The actions of a contractor with a criminal record allegedly contributed to a deadly building collapse in Philadelphia on June 5.

The contractor in question, Sean Benschop, was hired by general contractor Griffin Campbell to operate a backhoe on a demolition project at 2136 Market Street in Philadelphia. According to witnesses, Benschop was using the backhoe to remove debris from the fourth floor of the building being demolished when the backhoe arm apparently hit a support beam and caused a wall to collapse outward onto the roof of the neighboring Salvation Army Thrift Store. Six people were killed and 13 more were injured when the roof of the store collapsed under the weight of the fallen wall.

An investigation revealed that Benschop had marijuana in his system on the day of the collapse, and Benschop admitted that he had been taking Percocet to relieve pain from a prior injury.

Had a criminal background check been run on Benschop before employment, his predisposition for abusing drugs might have been exposed to his employer. Benschop was convicted three times since 1994 for possession of controlled substances. Though sources say he had a good reputation as a backhoe operator and had frequently worked on projects throughout the city as an independent contractor over a period of 13 years, his criminal background should have raised some red flags. At the very least he could have been supervised more carefully and perhaps subjected to random drug tests by the general contractor employing him.

Unfortunately, it is sometimes difficult for the primary employer to keep track of all the subcontractors that their general contractor may employ and ensure that they all receive proper background checks. In this case, the general contractor, Griffin Campbell, also had a criminal record. He was convicted of theft and insurance fraud in 2009. Although Campbell did have a valid contractors’ license, he also owed the city, state, and federal government thousands in back taxes.

When using contractors, employers would do well to protect themselves from unwise hiring decisions on the contractor’s part using a service like the VendorSAFE program from backgroundchecks.com. This service allows employers to implement a screening program modelled after the one they use for internal hires and deploy it free of charge to them to their community of vendors and contractors. This service extends the steps an employer can take to reduce the chances of negligent hiring and workplace crime incidents.

In response to this tragic accident, city officials have halted work at Campbell’s other demolition sites and begun re-inspecting hundreds of other sites across the city. They also plan to implement changes in demolition and construction regulations to hopefully prevent contractors from skimping on safety to avoid some of the high costs of doing business in the city. The city council also called for better coordination between city departments so that unscrupulous and non-tax-paying contractors like Campbell could be identified sooner.

Sean Benschop has been arrested and is currently awaiting a hearing scheduled for June 26. He will be charged with 13 counts of reckless endangerment, six counts of involuntary manslaughter, and one count of risking a catastrophe.

About backgroundchecks.com

Founded during the Internet boom in 1999 by an executive in both the staffing and information industry, backgroundchecks.com – a founding member of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS®) – has been able to create a service that provides a blend of flexible screening programs that included instant, cost effective and comprehensive solutions. Our experience in database modeling of public records information has led Backgroundchecks.com to become the leader in the acquisition and delivery of public records information by harnessing the power and technology of the Internet. To learn more visit www.backgroundchecks.com.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/10/philadelphia-building-collapse-sean-benschop_n_3414640.html

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/06/09/18867423-worker-arrested-in-philadelphia-building-collapse-had-long-criminal-record?lite

Author: Michael Klazema

Kids aren’t the only people who need to be protected through the use of background checks. Other vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, may also be mistreated by those very individuals entrusted with their care. The risk only increases if background checks are not used to screen out untrustworthy individuals from consideration for positions in which it would be easy for them to take advantage of the seniors under their care.

One recent news story from Olympia, Wash. underscores the need to protect seniors from unscrupulous individuals. Nurse’s aide Kerrina Koch was charged with one count of first-degree theft and four counts of trafficking in stolen property based on criminal activities allegedly carried out at the senior care facility where she works.

According to police, Koch may have stolen rings from as many as six patients. The investigation into Koch’s activities began after the wife of an Alzheimer’s patient at Garden Courte Memory Care Community, the facility where Koch works, called the police. The woman told police that two of her husband’s rings were missing, one of which was valued at $1,800 and the other at $600.

Court documents indicate that Koch’s MO may have been to claim she was taking patients’ rings for cleaning, relying on their faulty memories to cover her tracks when the rings were never returned.

