The new registration arrangements for safeguarding children are, according to reports, expected to identify some 20,000 dubious people among the 11 million adults to be checked. That is a strike rate of less than 2 in 1000, though it will double the number of people who are known to be too dangerous to be allowed near a child. But as someone said, if you are looking for a needle in a haystack it does not seem sensible to increase the size of the haystack.
I have not heard anyone mention the problem of false positives - & these will happen.
Even if the rate of false positives is only 1 in a million 11 people will be falsely denied clearance. Even if – when – the authorities acknowledge their mistake, mud will stick; the unfortunate person, their families, will suffer.
Is that worth it, if it protects just one child?
Related post
