Background Checks Don’t Tell the Whole Story

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When it comes to background checks, the National Crime Information Center is the gold standard. It is only available to law enforcement agencies and is the most accurate and complete database tracking convictions and arrests in the US. That sounds pretty great, right? Unfortunately, it’s not all as it seems.

The Department of Justice

The Department of Justice recently released a report based on a two-year study of convictions and arrests from 2016. The report shows that a very low percentage of convictions and arrests actually make it to the National Crime Information Center. What does this mean? It means that even if a commercial background check company is using the best information, it’s only able to get information on about 13% of all crimes. On top of that, there is a pretty standard 30% error rate on background checks based on factors such as typos, misspellings, and data entry errors. Yikes.

The Reliance of Background Checks

It doesn’t matter if you are an employer, a landlord, or even a private citizen hiring a babysitter or contractor, odds are good that you think a criminal background check is a good idea. But, the fact that we not only rely on these checks, but also believe that they are fool-proof, is quite problematic.

Other Implications of Background Checks

The inaccuracy of background checks is only one of the issues associated with them. Another issue is that there is a big possibility that these commercial background checks could violate the Fair Housing Act because it might be seen as intentional discrimination. Additionally, though people with criminal records are not protected under the Fair Housing Act, statistically, this creates a disproportionate impact on minorities. According to the Fair Housing Act, minorities are protected.

Though it seems like a great idea to run a criminal background check, as you can see, it’s not always a black and white result. Criminal history databases are not complete, there are high rates of errors, and these background checks might be violations of the Fair Housing Act. At the very least, someone could have a good case against it if you use a criminal background check as a basis for a housing decision. When thinking about if a background check is worth it or not, it probably is, but you also have to be aware of the possibility that you are not going to get the entire story.

Robert Siciliano personal security and identity theft expert and speaker is the author of Identity Theft Privacy: Security Protection and Fraud Prevention: Your Guide to Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft and Computer Fraud. See him knock’em dead in this Security Awareness Training video.

School Directors Face Background Checks

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When I see headlines like this I wonder what century we are in. You’d think in the year 2010 that background checks of school officials would have been implemented 20 years ago. In New Jersey background checks for school employees have been in place since 1986. But not for school officials.

Still to this day municipalities across the country are still determining who should or shouldn’t be checked.

A new bill in New Jersey would disqualify school board members from serving if they’ve been convicted of serious crimes. Further, it would require them to pay for the cost to get background checks themselves or with campaign money. The checks cost $80, according to the state Department of Education website.

It’s common sense to require background checks for school volunteers, coaches, teachers and even janitorial staff. So why would a school official be any different? Leaders are supposed to set examples. Leadership is stated as the process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task.

Currently there is no statute that prevents a person with a criminal conviction to become a school board official! Fortunately the bill was unanimously passed.

Citizens cannot rely on their governments to effectively police their officials. It is essential to all those concerned to always check up on someone history. Especially those in positions of trust.

Robert Siciliano is a Personal Security Expert and Adviser to Intelius.com. For more information see Intelius background checks to learn more. See him discussing background checks Court TV. (Disclosures)

Sex Offender Volunteered For High Football Team

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In Seattle a Level III sex offender was allowed to work as a volunteer with the Evergreen High School football team, according to school officials. It was the head coach’s responsibility to see that the volunteer passed a background check before having contact with students.

Two female students who serve as managers with the football team alerted authorities after the volunteer made comments that made them feel uncomfortable. He was subsequently arrested for failing to register as a sex offender.

Sex offenders are “offensive”  because of their nature. It’s how they are wired. They simply don’t know any better. Even if they know right from wrong, they can’t help themselves; it’s their “way”. Pit-bulls are often aggressive dogs that attack for no reason. It’s their nature. Golden Retrievers are big dopey dogs who just want to play and show affection. It’s their nature.

It’s disappointing that the coach didn’t do his job properly. What may have happened is the coach took a liking to the volunteer and “trusted” that he didn’t have a record. The coach like most people didn’t want to believe he was in the presence of a bad egg. None of us want to admit we are in the presence of evil.

His denial and lack of accountability put his students at risk. Those days should be over because we live in such a litigious society. However our “niceness” often makes us stupid. The girls on the other hand who spoke up were immediately listened to and were taken seriously. Good for them. 10 years ago, and even today sexual harassment of this nature would be blamed on the women and swept under the rug. Fortunately we are becoming more civilized.