According to police, Koch pawned at least two of the rings she allegedly stole at Cash America. Unfortunately the rings have already been melted down and could not be returned to their rightful owners.

Koch’s story underscores the vulnerability of Alzheimer’s patients and other residents of elder care facilities. While background checks can’t stop crimes like this from happening, they can help reduce the risk of such crimes by preventing elder care facilities from hiring individuals with past convictions in areas like theft, fraud, and abuse.

A national criminal background check tool like US OneSEARCH from backgroundchecks.com could prove quite useful in the effort to protect seniors from being victimized by their own caretakers. US OneSEARCH compares a name and a date of birth against over 450 million records taken from state and local databases across the country to reveal any past criminal convictions associated with the individual in question.

Many states already have rules about background checks for elder care facilities, though these rules are not always as comprehensive or as effective as they could be. For example, Michigan requires a fingerprint-based background check, but only for owners, operators, and certain other individuals. This may leave residents vulnerable to abuse from individuals in positions not subject to the background check.

Kentucky’s proposed elder care background check law would make a better model. If passed, the law would require national rather than state-based background checks and ongoing criminal monitoring of all employees of long term elder care facilities. This approach would definitely help prevent unsuitable individuals from being employed at nursing homes where they may have the opportunity to commit crimes. The ongoing criminal monitoring aspect of the bill is especially noteworthy, because it will enable employers to receive an immediate notification whenever an employee is involved in a criminal case.

The investigation into Koch’s crimes is ongoing. At this time, she has been released without bail, and it is unclear whether or not she has been terminated from employment at Garden Courte Memory Care Community.

About backgroundchecks.com

Founded during the Internet boom in 1999 by an executive in both the staffing and information industry, backgroundchecks.com – a founding member of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS®) – has been able to create a service that provides a blend of flexible screening programs that included instant, cost effective and comprehensive solutions. Our experience in database modeling of public records information has led Backgroundchecks.com to become the leader in the acquisition and delivery of public records information by harnessing the power and technology of the Internet. To learn more visit www.backgroundchecks.com.

Source: http://www.theolympian.com/2013/05/31/2567147/employee-of-olympia-nursing.html

Author: Michael Klazema

In the town of Phillipsburg, PA, officials are considering changes to their background check laws that will hopefully improve the safety of local kids during youth sports activities and events.

There is already a law in place in Phillipsburg requiring youth sports coaches and volunteers to pass criminal background checks. However, council members have identified two main shortcomings with the current law.

First of all, the town’s law does not require background checks on umpires. Since these individuals will have opportunities to have contact with kids before, during, or after sporting competitions, it seems logical to include them on the list of individuals who need background checks.

When performing background checks on adults associated with youth sports, it is vital to use a national product such as US OneSEARCH from backgroundchecks.com. This ensures that out-of-state criminal convictions are not overlooked. US OneSEARCH is a particularly good choice of background check tool for positions relating to minors because it automatically includes a search of the Offender Registries, in addition to a search of over 450 million criminal records culled from state and local databases across the country. The broad scope of this search would give town authorities and parents peace of mind that they are not allowing children to be exposed to predators.

Requiring national background checks on all adults associated with youth sports activities in Phillipsburg is a good start. But after experiencing problems with compliance in the past, the town council realized there was a second problem with their law: there were no consequences for non-compliance.

Accordingly, town attorney Richard Wenner wrote a revision to the law to give it “teeth” or an enforcement mechanism. Wenner’s proposed change to the background check law specifies that each youth sports team must submit a certified list of coaches and volunteers who have passed their background checks to the town’s recreation director at least 30 days before the beginning of the season. Failing to do so would result in the team being banned from use of town athletic equipment and facilities.

The proposed new provisions of the law also allow the recreation director to take this action in the middle of a season if a team is proven to be allowing unscreened individuals who were not on their original list to work with kids.

Critics of the proposal point out that it may unfairly punish youth athletes for adults’ errors by preventing them from participating in sports if their coaches fail to comply with the town’s background check law. However, many parents would probably prefer that their kids be safe at home, rather than out with an individual whose suitability for working with kids has not been proven with a background check, even if that means their kids don’t get to play sports.

The proposed changes will be read at the next town council meeting, and local youth sports coaches and organizations will have an opportunity to respond. It’s hard to argue against measures designed to keep kids safe from predators, and the proposal is expected to pass.

