Check Em Out Program will offer 100% funding to municipalities that pass an ordinance requiring fingerprint background checks of their volunteers who work with children in sports and other activities.

The Congressionally Selected Awards Program, authorized by the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 (Pub. L. 111-8), helps improve the functioning of the criminal justice system, prevent or combat juvenile delinquency, and/or assist victims of crime (other than compensation). Funds should be used for the projects selected by Congress, in the amounts specified in the joint explanatory statement incorporated by reference into Pub. L. 111-8, and generally consistent with one or more of the following statutory purposes: improving the functioning of the criminal justice system, preventing or combating juvenile delinquency, or assisting victims of crime (other than compensation). Each of these purposes is framed using language drawn, respectively, from the former Byrne discretionary statute, the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, the Victims of Crime Act, and the Violence Against Women Act. This project is authorized and funded through a line item in the FY 09 Congressional Budget and by the joint explanatory statement that is incorporated by reference into the FY09 Omnibus Appropriations Act.

The Megan Nicole Kanka Foundation's primary goal for their FY 2009 Congressionally Selected Award is to prevent victimization in the state of New Jersey by having every municipality pass an ordinance requiring fingerprint background checks on their volunteers who supervise children. After securing legislation in the State of New Jersey to allow volunteers to be fingerprinted, they launched their 'Check Em Out' Program. The Check Em Out Program has been in effect through federal grant funding since 2004. After learning about the lures and ways that pedophile sex offenders use children in order to sexually abuse them, the Foundation saw a need to get all of the municipalities in New Jersey to require fingerprint background checks on their volunteer coaches, managers, and leaders who have supervision of children through sports and other extracurricular activities.

NCA/NCF