Robert Siciliano is a Personal Security Expert and Adviser to Intelius.com. For more information see Intelius at Sex Offender Check to reduce your chances of encountering a bad guy. See him discussing Sex Offenders on Fox Boston. (Disclosures)

Auditioning For The Bachelorette

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I know plenty of people who openly love trash TV and others who say it’s their guilty pleasure. Every time I see trash TV on in my house I remind my significant other it’s making her dumber one IQ point for every minute of consumption. So after an hour of TV her IQ is at about 40.

Turns out the auditioning for the bachelorette meets similar standards I’d probably put in place when little predators start swarming my house.

Contestants for the popular ABC show The Bachelorette have to go through a grueling background check that includes a six-hour test with 1200 questions, a session with a psychologist, blood and alcohol testing. I LOVE THAT!!!!!!!! I’m sure the motivations of the producers are more in line with good TV and reducing liability, but it’s a good start.

Questions like “Do you love your mother”  are part of the 1200. That’s a good question. I’d also ask “If you date my daughter would you do anything to her that would make you fear a walk in freezer and a wood chipper?” That’s a good question too.

Next they sit you down in front of 8 producers who grill you. That would be my mom, dad, dads wife, me, sig other, and my 3 biggest meanest burliest biker friends. Preferably the ones with scars on their faces.

Then they do a blood and urine test for drugs and alcohol and sexually transmitted diseases. And finally a psychologist interviews you.

I have a whole new respect for trash TV.

Robert Siciliano is a Personal Security Expert and Adviser to Intelius.com. For more information see Intelius at Date Check to reduce your chances of encountering a bad guy. See him discussing dating security on E! True Hollywood Stories. (Disclosures)

Baseball Coach Listed as A Sex Offender

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In  Ostego Michigan a local summer baseball league coach was been removed from his position Friday after school officials found out he was listed on the Michigan State Sex Offender Registry.

He was coaching for a week when am aware parent notified the school, he was a sex offender from 1996. As a parent, you should be the one notifying school officials because you are aware of these issues. You can do a search on “sex offender registry” to locate those in your area and check out Neighborhood Watch.

The parent telling the school shows a flaw in the schools system of effectively vetting out someone who has a past of inappropriate behavior with children. The school district went on to say they screen volunteers in the hundreds of background checks they do his may have been overlooked. What is also a possibility is he lied on his application which skewered the results.

Officials point to the sex offender putting his name alongside his father’s name on the application as his father may have some ties to the league. This may have been done to confuse the background check process.

If you are a sex offender, and you have been prosecuted for something you did to a kid, what the heck could possibly be your motivation work want to work alongside kids, and possible discovered? There’s no way to rationalize irrational behavior.  I think these kids and their parents dodged a bullet.

That parent who brought to to the attention of the district is a hero.

Robert Siciliano is a Personal Security Expert and Adviser to Intelius.com. For more information see Intelius at Sex Offender Check to reduce your chances of encountering a bad guy. See him discussing personal security on NBC Boston. (Disclosures)

School volunteers face background checks

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All across the country one by one school, administrators are slowly beginning to recognize the need to perform background checks on volunteers.

In Albany County WY, “under the tentative policy, all volunteers would complete an information form when they begin their volunteer work. Additionally, volunteers would undergo screening through the Wyoming Department of Family Services and a to-be-selected national database if they volunteer more than an hour a week on average, accompany students on an overnight trip, spend more than five days working as a volunteer coach or accompany students on any off-campus activity in which they would be alone with students. School principals would also have the authority to request the screening of any volunteer.”

As stated in the article policies like this  are designed to identify the criminal and sexual offense background of potential volunteers.

When a lion is hungry it seeks out a smaller, weaker and slower animals that it feels it has the power to capture and kill. This is a normal and natural evolution of life. Sadly, as with predators in the wild, predators in “civilization” act much the same and seek out their prey in much the same way.

Any time an adult is  positioned to work alongside children in any capacity it is essential that adult is fully checked to determine any prior history of wrong doing that may affect the safety and security of a child.

Robert Siciliano is a Personal Security Expert and Adviser to Intelius.com. For more information see Intelius background checks to learn more. See him discussing Dating Security on E! True Hollywood Stories.  (Disclosures)

10 Tips to Safety and Security in Online Matchmaking

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Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Expert

My first passion has always been personal security as it relates to violence prevention. I got into this business 20 years ago as a result of violence in my own life and began to write, speak and train in self defense. Today is no different than back then, with the exception that there are many more ways for the bad guy to snare their victims.

