Ill. legislature passes bill for ID checking of ice cream truck drivers

Photos and fingerprints required.

Just heard on KGO's ABC news report.

UNFUCKINGBELIEVABLE!

I'm off now to find a link.

When will they do this with politicians?

Child predators aren't stupid. They go where the kids are, get in profession and jobs where kids will be. This is a perfect example. Day care workers making minimum wage have to pass background checks. And they should. This is no different. Probably worse, because most day care workers are women, and men make up the bulk of pedophiles and molesters. And no, I'm not male bashing. It's just a fact.

I feel safer too.

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=local&id=3966895

nt

The music does it to them.

Illinois lawmakers want background checks for ice cream truck drivers

By Ann Sanner
The Associated Press
Published March 6, 2006, 2:24 PM CST


SPRINGFIELD -- Most people hear the whimsical music of an ice cream truck cruising through their neighborhood and start dreaming of an Eskimo Pie. An Illinois lawmaker thinks they should also be worrying about who's behind the wheel.

Rep. Kevin Joyce wants to make Illinois the first state in the nation to require background checks and identification cards for ice cream truck drivers.
Workers would get the IDs after being fingerprinted and clearing a background check from the state police, who would deny cards to registered sex offenders or anyone convicted of a sex offense or homicide.

An ice cream trade group and child protection advocates support the idea.

"Sex offenders look for an opportunity to be around children, and driving an ice cream truck is one way to do that,'' said Grier Weeks, executive director of the National Association to Protect Children.

Carl Long, head of the International Ice Cream Vendors Association, already conducts background checks on employees at his Kansas City, Mo.-based company, Frosty Treats Inc.
(snip/...)

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-060306icecream,1,2453528.story?coll=chi-news-hed
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The Terrifying Not So Good Humor Man
~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~ ~~ ~~~~ ~~~~~

I've been lobbying for YEARS on this one. Not.

The huge majority of their customers are children. Why would anyone here think it's a good idea for registered sex offenders to be an ice cream driver? And, I know and understand the arguments, but the majority of people on the registry are NOT gay guys or johns caught in a sting. Or someone peeing against a building. They are rapists and molesters and pedophiles.

Any job involving significant contact with children -- teachers, school janitors, daycare workers -- should probably be vetted for priors on sexual offenses. It won't be a foolproof method for keeping pedophiles away from children, but it's a start.

Unfortunately, all too many child molestors have no convictions. A friend of mine was molested by her father, who coincidentally also ran a kiddie park. She never reported his abuse, and I can only wonder about his contact with the children he worked with throughout the day.

Unconvicted molesters will still be able to pass the check. However, those who DO have convicrtions....

It's known that pedophiles get jobs, go places, where victims congregate: playgrounds, amusement parks, etc. And, I would think an ice cream truck would be right up there.

Gotta protect the kids. They're our most important asset (coming from someone with no kids, but a great nice an nephew!).

convicted child molesters and registered sex offenders.

on edit: and convicted murderers.

.. a few years I might, but it's amazing how having a four year old can help change your perceptions.

I'm not sure how, legally, they're going to be able check priors for just ice cream guys and not, say, toy store clerks, but that's another story.

that come into contact primarily with children -- that's how they do it. Day care workers, etc. A store clerk's jobs and contact are different.

...after all the primary customers are children. If it keeps the children safer from sex offenders, I'm all for it.

Cheers

the one around here used to sell pot....

A big old fattie could go a long ways toward improving attitude on the job (or so I'm told...)

___

All joking aside, I don't really have much of a problem with this one. A background check for anybody that comes in contact with my kid really doesn't sound too bad to me...



Laura

I'm as concerned for the safety of children as the next person. I'll have one of my own in another six weeks or so.

But before we automatically assume this bill is a good thing, let's ask a few questions.

• How many incidents have there been of abuse by ice cream truck drivers?
  
• Out of the above, how many could've been prevented by this legislation?
  
• What will it cost to implement this?
  
• What safeguards are in place to prevent abuses, like persons being denied approval out of racism, for political reasons, or just because they couldn't navigate the bureaucracy?
  

I don't know what the right answer is on this one, but I'd really like to make an informed decision.

good old song by John Brin. Has a whole new meaning now.