Cohousing-L Mailing List: background checks

[Lynn Nadeau (welcome]

I'm (also) part of a forming EcoVillage, and it has been suggested that as 
part of the application process for membership in the co-operative, a 
"background check" be required. The thinking seems to be that this could 
surface criminal history (abuse or molestation?) that would be cause for 
concern about having said person as a member. 

I personally wonder whether it would really be useful. Would it create a 
false sense of security (as a person could always have done such things and 
not gotten caught)? Is it illegal, anyway, to discriminate against a person 
who has served their time for whatever offenses? Would it be reassuring to 
an applicant, or off-putting? Is the expense in money and "vibe" worth it 
anyway? 

Are there other communities which require background checks? If so, what is 
your experience of it? If you considered it and decided not to, why was 
that? Has anyone had problems that could have been avoided if there had been 
a background check? 

Thanks,
Lynn Nadeau