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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 Registration Force Some to Hide

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In Cleveland the county Sheriff checks to see if registered sex offenders are in fact living where they say they do. Determining the currently location of a sex offender helps law enforcement and the community to know if the sex offender is in compliance or maybe hiding and possibly up to no good. One would think if they are compliant, they are trying to assimilate.

Certainly they can be up to no good if they are compliant with the registry, but this is just another reason to check on them. In Cleveland about 2/3rds claim to live at a mens homeless shelter. But reports state none of them have been there in months.

The Plain Dealer reports Increasingly stringent limitations on where sex offenders can live have driven many to register under false addresses and live off the grid — beyond monitoring and treatment, say sex offender management and re-entry specialists.

And as the county’s list of sex offenders grows to more than 3,000, with fewer resources to monitor them, it is impossible to know how many might have registered under one location and are living at another.

Many state laws restrict sex offenders from living within 1000 feet of a school or park for obvious reasons. In the plains of Africa, the lions follow the herds of gazelle to stalk their prey. Sex offenders go where their prey is.  In response laws were set up to prohibit such behavior.  In some states where no laws exists many towns have their own ordinances with the same restrictions. This “not in my back yard” strategy seems to be backfiring in many municipalities.

Regardless, it is necessary for you to keep tabs in your own neighborhood of who lives there and their history. Checking names to determine if they are a sex offender is often effective in determining if they have been convicted of an offence.

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)

Should Background Checks Be Required for Dating Sites?

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It’s no secret that there are kooky people both online and on the ground. The problem with the online part is kooky people seem to gravitate there. My theory is that those who have ulterior motives, an agenda of sorts, may believe they can lure in their victims easier online. I can see why they’d think that. It’s easier to lie online.

There’s no body language, no intonation in ones voice, and no emotional connection to the real person. Simply put, it’s harder for a person’s sixth sense to connect with an avatar.

When communicating online a person who might normally lack effective communication skills can speak in the written word easier than they can in public.  Someone who has bad intentions won’t be discovered as quickly because the other person can’t really “feel” them. Intuition often plays a role in making effective decisions.

Online dating sites argue that people should use their common sense. They further note that not all checks are completely accurate. But the fact is online dating sites are selling a lot more than an opportunity to connect. By default they give the people who sign on a level of legitimacy. There is an intended level of credibility granted to all who post their profile. These same sites market to the public to come to their website to find love.

All that being said it would be a good and prudent practice for any online dating site to further vet out and screen those who sign up. It won’t keep all the bad apples out, but it will significantly reduce the ones who are currently gaming the system.

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)

Sex Offender Registry: Good or Bad?

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Millions of parents, employers, and others are concerned about sex offenders living in their neighborhoods. It is imperative that a citizen has the right to find identifying location information on sex offenders where they reside, work, and go to school.

There is a debate on Forbes about sex offender registries value and whether or not they actually protect citizens.

Understand that a sex predator is “normal”. It’s their version of normal. It’s the way they are wired. This breed of human may look like you and I, they often appear to act like us, but their thought process is one that differs significantly from ours. They have an entirely different set of boundaries that doesn’t equate to what most people agree to as proper. Talk to any psychologist or psychiatrist and they will tell you there are many versions of what normal is.

Sex offender registries have been around for over a decade and are often decentralized public and private resources.

For more than 50 years, states like California have required sex offenders to register with their local law enforcement agencies. However, information on the whereabouts of these sex offenders was not available to the public until the implementation of the Child Molester Identification Line in July 1995. The information available was further expanded by California’s Megan’s Law in 1996 (Chapter 908, Stats. of 1996). Since that time sex offender registries have popped up in every state and federally.

Some argue that people who end up on the different registries that were accused of crimes such as urinating in public, or an 18 year old having consensual sex with a 17 year old is a reason why the sex offender registries need to be abolished. I agree that laws need to be revamped and some sex offenders need to be re-categorized, But the mere fact that we have hundreds of thousands of living breathing predators in our midst, it’s definitely necessary to take a head count and keep tabs on their whereabouts.

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 CBS Boston. (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)

Sex Offenders and Predators and Criminals Oh My!

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The wizard in the Wizard of Oz wasn’t so much a wizard at all. But in the end he did have some sage advice that he bestowed upon Dorothy to give her direction and guidance. I’m no wizard either. But I have enough of a clue that it might benefit you from reading these posts here and there.