About backgroundchecks.com

Founded during the Internet boom in 1999 by an executive in both the staffing and information industry, backgroundchecks.com – a founding member of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS®) – has been able to create a service that provides a blend of flexible screening programs that included instant, cost effective and comprehensive solutions. Our experience in database modeling of public records information has led Backgroundchecks.com to become the leader in the acquisition and delivery of public records information by harnessing the power and technology of the Internet. To learn more visit www.backgroundchecks.com.

Source: http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/phillipsburg/index.ssf/2013/06/phillipsburg_council_talks_rev.html

Author: Michael Klazema

Thanks to the resources offered through backgroundchecks.com, one woman’s quest to see her father’s alleged killer behind bars has come to an end.

Joselyn Martinez was just 9 years old when an assailant shot her father to death in 1986 outside the family’s restaurant. At the time, New York police were able to identify the shooter as Justo Santos, but they were not able to arrest or prosecute him. They believed that Santos had fled the country.

While the police ended their investigation, Joselyn Martinez never gave up on finding her father’s killer. About 8 years ago, the aspiring actress began working the cold case in earnest, using internet search tools such as those available from backgroundchecks.com at that time. She made finding Justo Santos her business, and even went so far as to register as private investigator so that she could use business-oriented tools from companies like backgroundchecks.com.

backgroundchecks.com offers a variety of background check tools, including products like US OneSEARCH, which can compare a name against a database of over 450 million records taken from state and local law enforcement databases across the country. Even using an alias isn’t enough to allow an individual to hide from backgroundchecks.com, because backgroundchecks.com also offers a tool called US AliasSEARCH, which enables individuals to conduct searches based on a Social Security Number. While these tools are most commonly used by employers looking to evaluate job seekers’ suitability for various positions, they can also be used by investigators like Joselyn.

For 8 long years, Joselyn kept an eye out for mentions of Justo Santos on the internet, hoping that her online searches would uncover some mention of the man who had allegedly changed her life so dramatically back in 1986.

Then, one day Joselyn was shocked to open up a background check report and realized she was looking right at records belonging to the man accused of killing her father. She had already convinced the police to reopen the case, so she was able to immediately hand over the information she had found on Santos to the police.

Armed with the Miami address and phone number that Joselyn had given them, the police sprang into action. Working with local law enforcement in Miami, police arrested Santos on June 6. Santos reportedly confessed to the murder of Joselyn’s father, Jose Martinez, at the time of his arrest. He appeared in court in Miami on June 11 and will be extradited back to New York, where he will face murder charges.

New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly was happy to give Joselyn the credit for solving the case. He applauded her determination and resolve in dedicating her own time and resources to the effort to find her father’s killer, and said that police appreciated the information her investigations uncovered.

Joselyn said that she hopes seeing Santos behind bars will finally allow her family to feel at peace about the situation. "We know it's not going to bring the person back, but this is for my dad," Joselyn said.

About backgroundchecks.com

Founded during the Internet boom in 1999 by an executive in both the staffing and information industry, backgroundchecks.com – a founding member of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS®) – has been able to create a service that provides a blend of flexible screening programs that included instant, cost effective and comprehensive solutions. Our experience in database modeling of public records information has led Backgroundchecks.com to become the leader in the acquisition and delivery of public records information by harnessing the power and technology of the Internet. To learn more visit www.backgroundchecks.com.

Source: http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local/new_york&id=9135193

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/11/joselyn-martinez-tracks-down-killer_n_3424303.html

Author: Michael Klazema

After accidentally hiring a Level 2 Offender to work in their recreation department, the town of Moreau, NY continues to struggle to implement an effective and affordable background check policy for all new town employees.

The Offender in question, Robert Roberts, worked for the recreation department for just under three weeks and spent time near a local elementary school as part of his duties. While no incidents occurred and Roberts was quickly fired, town officials and residents agree that this sort of thing must not happen again.

Roberts was able to land this job by lying on his job application. Because no background check was performed, his criminal background was not discovered.

In their first response to the Roberts hiring fiasco, town officials proposed that all new employees for all town departments be subjected to criminal background checks.