Studies show online dating and matchmaking services in general are growing even in a recession. Many single men and women are logging in and attending speed dating sessions more than ever before. There are a couple of reasons for the increase in online dating. One, it is cheaper to join a service than it is to spend all kinds of money on a dinner and a bad blind date. Second, people want the comfort of being with someone in turbulent times. Having a companion to share in the fear, uncertainty and doubt can help people vent and find relief in each other.

However, in our never ending quest to Find Mr/Mrs Right, the one under-discussed, over looked and “it can’t happen to me” aspect of being on the dating scene is your personal security. Ive partnered with Intelius.com, a company that provides “DateCheck”, a background check to vet out and look for possible redflags in your potential mate.

1. Look for red flags. If you are contacted online and they make no reference to you or your name, it may be a “broadcast” scam going to others. If they immediately start talking about marriage and love and showing immediate affection run really fast. Anyone asking for money for any reason is a con-man. When communicating with someone online and it seems it takes days for them to respond, this may be a sign they are married.

2. When communicating with a potential mate via online dating or even in the physical world, please do not give up all your information to them until you are entirely sure they are “good”. That can take weeks, but it’s worth the wait. Bad guys lie, a lot. And they will keep up the ruse until they have what they need or until you are in a vulnerable place. So be discreet and keep your personal information private.

3. Read books on self defense and personal security. Watch instructional videos on self defense techniques. Take a self defense course. The single most effective self defense offering on the planet is a program called “Impact Model Mugging”. Search it online and find one near you. Drive 500 miles if you have to, but take this course and bring your sons and daughters with you. In this case knowledge certainly is power.

4. You’ve heard this before and it requires revisiting: meet your date in a populated place and drive yourself. And do it at least the first 5 times. The goal here is you want to get to know the energy of this person and what makes them tick. If simple stuff irritates them or they make racist or offensive jokes or exhibit behaviors not conducive to “healthy”, move on.

5. Do not consume alcohol when meeting, even with food. Alcohol lowers our inhibitions and makes us accept behaviors that aren’t appropriate. Don’t accept drinks from anyone under any condition unless you see the drink being poured and it goes straight to your hands. Slipping drugs in drinks happens every day.

6. Be direct about going ‘dutch’ in regards to paying for dinner. While this may seem extreme to some, studies show an large percentage of males still believe that when they buy a woman dinner that she “owes” him sex.

7. Take lots of pictures of them with your mobile phone and tell them you are emailing everyone in your life to show them who you are with and where you are.

8. Get as much information about them. You ask all the questions. Get their name, address, previous address, home phone, cell phone, place of birth, birthdate, where they work, license plate and if you can squeeze it out of them, and I kid you not, get their Social Security number.

9. Go online to iSearch.com and Google and search every bit of information about them you have acquired. You want to know as much about this person as possible. Search name, phone, email and screen name. As you “mine” this data, the deeper you dig the more you will find. The goal is to look for truth and lies. If you see inconsistencies, or red flags that can’t be easily explained, run really fast.

10. Go online to Intelius.com and perform a “Date Check”. With a name and birth date you can do a comprehensive background check that will tell you if they have been convicted of a crime, gone bankrupt, are being sued and if they are married.

A background check is an entirely necessary tool that alerts you to any red flags or inconsistencies in their dialog with you. Performing a background check is inexpensive, quick and smart.

Robert Siciliano discussing self defense on Fox

One in eight applicants denied positions because of criminal history

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Identity Theft Expert Robert Siciliano

Background checks are a necessary tool in today’s sometimes violent and certainly litigious society. If a rug installation company was to hire an installer, who eventually rapes and kills a client, then the rug installation company would be held libel for the animals actions. This example is one that happens all to often.

A background check may solve this problem in many situations. Withjust  a name and address a company can vet a new hire to see of that person has a criminal background and has ever committed a violent crime.

Church Executive Magazine reports one in eight background checks conducted on volunteers or prospective employees through LifeWay Christian Resources found a criminal history that might have kept an individual from working or volunteering at a church!

This is where people who are supposed to be held at a higher standard, but unfortunately predators have no boundaries.

“While most screenings returned clean records or only minor traffic offenses, in the report 450 churches requested more than 5,000 background checks on volunteers and prospective employees. LifeWay found 80 serious felony offenses and more than 600 people had some type of criminal history that may have disqualified them from volunteering or working at a church.”

“While vital, experts say sex-offender registries alone aren’t very effective in spotting sexual predators. They list only those convicted of a crime. Because victims typically are reluctant to come forward and with statutes of limitations on molestation laws in many states, only an estimated 10 percent of sexual predators are brought to justice.”

Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Speaker discussing background checks