Background Checks - How To Avoid Criminal Record Mistakes And Lawsuits

I'd say it's getting out of hand.

I've never seen so many lawsuits filed against pre-employment screening companies at one time.

And the reasons are ridiculous to begin with.

Not the plaintiff's reasons.

The reason the lawsuits are proliferating are the many errors in reporting criminal records.

Simple, needless errors. That only a little thought put behind the work could prevent.

Mistakes of DOB? Come on. Give me a break.

The inability to correct a mistaken record in the allotted time?

Spelling discrepancies, name only matches that aren't the name?

What - are we frozen in time?

There is a saying that goes "all criminal records are created equal."

That doesn't go for common sense.

Surely that can't be equal looking at the mistakes going around causing these lawsuits.

Is it the criminal record retriever in the field or your office help?

Is it the fast paced 'got to get the result out' to the customer ethic that we have established in our effort to differentiate ourselves from the competition?

Is it poorly trained, poorly paid line staff at your company that do not know how to read or write a criminal record?

Is it the records retriever that reports anything and everything remotely close for fear of losing business?

Either way, it's in the reporting.

It's in theirs and it's in ours.

It's time to turn the switch on and the lawsuits off.

Do Record Retrievers Falsify Cook County Criminal Record Searches

There was a lot of cheating going on doing Cook County criminal record searches in the early 1990's.

I don't know if this still continues today. I would think not because most Cook County criminal records are now inputted with dates of birth.

 And it was the lack of identifiers that led the unsrupulous to cheat.

There was a fellow named Ron, or Juhn, Jose..I care not to repeat his full name. He or she might still be checking names for you at the Cook County Courthouse.

I always remember him working out at the Washington Street,10th Floor, Chicago Municipal Court Records Dept.

Back in the 1990's the names were entered into the Cook County database but if it wasn't a felony or from one of the suburban branches dates of birth were omitted from the data entry.

That meant if you had a name match and there was no DOB showing on the computer index you had to order the file from the clerk and search the folder for a document that would have an identifier - a DOB.

And of course wouldn't it be Chicago cases that didn't have the DOB's entered. The busiest court (at least then) in the USA?

So you would have to make a list of all the files you wanted to search and present it to the clerk, who being a government worker, didn't appreciate that he would now have work to do.

If the name wasn't too common usually there would be only a few files to order and everyone was happy.

But get the last name Smith, Brown, Jones, Williams, you know, a very common last name and add a common first name - John, James, Robert, Michael, etc..  the files that needed to browsed through could reach the hundreds.

Plusit was around then that the Clerk's office decided to 'limit' the amount of single name cases that could be ordered at one time - I think it was set at 25.

That took care of their 'work overload.'

But tt all added up to a catastrophe of runaway turn around time.

And  a lot of unhappy pre-employemnt screening company customers who couldn't understand what was taking so long even if you explained it a hundred times.

So I'd see this 'John' character order a few files on a common name and then that would be it.

He'd clear it out.

And the pre-employment screening services were happy because their turn around time was so good.

But that riled me up. Here we all were competing for business and this yahoo is clearing names without doing the search.

And some of the background check companies would rave about this guy.

UNBELIEVABLE!

I asked him one day why he did that - clear them out.

And he just looked at me and said that the number of misses that he had didn't add up to all the work he had to do to clear a name. If there was a missed record he would just tell the screening company he 'd check the name again and that would be that.

I imagine he lost a few accounts that way.

But I wasn't imaging it when I recently saw him at the courthouse still checking or clearing names at the Cook County Courthouse.

Michigan Announces Wayne County 3rd Circuit Court Now Online But...

A recent press release from The wayne County (Detroit) Michigan 3rd Circuit Court announced that it has made online access available for record checks.

Of course, there is a disclaimer. No telling how many errors there are?

But the real problem is how many pre-employment screeners are going to use this sytem and bypass the 36th District Court - the REAL COURT - with the real information needed for searches to be properly done in Detroit.

The 3rd Circuit is the felony court.

And I think we all know that using the 'we return serious misdemeanors' doesn't hold up anymore. In fact by not doing the 36th District you're missing a lot of those 'serious misdemeanors' that never get to Circuit Court.

