- Excerpted from the National Council of Youth Sports (NCYS) News, Who’s Protecting Our Children - An NCYS Child Safety Initiative, http://www.ncys.org/news/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1022073429&archive=&start_from=&ucat=11&
FACT AND FICTION
“Sex abusers are dirty old men.”
Not true. While sex abusers cut across socioeconomic levels, educational levels and race, the average age of a sex offender has been established at 32.
“Strangers are responsible for most of the sexual abuse.”
Fact: 80-85% of all sexual abuse cases in the US are perpetrated by an individual familiar to the victim. Less than 20% of all abusers are strangers.
“Most sex abusers suffer from some form of serious mental illness or psychosis.”
Not true. The actual figure is more like 10%, almost exactly the same as the figure found in the general population of the United States.
“Most sex abusers are homosexuals.”
Also not true. Most are heterosexual.
“Children usually lie about sexual abuse, anyway.”
In fact, children rarely lie about being sexually abused. If they say it, don’t ignore it.
“It only happens to girls.”
While females do comprise the largest number of sexual abuse victims, it is now believed that the number for male victims is much higher than reported."
- Excerpted from the 2011 Park View, CA Little League ASAP Safety Manual, http://www.parkviewlittleleague.com/Rules/Parkview%20Little%20League%202011%20ASAP.pdf