This could be accomplished using a tool like US OneSEARCH from backgroundchecks.com, which compares prospective employees’ names against a collection of over 450 million records culled from state and local databases across the country. US OneSEARCH also includes a search of the Offender Registries, which more than likely would have revealed Roberts’ conviction for a sex offense crime and his subsequent registration in the offender registry for his state. The US OneSEARCH could be especially useful to the town of Moreau, which has struggled to fill three open positions since the Roberts incident, because it enables employers to receive the results of the background check almost instantly.

After further consideration, town officials are now backing off of the idea of requiring background checks for all positions due to the costs of the background checks. Now, officials propose only requiring the background checks for individuals who would have contact with minors, seniors, or disabled people as part of their jobs. This move would save the town a few bucks, while at the same time ensuring that vulnerable groups are protected from predators.

Some town officials are also calling for the timing of the background checks to be reconsidered. In the town’s first attempt to add background checks to the hiring process, the background checks were run before job applicants had completed their physicals. This resulted in one individual passing the background check but failing the physical. The individual could not be hired, and the background check fee was essentially wasted. After this incident, town officials are realizing that background checks need to come after physicals and any other types of screening in order to be most cost-effective.

This realization will not only save the town money, but potentially also help ensure fairness in hiring practices. Many states that enacted socalled "ban the box' laws, now forbid employers to ask about criminal backgrounds at the start of the hiring process. This means that individuals with criminal backgrounds get a chance to prove their worth in a job interview instead of being summarily disqualified at the very start. In the town of Moreau, presumably individuals will get to progress through the interview stage and the physical before being subjected to a criminal background check. It is not clear what types of criminal convictions will be considered grounds for denying employment at this time. Hopefully, more details will come out when the Town Board finally approves the new background check policy later this month.

About backgroundchecks.com

Founded during the Internet boom in 1999 by an executive in both the staffing and information industry, backgroundchecks.com – a founding member of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS®) – has been able to create a service that provides a blend of flexible screening programs that included instant, cost effective and comprehensive solutions. Our experience in database modeling of public records information has led Backgroundchecks.com to become the leader in the acquisition and delivery of public records information by harnessing the power and technology of the Internet. To learn more visit www.backgroundchecks.com.

Source: http://poststar.com/news/local/moreau-nears-new-background-check-policy/article_8b1355a8-ceec-11e2-9e34-0019bb2963f4.html

Author: Michael Klazema

Out of all the states in the union, Florida is the worst in terms of identity theft and fraud. According to the 2012 Consumer Sentinel Network Report from the Federal Trade Commission, Florida leads the nation in incidences of these crimes.

Last year, there were a total of 203,768 fraud and identity theft complaints in the state of Florida. This count gives the Sunshine State a 160 percent lead in these crimes over the next-highest-ranking state in the report, Georgia.

With 693.5 fraud complaints and 631.3 identity theft complaints per 100,000 people, employers in the state of Florida would be justified in considering themselves at an increased risk of unwittingly hiring individuals who are not who they say they are.

Fortunately, employers can take additional steps to protect themselves against hiring individuals who may have committed crimes under other names by using criminal background checks. US AliasSEARCH from backgroundchecks.com is a great example of a robust background check tool that employers can use to discover alias names for individuals and their associated criminal records.

The US AliasSEARCH combines a thorough national criminal background check with a Social Security Number trace. After using the SSN trace to identify all known aliases that have been used with that SSN, backgroundchecks.com then passes those aliases through their US OneSEARCH tool. This tool compares the names against a collection of over 450 million records culled from state and local databases across the country. When the search is complete, employers will be presented with a list of aliases, including any maiden names, as well as a list of any criminal convictions associated with those names.

Of course, in order for a background check like this to be successful in screening out individuals with criminal backgrounds, employers must know how to interpret the results. Employers should have policies in place for consistently reviewing and vetting criminal recordsd, so that HR employees won’t simply ignore the fact and hire the individual anyway, as occurred earlier this year in one notable Texas case.

Lying on job applications and resumes is common enough as it is. In a state like Florida, where fraud and identity theft is so common, it may be wise for employers to subject all information provided by job applicants to an extra layer of scrutiny. This can be accomplished using a variety of tools, all of which are available through backgroundchecks.com.

