Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 43-Committee on Judiciary

FILE NUMBER 124

ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION--Encouraging certain nonprofit organizations and governmental agencies to establish programs to protect children from sexual molestation.

Whereas, The children of this state are its most valuable resource and also one of its most vulnerable populations; and

Whereas, The children of this state deserve to be protected from crime before it occurs, including protection from sexual molestation and every effort must be made to ensure that they are protected; and

Whereas, There were 310 substantiated cases of sexual molestation committed against children in the State of Nevada in 1995; and

Whereas, Volunteers throughout this state, in the course of providing invaluable services for nonprofit organizations and governmental agencies, often exercise supervisory or disciplinary control over children or have direct access to or contact with children; and

Whereas, Currently, the volunteers and children involved with nonprofit organizations and governmental agencies in this state are not subject to any requirements of training to detect and avoid sexual molestation; and

Whereas, Many incidences of sexual molestation could be prevented by providing such volunteers and children with training concerning the prevention and detection of sexual molestation; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Assembly of the State of Nevada, the Senate Concurring, That nonprofit organizations and governmental agencies whose volunteers regularly render services to children are hereby encouraged to:

1. Adopt and enforce policies and procedures which prohibit a volunteer from being in a secluded environment with a child unless another adult reasonably has immediate and free access to the secluded environment; and 
2. Require each volunteer to read the policies and procedures and sign a form stating that he has read and understands the policies and procedures before beginning volunteer service for the organization or agency; and be it further Resolved, That those nonprofit organizations and governmental agencies are further encouraged to establish an informational program for volunteers which:
   1. Is designed to familiarize each volunteer with the generally applicable policies and procedures that prohibit a volunteer from being in a secluded environment with a child; 
   2. Sets forth specific behaviors that are, in relation to the specific activities that the volunteers will be engaging in with children, acceptable and unacceptable; 
   3. Informs each volunteer that the children have been trained to recognize and report molestation and attempted molestation; and 
   4. Teaches each volunteer to recognize common strategies and situations used by molesters that can lead to molestation or attempted molestation; and be it further Resolved, That those nonprofit organizations and governmental agencies are further encouraged to establish an informational program for each child who desires to participate in the regularly scheduled activities of the organization or agency which is designed to be administered by the parent or guardian of the child to teach the child to: 
      1. Recognize common strategies and situations used by molesters to molest or attempt to molest children;
      2. Resist attempts of child molesters; and 
      3. Report a person who attempts to molest him or another child to his parent or guardian or to another trusted adult; and be it further Resolved, That those nonprofit organizations and governmental agencies are further encouraged to require, as a condition of participation by the child in the activities of the organization or agency that: 
         1. The parent or guardian of the child receive a copy of the policies and procedures which prohibit a volunteer from being in a secluded environment with a child and sign a form prepared by the organization or agency affirming that the parent or guardian has read the policies and procedures and has discussed them with the child; and 
         2. The child participate in the informational program designed to teach him to recognize strategies used by child molesters, resist attempts of child molesters and report child molestation; and be it further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly prepare and transmit a copy of this resolution to each nonprofit organization and governmental agency in this state whose volunteers regularly render services to children.