Naturalist Glenn Cummings sent me an email. He is working on a new project at Little Seneca building brushpiles for the fishery. I was asked if I wanted to volunteer and help them out on the project. Sounds cool and all but I am required to get a criminal fingerprint background check. Why do they need to get my fingerprints for volunteer service? I have never done anything illegal and I don't find it fair that I will be in the system for helping out the community. I think I am going to not help out after all because of this. Can anyone care to explain why they even need my fingerprints for?

Because some people might steal the brushpiles and put them in spots only they would know about.  Truthfully though, it's probablly just a precaution.

In short- law suits.  Sadly, people sue all the time for the actions of employees, or volunteers...  and they sue the one with the money.  

He doesn't know if you are a model citizen or an ax murderer or child molester.

I'd be willing to bet he's working under a federal grant, and any "employees" involved with it must follow the same process.  You wouldn't be "in the system" unless you already committed a crime.  For most of my "real" jobs, I've been required to undergo an FBI background check, fingerprinting, hair samples for drug testing, and some silly psych evaluation.  Even though I don't work for the government, my company has contracts with them, and all employees, including unpaid interns, must submit this information.

So my fingerprints won't be kept in a file or anything? I am not a criminal and never been charged with anything. Once the background check is in and they find out I never done anything illegal will my fingerprints be erased or something? I think they are doing it electronically.

You'd have to ask them. My employer keeps mine, but no law enforcement office that I know of keeps them. They just ran ours against the database, looking for hits, mostly to protect the integrity and security of the services offered to the government. Imagine if a known criminal or worse, a terrorist, gained access through a job with a government contractor.

Its unlikely in your case that a criminal would be able to do harm with brushpiles, LOL,  but if your friend is operating under a federal grant, then its probably SOP.

It doesn't bug me, but then again, I've got nothing to hide, and I'm not particularly paranoid about the government. I've seen how they operate, they're too stupid to have some master plan involving my fingerprints.

Just ask your friend about it, and why he needs this.

It is most likely as J Fracho said. The project is probably federally or state funded. Anytime that type of work is done background checks are usually required. You will have to ask if they keep them or on record or not. If you have never done anything, or plan to in the future, I would not worry about it. Some people actually have their prints entered into the system as a precautionary measure.

Many employers require the same thing nowadays. I work for the PA State Police so I of course had to have an extensive back ground check, but my wife has worked at several financial institutions and they have all required finger printing as well.

I'd get something in writing saying that once your work is over, your information will be deleted from the system. That way, if you get caught doing something illegal down the road because they get a hit in the fingerprint database, you can have all charges thrown out because they will have caught you by illegal means. Unless of course they catch you in another way  

I had to get my fingerprints taken and recorded by the VA state police when I worked at a sporting goods store because I was selling firearms.

Why do you care if they keep your fingerprints? Are you planning on robbing a bank next month?

In this day and age getting fingerprinted and a background check is generic. Its absolutely nothing to worry about unless you suspect they may find something, otherwise why worry?

My last background check took about a year to complete, fingerprints were the minor portion.

I had to get my fingerprints taken and recorded by the VA state police when I worked at a sporting goods store because I was selling firearms.

Why do you care if they keep your fingerprints? Are you planning on robbing a bank next month?

I never plan on robbing a bank. I would just rather not have my fingerprints on file.

Go ahead and do it it aint gonna do anyharm ..Now if he asked u to put a chip under ur skin then id back away fast

I had to get my fingerprints taken and recorded by the VA state police when I worked at a sporting goods store because I was selling firearms.

Why do you care if they keep your fingerprints? Are you planning on robbing a bank next month?

I never plan on robbing a bank. I would just rather not have my fingerprints on file.

but why not? Unless you are a criminal it won't make any difference...

I wouldn't worry about it, heck they use to take mine every Saturday night. :

Unless you have something to hide, there is no reason NOT to have your fingerprints taken.  If you think it's an invasion of privacy, get over it.  Homeland Security will guarantee that this is the way things will be.  We will no longer be anonymous individuals.  That's not entirely a bad thing.

It's not just Homeland Security... it's lots of others. I had to renew my real estate license last month and guess what? Yup, I was fingerprinted for that as well. I don't care, my prints are already on file. :

(for legit reasons)

They are going to store them in a secret file, and send men in black suits to your house and suck your brain out through your ears

The way I see it, with your fingerprints on file the less likely they are to accuse you of something somebody else did. It sounds like you are just being hard headed.

Don't do it . TRUST NO ONE.

Just get fingerprinted.

It doesn't matter anyway. When you were born we installed a computer chip in your head. We are always watching.

If a guy doesn't want his prints on file, so be-it.  Nothing wrong with that, and I can't blame him.  I'm surprised so many are in favor of prints being taken.   :-X

I completely understand why you wouldn't want them on file. My brother was in a situation like this...he was applying to be a city cop and they had an interview where they asked tons of questions, they then invited him to be hooked up to a polygraph. He refused. What they would do is ask similar questions and once they get a lie on one of them, then you are in the system and won't be hired by many other government funded programs.

So once you're in the system they can track you, any slip ups and you already have a record.

The question that would have got him was...would you turn in a family member for breaking a law.

I completely understand why you wouldn't want them on file. My brother was in a situation like this...he was applying to be a city cop and they had an interview where they asked tons of questions, they then invited him to be hooked up to a polygraph. He refused. What they would do is ask similar questions and once they get a lie on one of them, then you are in the system and won't be hired by many other government funded programs.

So once you're in the system they can track you, any slip ups and you already have a record.

The question that would have got him was...would you turn in a family member for breaking a law.

100% inaccurate, false, not true, BS, wrong.  

Its a tough question but the less thy know the better its none of their business.

Like someone said; they were surprised that so few thought no big deal.  I'm usually the guy that would say" no big deal" but I surprised myself on this. Is that even possible to do ( surprise yourself )?

FFI - AKA Matt Crum

At least you didn't scare yourself. ;D