Note: 'Serious misdemeanors' at Circuit Court are usually lesser included offenses attached to felony charges, whether added, pleaded, or reduced
.
Did you know that that the 36th District processes more then a half a million cases a year?

Not as many as Cook County. But you still have to go to the courthouse to get a misdemeanor search done.

So even though the press release touted the accessibility to the court, we're still a long way off before we can start saying that that Detroit (wayne County) is online.

Keep hanging in there.

Aside from Steven Brownstein, What Courts Has Your International Court Record Retriever Visited?

Steven Brownstein is probably the most traveled to courts and judiciaries in history.
If you're not using Straightline International you are taking a chance, with your customer's and your business.
It is a fact that most international criminal record retrievers have never been to a court clerk's office - whether
overseas or even in the USA.
They have always used third party vendors - such as Straightline.
"So why not try a few phone calls?" they ask themselves.
And maybe they do.
But where are they calling? What are they doing. They don't know.
Maybe they read about it on the Internet. Certainly not in school or in a book.
One marketing trick that seems to work in this business of pre-employment screening is to cheapen pricing.
I do not mean good quality at low prices.
I mean junk. Like Japanese products after WWII. One week after you buy it - Kaboom! It's broken or worn out.
 Steven Brownstein has made an effort to learn and then educate the pre-employment screening community in first, domestic
searches, and the last several decades the international search.
He has seen a lot of opinion come and go but has never seen a concerted effort such as he's done to map the world and its
judicial systems and availability.
The Background Investigator is now in its 13th year.
Before that it was the Pre-Employment Screener.
Over 200 photos have appeared, each a different court from a different part of the world.
He's been there. And more places. He has a larger catalgue of court photos just waiting to be published.
When the going gets rough, he'll take the time and effort to go to that country to get what's needed to solve the problem
at whatever cost - and you never paid a cent more than the standard price.
He knows many instances when a USA vendor would not spend $5 to get more information from a domestic USA court without
giving the customer a head ache or refusing to do it.
And he knows that when the international vendor gets in trouble somehow that search ends up on his desk, even from the
vendor or another third party he sent it to complete.
In this litigious age how can you as a conscientious criminal records buyer even dream of buying a service that can't be
backed up by action?
Buy Straightline.. or buy a lot of E&O insurance!

Why 'Made In Japan' And Recent Criminal Record Researchers' Lower Prices Mean The Same

Lower prices mean less quality when the price cuts are meaningless; that is, when there is no new technology or technique that would precipitate such action.



 

Race Does Play A Part In Background Checks

In a recent news release, www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2012/12/prweb10220527.htm, Nick Fishman,  EmployeeScreenIQ, testified that when a criminal record is revealed, the background report does not include race, religion, sexual orientation or other protected class information.

That presents an exciting new twist for the defense of pre-employment screening companies when they get sued by applicants who had not been hired because of a an erroneous criminal record report that wasn't theirs.

Many times the non-hired's complaint includes the fact that the background check company erred in its ways because the person named in the criminal complaint was of a different race than the job applicant.

As if  (and here's the kicker) the EEOC wanst the employer to know the race?

Now,  I'm not quoting law but I think that adding race to a person's application just might violate some EEOC regulation.

So in fact then, criminal record reporting for pre-employment purposes is blind. The race identifier can not be use for criminal record identification.

It remains up to the job applicant to prove the criminal record is not his or hers.

Thanks, Nick.


 

NBV TV Doesn't Meet NAPBS Expectations

Maybe they should do background checks on themselves.

One lawsuit Against NBC,  "To Catch A Pevert, (Oops Predator)," claimed NBC fired a producer for questioning MBC's ethics - for insisting on 'ethical and accurate reporting on the Predator series.'

Apparently the plaintiff claimed NBC came up short on ethics and accuracy.

Still, NBC replied it was proud of their reporting.

No surprise there. Dazzle them with PR. Also,  who would want to publish a story demeaning themselves?

Meanwhile the lawsuit was dismissed for reasons other than innocence and we will never find out if NBC really did those bad things.

Tsk, tsk tsk.  Bad NBC.

Test Your Chicago Criminal Record's Knowledge

Theses courts are foreign if you are from ouside of the USA.

Unfortunately, they are foreign to most of the criminal record retievers that work in Chicago.

Do you know where in Chicago they are?

