After a series of educational workshops on police record checks this fall, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) and the John Howard Society of Ontario (JHSO) have released two accompanying information guides titled ‘On the Record.’ Both the workshops and information guides target two key audiences:
- Front-line service providers, family members, friends and individuals themselves who may be impacted by police records (i.e. direct social service providers, legal/court professionals, government etc.)
- Professionals who use police record checks in hiring or volunteer screening (i.e. employers, human resources professionals, volunteer organizations and coordinators)
These resources include an overview of:
- the legal and policy frameworks that govern police record checks in Ontario
- different types of police records
- where police records are stored
- how police records are disclosed and the three type of record checks
- research findings on how police records, and more specifically non-conviction records, are impacting individuals when they travel, look for work, school and volunteer opportunities and in other ways
There is also specific information for employers and organization on best practices around hiring and screening volunteers and when it is suitable for an employer to request a police record check in Ontario.
CMHA Ontario continues to collaborate with CCLA, JHSO, the Schizophrenia Society of Ontario and the Ontario Association of Patient Councils as part of the Police Record Check Coalition (PRCC) to address this issue.
The PRCC is currently monitoring the adoption of the June 2014 updated LEARN Guideline and working on launching a new and improved website in the new year.
If you would like to host your own On the Record session, please contact Jacqueline Tasca at jtasca@johnhoward.on.ca.
To read the information guide for people impacted by non-conviction police records in Ontario, visit the John Howard website.
To read the information guide on police record checks in Ontario for employers, human resources professionals and volunteer managers, visit the John Howard website.