Anyone who follows my posts knows I discuss numerous issues revolving around personal security. My fascination with the bad guy and what you need to do to protect yourself is what gets me out of bed every day. I don’t worry so much, but I’m concerned. I see news reports every single day of people of all ages being violated in ways that bother me to the point of having to act. And there seems to be no end to it.

I feel that if I don’t do something about it then who will? Fortunately there are companies that I’m grateful to work with that support my beliefs and provide products and services to mitigate any harm that might come to you. So they help me spread the message and I thank you for coming back to learn and when needed, supporting them.

There are a few issues that I tap into every week that there is a ton to write about and unfortunately the issues will never go away. Sex offenders make the news multiple times daily and I could write 100 articles about them. They attack children and often attack women, and sometimes men. Children and their parents, elderly and women on the dating scene are readers I want to educate.

I find that predators naturally go after those who may be considered a bit more vulnerable or are often entering situations where they are more vulnerable. Either way, my goal is to empower the reader and provide them with options and solutions so they don’t end up a victim.

Going forward you will see numerous posts on sex offenders, who they are and where they are, dating in all its forms and how to protect yourself, criminals in our society and who they have access to and how to protect yourself from them. This will be a constant beating of the drum that at times may be repetitive, but repetition as they say is definitely the mother of skill.

I always appreciate your feedback and comments. Thank you so much for your time and attention, and please keep your head up and pay attention.

Robert Siciliano is a Personal Security Expert and Adviser to Intelius.com. For more information see Intelius at Sex Offender Check and Date Check and Neighborhood Watch to reduce your chances of encountering a bad guy. See him discussing Safe Personal Dating on Tyra. (Disclosures)

Could Your Neighbor be a Grim Sleeper?

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Serial killer “Grim Sleeper” was captured in LA. Lonnie David Franklin Jr. was at one time was an employee for the LAPD. The Los Angeles Police Department had been hunting a man who had stalked South Los Angeles since 1985, killing at least 10 women. “Franklin allegedly killed seven women between 1985 and 1988, when his crimes seemed to abruptly stop, authorities say. The slayings resumed with three more between 2002 and 2007, police said. The Grim Sleeper serial killer had a lengthy criminal history stretching over four decades but was never sent to prison despite calls by law enforcement officials for tough sentences, according to Los Angeles County court records” It’s always very disappointing when criminals are let out only to commit another crime. It’s even more disappointing when the system enables these same criminals by giving them lean sentences or letting before their sentence is up. According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics “In 2008, over 7.3 million people were on probation, in jail or prison, or on parole at year-end — 3.2% of all U.S. adult residents or 1 in every 31 adults.”  2,304,115 were incarcerated in U.S. prisons and jails in 2008 There is an old saying born of motorcycle gangs called “one percenters”.  The theory is 1% of all people come out of their momma just bad. According to these stats, it may actually be 3.2 percent.

Robert Siciliano is a Personal Security Expert and Adviser to Intelius.com. For more information see Intelius at Criminal Check to reduce your chances of encountering a bad guy. See him discussing self defense on Youtube.  (Disclosures)

Law enforcement officers keep tough watch on sex offenders

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In Colorado law enforcement officers are scouring the state to make sure sex offenders aren’t hiding from the law.

“Operation Sheperd launched into action this month. Mesa County Sheriff’s Office Deputies and Grand Junction Police Department Officers are crisscrossing Grand Junction to make sure registered sex offenders are living where they reported they are. These officials randomly visit homes of offenders, some of them convicted of molesting children. It’s all to keep strict tabs on these offenders, so that they don’t escape the watchful eye of police. “We do take the verification of addresses seriously, and we do continually check,” says the Grand Junction Police Department.”

Verifying addresses and keeping tabs on a sex offenders whereabouts always keeps sex offenders in check. It is important that local law enforcement always has tabs on them due to the nature of their crimes. We hear too often that sex offenders are released then repeat their behavior. It is unfortunately a part of their nature.

Even though law enforcement is doing their job, you need to continually scan the internet and seek out sex offenders in your neighborhoods.

“Operation Sheperd has captured 180 sex offenders who were not complying with their registry so far. Officers across Colorado have completed nearly 4,000 checks on offenders.”

Wow. Sex offenders often don’t register because they don’t want to be found or because they are living in an area where they aren’t allowed to be, such as near a school or park. Based on these numbers you should never simply trust that your new next door neighbor is “good”. Bad comes in many different faces.

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)