India Criminal Record Retrievers Know Squat About India

Here in the USA we are tested to the limit to get criminal records right.
Seems like in India , no one cares.

Even USA companies don't care how they get their criminal records searched in India.

I'm sorry the consumer has to pay the price of this ineptitude.

India HR sre smarter. They don't even buy criminal records from India vendors anymore.

Because India record researchers don't have a clue how to do them.

I say they do no not know otherwise I would have to accuse them of outright fraud.

Here's the latest word on "India searches I received from a company that advertises they're the largest..or maybe that they're the best..whatever.

I asked them to get me city wide police clearances.

Here is their response (they added in their redress ..see below.. to me that I said I couldn't get city wide certifcates. How little they know. That's my specialty. Guess it makes them feel good to think they are not alone!)

I talked with --------- ---------, our Head of India Operations and you are right there cannot be a source to give a city-wide police clearance with a certificate. She said, "No one can get it unless there is a legal case going on. Indian Police Stations validate verbally with nothing in writing." We do city-wide searches but as a rule cannot get a certificate.

I don't think they do anything but call the local police station. That's a big maybe. I imagine you would be hard pressed to actually get a verified statement of their phone bill with the suppossed telephone number they dialed.

Just like police certificates. they probably can't get phone bills, either.

I rate this and most other India criminal record retrievers a 0. A fat goose-egg.

Flawed Criminal Record Record Checks

An interesting set of circumstances occurred recently.

A court database had a glitch (bug, virus, flaw, etc....).

It went like this:

We ran the name ... it came back clear.

We sent the result as clear.

The customer called and said that the applicant admitted he had a criminal record.

So we ran the name again and got a hit.

We ran the name again to double check the result and got the hit again.

What's interesting is at my company we prepare for just this type of happenstance.

Believe me, it doesn't occur often, but....

As part of our quality control program, we save copies where and when we can of search results from courts, police, government entities, etc.

This was a case where we had the backup.

There in black and white, the glitch, flaw, whatever it is, showed up on the different result pages we had; both dated, one clear, one a record from the same court.

And that reminds me of a story when I was a court record retriever in DuPage County, IL.

I would check hundreds of names daily. This was when they first computerized the records in the early 1990's.

There would always be hits. Every day. At least, there should have been.

But one day I ran all hundred some names and they all were clear.

I became a little bit suspicious. Actually, I became quite paranoid.

That's when I remembered an old friend, Professional Ex- World Heavyweight Championship Boxer, Leon Spinks.

I knew, as well as everyone else in Chicagoland, that Leon had moved to the Chicago area from St. Louis and had several DUI cases in DuPage County.

It then struck me to check his name on the database.

And he came back clear - I mean, no record.

That meant all 100 plus name results were flawed. I'd have to run them again.

For this instance though, I paused and asked the clerk what, if anything, they knew about a problem with their database.

To which the she replied that yes they were aware of it.

It was something their IT department was working on.

That was it, non - chalantly , they're working on it.

So that day I had her manually check on 'their' system, not the public access system, the list of names.

She did all of them that day for me.

I had her check Leon Spinks' name first.

The record was present.

And from that day forward every time I did names in DuPage, which was daily, I always, and I mean ALWAYS, checked Leon Spink's name first to make sure that the computer system was working.

And it was never completely fixed; at least back then it wasn't.

I had forgotten that story until today.

This is a problem that is not well understood in our industry.

It is not widely publicized in governmental data processing circles, either.
I am not even sure if anyone is working on it.

What I can say is that the lesson I learned then, we still practice today.
At least at my company we do.

We take into consideration as many flaws that we are aware of and offset them with various means of search types.

We might check multiple sources; adding or refining methods combining to get you the best result.

Real results. Higher hit rates. Less problems down the road.

That's what our XR2 Puerto Rico Search does.

We try to eliminate as many flaws as possible

And like I wrote, earlier, we keep the result data as backup.

Lessons might be forgotten. That's why we practice improvement-  to remember, even while others might not even be aware.

That's why I believe you should know, be sure of,  that your research company is not just a source  that's maybe a few dollars cheaper, maybe a few hours quicker - but someone that you can count on and trust for the utmost service and quality day in and day out.

You can reach me,Steven Brownstein at The Background Investigator or Straightline International.  Call Steven Brownstein directly at 1-670-256-7000 or E-mail me at steveb@search4crime.com

Mexico City Public Access To Court Records



Who says you can't do a search in Mexico?