For example, Education Verification can be used to check that a prospective employee really does have the credentials needed to fulfill their job responsibilities, and Employment Verification can be used to make sure that the individual actually has the necessary work experience. Reference Checks are also quite useful, because they provide information about the job applicant’s character.

While passing a background check does not absolutely guarantee that an individual will perform well on the job, employers can at least content themselves with knowing that they did their due diligence and used every tool at their disposal to reduce the risk of employing an unsuitable individual and perhaps making their company vulnerable to employee theft, workplace violence, or accusations of negligent hiring.

About backgroundchecks.com

Founded during the Internet boom in 1999 by an executive in both the staffing and information industry, backgroundchecks.com – a founding member of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS®) – has been able to create a service that provides a blend of flexible screening programs that included instant, cost effective and comprehensive solutions. Our experience in database modeling of public records information has led Backgroundchecks.com to become the leader in the acquisition and delivery of public records information by harnessing the power and technology of the Internet. To learn more visit www.backgroundchecks.com.

Source: http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2013/05/07/equifax-ftc-florida-no-1-for-fraud.html

Author: Michael Klazema

Starting in July, any Indiana child care facility that receives financial support from the federal government will be required to run a national background check on all new staff and volunteers. Facilities will have an additional year to complete background checks on their existing staff and volunteers.

Many child care providers welcome this new requirement. For example, Mike Garatoni, president of Growing Kids Learning Centers, said that the old background check standards were insufficient and did not do enough to protect kids.

Prior to the passing of this law, child care facilities were only required to run state background checks. This left employers vulnerable, because they could easily and unknowingly hire an individual who had committed crimes in neighboring states. It was clear that a more robust background check tool was needed. One possibility might have been to require a background check across a larger region. This could have been accomplished by using Multi-State OneSEARCH from backgroundchecks.com, which allows employers to select up to five states to include in the background check.

However, to get the best possible protection for kids at child care facilities, an even more comprehensive background check would be needed. US OneSEARCH is a great example of a multi-jurisdictional nationally focused background check tool that enables employers to search over 450 million records culled from state and local databases. US OneSEARCH also includes a search of Offender Registries, which is especially important for businesses working with minors.

Indiana’s new law will require a national finger-print based background check, effectively closing their old loophole which potentially allowed individuals with out-of-state criminal records to be hired. This new law mirrors a recent tightening up of background check policies for Indiana school employees, so that now kids of all ages will be protected from predators in Indiana.

The new law also contains other provisions designed to protect kids. For example, workers must now be 14 or over, and supervisors must be 18 or over. This should help make sure a responsible individual is always on hand to deal with any safety issues that may arise at the facility.

Safety and sanitation standards have also been updated. For example, child care providers now have to do a better job keeping medicines where kids can’t access them.

Another significant aspect of this new law is that it applies to all child care providers receiving federal money, including church-based organizations. In the past, day care programs at religious institutions have not been subject to the same level of regulation as for-profit childcare organizations. This resulted in problems with safety and sanitation, not to mention potential issues with offenders or other criminals working with kids. By requiring national background checks for all types of child care providers, this new law really does make some great strides towards keeping all kids in Indiana child care facilities safer.

Of course, in order to benefit from the protections offered by this new law, parents must make sure that they are always dealing with licensed and reputable child care facilities.

About backgroundchecks.com

Founded during the Internet boom in 1999 by an executive in both the staffing and information industry, backgroundchecks.com – a founding member of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS®) – has been able to create a service that provides a blend of flexible screening programs that included instant, cost effective and comprehensive solutions. Our experience in database modeling of public records information has led Backgroundchecks.com to become the leader in the acquisition and delivery of public records information by harnessing the power and technology of the Internet. To learn more visit www.backgroundchecks.com.

Source: http://www.southbendtribune.com/news/wsbt-new-law-requires-national-background-checks-for-child-care-workers-20130529,0,5169789.story

Author: Michael Klazema

At the end of last month, Rhode Island’s Governor signed a bill into law that will require all school volunteers in the state to undergo a criminal background check before working with kids.

The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Joseph McNamara, called the new requirement a common sense way of protecting children. Supporters hope that the background check process won’t discourage parents or community members from volunteering at their local schools. However, because the background checks will be conducted by local law enforcement, delays could occur.

