Over 90 percent of nursing homes hire criminals

[cali]

By CBS News investigative producer Laura Strickler.

More than 90 percent of nursing homes hired employees with criminal convictions according to a new government report obtained by CBS News.

Government investigators ran background checks on all workers who were employed on June 1, 2009 at 260 nursing homes across the country. The results showed 92 percent of the facilities hired at least one employee with a criminal conviction.

The report, by the Inspector General for Health and Human Services, also says that at nearly half of the nursing homes, "five or more individuals" with criminal backgrounds were hired.

Investigators found seven registered sex offenders employed in five different nursing homes. Overall 43 percent of the criminal convictions were for property crimes such as "burglary, shoplifting, writing bad checks."

Forty-three states require nursing homes to conduct some kind of criminal background check. But, only ten states require both a state and FBI background check that would detect convictions in multiple states.

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http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31727_162-20038384-10391695.html?tag=stack

[Jmaxfie1]

1. "seven registered sex offenders", That's scary:( n/t

[NeedleCast]

11. Maybe, but consider what can get you put on a sex offender list these days

Pee in a public allyway and get caught? In some states thats enough to get you put on a sex offender list.

[Jmaxfie1]

12. True, people have gone crazy as far as who is a "sex offender".

Hopefully it was only this type of offense.

[athenasatanjesus]

2. What's the problem?

I'm sure the number gets inflated by a lot of petty crimes and employees that committed their crimes while they were young.

[old mark]

3. K&R- So so many private "Security" agencies.....nt

[Smarmie Doofus]

4. Ditto many agencies and facilities serving handicapped and ...

..... mentally disabled and mentally ill .

No one else wants to do this work 'cause the $$ is so low and there's no security or benefits.


You can start making room on the list for public schools for the same reason.

[Obamanaut]

5. Considering the number of people who either are, have been, or will be

incarcerated this is not surprising.

Are people not expected to work following their release?

[Liberal_in_LA]

7. +10000 they've served their time. Let 'em work, if appropriate

[uppityperson]

6. Depends on the crime and when it was. Sex/abuse should not be allowed to work with these population

Writing a bad check 15 yrs ago and clean record since? They could be hired.

[Recursion]

8. Because it's so much better having criminals stay unemployed

That will really cut down on recidivism :sarcasm:

[Shagbark Hickory]

9. You can thank the managed care lobby for that...

"But, only ten states require both a state and FBI background check that would detect convictions in multiple states."

For the right price, you can get any law passed you want. You can even get a really lax, watered down bill passed to give the illusion that people have some kind of protections.

[NeedleCast]

10. I have a criminal conviction

I failed to pay a speeding ticket in 1994 (when I was 19) and was arrested for it during a later traffic stop.

Those stats are a little bit questionable without knowing what the offenses were.