What City is This Court?

In what city is this court?

How about wining some money?
$10 dollars for the first correct answer,

$5 for the 2nd

and a $buck for third

E-Mail asnswer to Steveb@search4crime by June 29th to be eligible,.

Can't Do India Police Searches Yourself

The picture in this blog is to help background screening companies (pre-employment screening companies) make a smart decision when contracting out criminal record searches in India, where this picture was taken, and anywhere else.

A few months ago, a UK company asked me to quote on some international work.

They chose another company, citing price, "They were cheaper."

Not by much though, I looked at the record retriever's pricing.

But,  Hah!  On this record retriever's Web Page, they write:

"Our trained research teams visit local Indian police stations and examines the records themselves."

Look at the picture in this blog. It's Mumbai India. Police Clearance office. I took the picture myself.

No one, NO ONE, but office staff, searches the records.

Looking at their record filing system, I don't know how they (Mumbai, not the record retriever) even  do it!

But this USA based record retrieval company?

Ain't no way, no how.

I've been there many times.

I got to sit in their office. Talk with them. Watch them work. Ask questions.

This other retrieval company - ZILCH, NADA, NEVER.

Nobody touches their records, but Mumbai themselves.

It amazes me how pre-employment screening companies get suckered into silly deals.

Worse, yet, this information is then sold to the public and companies that need to screen their employees.

I would hope this company in the UK doesn't get a lawsuit against them for being so naive and buying from this company. 

The record retriever company should be, I don't know, ashamed of themselves for BS'ing the customer?

And maybe, actually, do the work?

That'll never happen.

The Background On Philippines NBI Clearances

The Philippines NBI query a name.

They'll get matching name results from all cases reported from the whole country without identifiers save for the jurisdiction.

If the address on the application matches a jurisdiction they (the NBI) will send letter to that area's court asking the for personal identifiers (age, address..but not date of birth since no one, as a rule, records DOB on court records); and finally, if there's a match - the case info and dispositon.

No match, no record.

The applicant gets a clearance.

So it goes for NBI clearances.

Not too solid of a result. You might as well just do a city and regional court search.

Steve Brownstein, Dennis Brownstein, and Donald Schneider Make Presence In NAPBS - Nashville

Steven Brownstein, Dennis Brownstein, and Donald Schneider, a super-powerhouse of criminal record check, background screening, and sales dynamics will be in Nashville April 15th-17th at the annual NAPBS Conference.

Steven Brownstein, whose conference in 2003 and whose efforts there formed the NAPBS, has been absent for several years from the annual conference. This year is different.

"It is sort of like a home-coming for me, quips Steven Brownstein.  The NAPBS,  it has been several years since my international travels have coincided with the NAPBS annual conference. This year that I am in the USA. I wouldn't miss this conference for anything."

His brother, Dennis Brownstein, couldn't agree more, " I usually attend the NAPBS conferences wiith my sales and marketing staff. It is such a pleasure to have my brother, Steve, here. He brings to the conference a dynamic that no one else in the industry quite does."

Donald Schneider, Straightline International's newly appointed Director of USA Sales, admits to being rather awed by the immensity of the NAPBS Conference and that it is such a successful garthering of industry titans. Yet, having known Steven Brownstein, he admits that it comes as no surprise the industry had through his effort evolved into this great entity.

Schneider adds, "As a relatively new-comer to the pre-employment screening industry, I see that there are many committed members to NAPBS. I hope to be one of those committed.  It is with a matter of pride that I announce that Straightline International and our sister newspaper, The Background Investigator, will host the NAPBS Newcomer Reception."

About hosting the NAPBS Newcomer Reception, that's Brownstein through and through. Always giving a hand to the underdog. Always helping the industry and its participants to excel and succeed.

And he gives without any strings attached. That it is indeed a quality he has, a quality rarely found these days.

Straightline Adds Medical Insurance Fraud Investigations To Menu

Straightline International would like to annuonce the addition of Dr. Edward Cornett to its staff of researchers that specialize in record retrieval around the world.

Straightline Internatinal will check death cerificates and medical claims; specializing in international death certificate verification.

In the past, straightline has been very successful in obtaining proofs of death or fraud from many foreign countries.