An instant product like US OneSEARCH from backgroundchecks.com could prove a better alternative. Employers can use US OneSEARCH to screen job candidates or volunteers quickly and effectively. The extremely quick turnaround time allows employers to potentially conduct a background check and hire an individual on the same day in order to fill last-minute job openings. US OneSEARCH includes a search of over 450 million records collected from state and local databases across the country, resulting in a very thorough national background check process.

Rhode Island’s new background check process for school volunteers will not provide school officials with details about the specific criminal records that are uncovered by law enforcement in the course of the search. Instead, school officials will be notified that a criminal record exists without mention of the specific crime. Then, presumably volunteers will be given the opportunity to explain any extenuating circumstances surrounding their conviction before the school officials make their final decision.

One has to wonder about the effectiveness of this approach. By not providing the school officials with the details of the specific offense, the law essentially robs the background check of a good deal of its power. In many cases, school officials are most concerned about keeping children away from individuals who have been convicted of crimes against minors, sex crimes, and drug crimes. A tool like US OneSEARCH, which provides a detailed description of all criminal records, would make it easy for employers or school officialsto make a determination about individuals who pose a significant danger to minors based on the specific crimes they have committed. US OneSEARCH even includes a search of Offender Registries to further assist in keeping kids safe from potential predators.

One interesting aspect of the new law is that school volunteers are not required to pass a background check, only to submit to one. If a criminal record is discovered, the individual could still serve as a volunteer if given permission by local officials at the school in question. This situation has both benefits and drawbacks.

One major benefit is that individuals who may have criminal records but who have subsequently changed their ways can be given a second chance. This is especially helpful for parents, as they will still be able to stay involved in their kids’ school lives even if they have criminal records that for example have no direct impact on interaction with children.

A big drawback is that it may be easier for volunteers to work this loophole to their advantage. A predator may be able to use their charisma to convince the school officials that they don’t pose any danger to the safety of the kids at the school. In this sense, it might be better to exclude individuals with certain types of convictions that are not a fit with the volunteer role at school.

About backgroundchecks.com

Founded during the Internet boom in 1999 by an executive in both the staffing and information industry, backgroundchecks.com – a founding member of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS®) – has been able to create a service that provides a blend of flexible screening programs that included instant, cost effective and comprehensive solutions. Our experience in database modeling of public records information has led Backgroundchecks.com to become the leader in the acquisition and delivery of public records information by harnessing the power and technology of the Internet. To learn more visit www.backgroundchecks.com.

Source: http://www.boston.com/news/education/2013/05/24/school-volunteers-get-background-checks/ZU4FMs63IXO3cw4dakL4UL/story.html

Author: Michael Klazema

Civil complaints for failing to perform a background check on a night manager have been filed in the Maricopa County Superior Court against two Mesa AZ hotels. The night manager in question is a Level 3 offender who was convicted of aggravated criminal sexual abuse in 1996.

Because a background check was apparently not run on this individual before hiring, his criminal background only came out in connection with two incidents of alleged rape at the hotels where he worked. The first incident occurred at the Best Western Superstition Springs Inn in 2011, and the second occurred at the Marriot Fairfield Inn & Suites in 2012. In both cases, the alleged victims claimed that the night manager used a master key to enter their rooms late at night and then raped them in their beds.

While the franchise owner of the Best Western could not be reached for comment, a representative of the company that runs the Marriot franchise location admitted that he normally does not run background checks on individuals applying for the job of front desk clerk.

Considering that hotel clerks have access to master keys and could easily enter guests’ rooms for criminal purposes, it seems a little strange that these hotels would not opt to use a background check to help protect their guests from theft, rape, or other potential criminal acts on the part of an untrustworthy night manager. Pre-employment background checks are fast and easy when employers use services like US OneSEARCH from backgroundchecks.com. US OneSEARCH enables an employer to check a database consisting of over 450 million records collected from state and county databases all across the country for references to the prospective employee in question. Most importantly in this case, US OneSEARCH automatically includes a search of Offender Registries. Because the night manager was registered on the US Department of Justice National Offender Registry, a background check with US OneSEARCH would have certainly revealed his criminal past.

