Too Easy For Wanted Criminals To Get Hired At Pennsylvania Carnivals: Report

It’s too easy for wanted criminals and those with criminal records to get a job at carnivals in Pennsylvania, according to a new report in The Daily Local News.

Per the report:

Whether the guy strapping their kid into a carnival ride has a criminal past likely isn’t on the minds of most parents as they chase their child from one amusement to another. And it shouldn’t be.

Criminal background checks are a pretty standard part of the hiring process these days. So parents shouldn’t have to worry about the histories of the mostly transient individuals who work at community fairs and church carnivals, which are both common and popular over the summer.

But the fact is, the Pennsylvania law that mandates criminal background checks for employees and volunteers who work with children does not cover traveling carnivals and concession operators or their workers.

As a result, wanted criminals and people with criminal records are landing jobs at carnivals. That’s what we were told by a private investigator who performed criminal background checks at our request.

The report points towards several incidents where those with a criminal past repeated their offenses while working at the carnival.

Background checks haven’t been incorporated yet because children at carnivals are usually with their parents or other adults, not under the supervision of carnival workes, according to officials.

What do you think? Should background checks be required for carnival employment? Let us know on our Facebook page or in the comments below.