Date: April 7, 2009

Attention: ASCIP Members

Subject: Campus Visitors - Automated Check-in Products

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Each year, new developments in information technology present Member districts with additional opportunities to obtain a wider array of data and at an ever increasing speed, as witnessed with the advent of Megan's Law website in 1996. While this data can prove useful to identify convicted sex offenders prior to them entering a school campus, it should be noted that the misuse of this data presents additional liabilities for Member districts. (see ASCIP's Megan's Law Risk Alert http://www.ascip.org/riskalerthtm/Megans_Law.htm)

ASCIP has received numerous inquiries regarding "automated check-in products" that promise to accurately identify convicted sex offenders without staff oversight based solely on three variables: name, address and age. While these three variables appear to produce accurate results, the fact is that mistaken identification is still likely when relying solely on such basic information. The California Office of Attorney General's website (http://www.meganslaw.ca.gov/disclaimer.aspx) cautions users to take "extreme care" when using only name, address and age to identify convicted sex offenders on their website.

In addition, when considering whether to use "automated check-in" products, Members should consider the following: automated systems may not identify unauthorized campus visitors who are not convicted sex offenders; automated systems will not identify unauthorized campus visitors who use false names and/or addresses; automated systems may obtain data from incomplete or inaccurate sources; automated systems may have audible or visual alerts that violate an identified person's right to privacy under the California Constitution; and automated systems may prevent convicted sex offenders who have a legal right to observe their sons or daughters under Education Code 49091.10(b).

ASCIP staff is available to assist in addressing security concerns as they may arise.