Level 3 offenders are considered highly likely to re-offend, meaning that it would probably not be wise to hire them for sensitive positions like hotel clerks. In this case, the decision not to run a background check on the night manager seems to have given him the opportunity to allegedly commit two crimes.

The night manager has not been charged with any crimes in relation to the two alleged rapes, due to lack of probable cause according to local police. The 2011 case fizzled out because the alleged victim, who was homeless at the time and temporarily living in the hotel, could not be located to provide a DNA sample. Without her sample, the lab apparently could not finish processing the evidence in the case.

The 2012 case also did not result in any charges. Though the night manager admitted entering the woman’s room, he claimed that her door was ajar and he went in to check on her. However, security footage of the hallway that night showed him using a master key to enter the room. The physical evidence in the case proved inconclusive.

The fact that the alleged victims were not able to take the night manager to court in a criminal trial was cited as the reasoning for filing the civil complaints against the hotel chains by attorney Brigham Cluff. The hope is to prove that the hotels failed in their duty to protect guests by hiring a known offender, and obtain money for damages.

About backgroundchecks.com

Founded during the Internet boom in 1999 by an executive in both the staffing and information industry, backgroundchecks.com – a founding member of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS®) – has been able to create a service that provides a blend of flexible screening programs that included instant, cost effective and comprehensive solutions. Our experience in database modeling of public records information has led Backgroundchecks.com to become the leader in the acquisition and delivery of public records information by harnessing the power and technology of the Internet. To learn more visit www.backgroundchecks.com.

Source: http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/articles/20130423mesa-hotel-sex-assaults-lawsuit.html?nclick_check=1

Author: Michael Klazema

In the future, professional psychics, fortune tellers, clairvoyants, palm readers, hypnotists, spiritualists, and phrenologists will have to pass a criminal background check in order to ply their trade in Mount Carmel, Tenn.

There aren’t currently have any fortune tellers or psychics working in Mount Carmel, but the Board of Mayor and Aldermen nonetheless passed the new ordinance requiring background checks on May 28, on the recommendation of the town’s city planner. Psychics have operated on Main Street in the past, but there was no indication that they ever caused a problem.

The city planner, Karen Combs, modeled the new ordinance after a similar measure already in effect in nearby Kingsport. As in Kingsport, fortune tellers and psychics wishing to practice in Mount Carmel will be subjected to the same sort of permit application process as individuals wishing to sell alcohol.

In order to predict the future or tell fortunes for a profit, business owners must obtain a permit. Getting that permit requires the proprietor and any employees they may have to pass a criminal background check. If the background check uncovers any convictions for felonies or misdemeanors in the past 10 years, or any pending charges, the permit may be denied. Individuals with convictions for assault, theft, extortion, bribery, fraud, perjury, gambling, or false personage will not be issued permits.

Since fortune tellers tend to move around a lot and use stage names, Mount Carmel probably should consider the use of a criminal  background check tool that has a national scope and accounts for any past or present aliases. Though the city has opted for a fingerprint-based background check, another viable option would be using a tool from backgroundchecks.com, namely the US AliasSEARCH. This tool combines the power of backgroundcheck.com’s national background check tool, US OneSEARCH, with a Social Security Number trace. The SSN trace will reveal any aliases or maiden names that the individual may have used. Then these names will be run through the comprehensive US OneSEARCH database, which contains over 450 million records culled from state and local databases around the country. If any criminal convictions or pending charges exist for the SSN provided by the individual in question, US AliasSEARCH should find them.

According to Combs, the typical pattern for a psychic or a fortune teller is to arrive in a new city, set up shop for a few months, and then leave. This means that a lengthy background check process would probably deter psychics from coming to Mount Carmel at all. But with an instant tool like US AliasSEARCH, the background check could be facilitated very quickly, enabling psychics to stick to their transient business model.

The ordinance was approved by a vote of 6 to 1, but there is still a chance for town officials to reconsider at the second and final reading on June 25. If the ordinance remains in place, officials believe that they will have succeeded in protecting their city’s residents from individuals wishing to defraud or otherwise take advantage of them through fortune telling.

About backgroundchecks.com

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Source: http://www.timesnews.net/article/9062808/mount-carmel-oks-ordinance-requiring-background-checks-for-psychics-palmists

Author: Michael Klazema