The addition of Dr. Cornett to the Straightline staff will only enhance and qaulify the results because of his advanced degree and licensing.

Here's to happy searching and verifications.

Contact Steven Brownstein at steveb@search4crime.com to get more information.

Pre-employment Screeing Company Lurks Watching Behind Researcher's Back's

What pre-employment screening company is lurking behind the PRRN Listserve following everything the members write about.

Why even the other day this background screening company gave advice how to collect from their competitor's!

Ethics, what's that?

Local USA Record Retrievers Complain They're Getting Stiffed

Can this be a recurring nightmare and pre-employment screening companies are at it again, up to old tricks?

What's this, you ask?

How about stifing vendors?

Thats' right, not paying them.

And then switching to another researcher thereby never talking to the owed and facing up to bill.

Not happening in our industry?

Talk to PRRN members - a recent string of texting confirms this nasty practice has reared its ugly head again.

Of course there are plenty of background check companies that perfectly ethical in ther treatment of vendors, absolutely the majority.

Can we do anything about it? Probably not.

I really would have thought these (bloodsuckers) would have disappeared by now.

Stiffing must be profitable in the pre-employment screening business.

The Corruption Of A Good Idea

There is a linkedin group for international background checks.

What started out  as a good idea has warped into a free for all sales pitch, most definitely controlled by Chinese and Indian companies trying to pitch their wares.

The corrupted part is the original string had requested help for Canada.

Lately, these Chinese and India companies are strong arming all topics on Linkedin backgdound checks.

One ploy is they represent themselves as in need of a company to do work for them overseas, outside their countries.

This is just a ruse to get your E-mail address and then bombard you with endless sales pitches.

There is no escape.

There are no requests from overseas!

They have taken over.

Are we going to do anything about it?

No, because we never do.

USA Criminal Record Search Hits All Time Low Pricing

The USA county criminal record searched reached a new low in pricing as Crimefx announced a country wide reduction to $1.75 per county searched.

The search is performed according to NAPBS provider guidelines.

That will ensure the quality of your result while the unheard of before price of $1.75 assures your bottom line increases almost exponentially.

The $1.75 cost per background check does not include any court levied fees or charges for the name search.

What is does include is the exact same type search performed by most criminal record retrievers and background screening companies.

Pre-employment screening companies and end-users will be thrilled to know that Steven Brownstein has already successfully completed the NAPBS Provider Exam, which in their words, "Those
who successfully complete the exam show due diligence and industry knowledge that
should be beneficial to their clients and the end-user."

Steven Brownstein believes criminal record searches should be priced fairly for the product they deliver.

According to Brownstein, "There should be no doubt that clear records take little time and effort to obtain; there is no real reason in the world to over price them. The real work is in the records found doing the searches. They average from 5%-15% of the total amount of records checked. Now that's what we should be paid for."

Crimefx takes into consideration the time and effort it takes to process the criminal record search. Based on a formula they have found that it can still be quite profitable to keep prices low; but of course, if a company wants to pay more for the same search result they have the perogative.

Just why should you pay more?

Steven Brownstein, President of Straightline International agrees, "Heck, it's no secret how criminal record searches are done in the USA. There are only so many criminal record retrievers in the USA, only so many online court repositories to search,and only so many courts to call or go to."

"These searches, he continues, "are not closely guarded secrets as some companies would want you to believe. Even the procedures companies have in place to test the accuracy of the court criminal record retriever is common knowledge. This is not rocket science."

But even by including rocket science, technology has enabled pricing to steadily fall in the county criminal record check marketplace.

Crimefx has positioned itself in the forefront of this consumer- friendly pricing. There is no need to pay artificial, extraordinarily high prices for the county criminal record product.

Crimefx can be reached through Straightline International offices. Call 1-670-256-7000 to reach a customer service representative that will be more than happy to accept your low offer of $1.75 to perform the same type of search that you already are more likely paying 3 or 4 times as much.

Steven Brownstein can be a little more difficult to reach by phone. He is best reached by E-Mail at steveb@search4crime.com  . He is regularly travelling the globe in search of a better way to access public records.

Doing Puerto Rico Criminal Court Record Searches

There are 13 Superior Courts in Puerto Rico to search for felonies.

These are:

Aguadilla
Aibonito
Arecibo
Bayamon
Caguas
Carolina
Guayama
Humacao
Mayaguez
Ponce
San Juan
Utuado
Fajardo

It is important to note that Bayamon and Carolina are immediate suburbs of San Juan.  It is a good idea to search all three when doing San Juan or the San Juan Metro Area.

Also, do not forget to include the mother’s maiden name on all searches. It makes for a more efficient search.
If you do not have the mother’s maiden the computer index acts in an uncivilized fashion and gives inaccurate results!

Results come back in Spanish. 

Large Pre-Employment Screening Firm Misses Record

Your employees, executivbes, or clients might be at risk!

Many pre-employment screening companies try to save a few dollars per criminal record search by taking the cheapest (and sometimes) the least favorable method of searching for criminal records.
Sad be the case in Puerto Rico.

Despite the efforts of Straightline International to educate the pre-employmeny screening companies about the efficacies and the flaws, of doing police clearances in Puerto Rico, many of these background check companies still persist in doing the 'next wrong thing.'

At Straightline International all Puerto Rico criminal record checks are put through a three part process exclusive to Starightline, called XR2.

Straightline is able to effectively provide this search to all pre-employment screening companies regardless of their size.

It has been shown that up to 50% more hits are found on the XR2 system than through conventional police clearance methiods.

Yet, companies persist in using the police exclusively.

It is this blogger's opinion if you are using a pre-employment screening company that is not using the XR2 Purto Rico search you should switch suppliers for Puerto Rico criminal record searches.

Straightline International's XR2 search is your solution.

Names will not be mentioned, unless a court deposition is needed, for this large pre-employment screening company, that  has decided that it is a whole lot cheaper to use police clearances in Puerto Rico.

They might get away with this for a while. But do you pay pre-employment screening companies to 'get away' with anything?

I expect not.

At Straightline International, they mirror or spot check the searches requested for Puerto Rico police clearances with their XR2 search, mostly for statistical reporting, even if the background check company has requested a different type of search.

Recently a large (and I mean large) background check firm has reduced their number of searches for Puerto Rico, citing costs and profit margins, in favor of police clearances rather than XR2.

They know better than to skimp on the search.

What they (intenetionally forget), that is to inform the CEO,  is that in the long run it is better to pay for the search done right the first time rather than pay large legal fees for a 'negligent hiring' lawsuit.

All in order to add to the bottom line. And with volume that bottom line adds up quickly.

Some background check companies like to play the odds in favor that an on the job incicdent might never occur and fool themselves into a feeling of security that the dollars they save now will offset the litgation costs later.

They forget the promise they gave you, the customer, that their work is of the highest quality.

Moral: Do not be fooled into thinking your criminal record searches are being done the best way possible.

Straightline International has numerous examples of the missed records by many pre-employmenrt screening companies that use Puerto Rico police clearance.

You do not want to do business with a company that tries to sell or has sold you on the quality of their work based upon Puerto Rico police clearances.

I will give you Straightline's contact info below. Find out yourself.

Contact Straightline International at info@straightlineinternational.com or call  +1-866-909-6678.

Ask for Dennis Brownstein.

Let's not settle for a few dollars more in favor of a few lives saved.

Your employees will thank you for that.

Manila Courts And Straightline International

Steven Brownstein actually gets things done. He has spent more time travelling around the world to courthouses than anyone else in history.
As he stays humble about his efforts, it is important that this blog gives him credit where it's due.
Recently he returned from a week in Manila visiting the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC), the Makati RTC, the Mandulayong Municipal Trial Court, and the Pasay City Trial Court.
Why, I asked do you go?
"Because," he replied, " there is no better way to get an understanding of how a system workd than seeing it operate first hand."
"I've been in this business (pre-employment screening) long enough to know that there are many shortcuts to obtaining criminal records. Most research companies are apt to use them (as time is an issue in background checks - everyone expects instant turnaround time). But there are no shortcuts. Every time you use suspect services you, yourself, leave the door wide open to litigation."
"But, I go to the courts around the world. I make the contacts. We're taking about 100's of cities worldwide. Most major cities on all the continents."
"I think Benjamin Franklin would be proud of me.
"I had to ask Brownstein, "Why Ben Franklin?"
"Simply," he said, "Franklin was one of the greatest Statesmen of all time."
So Steven Brownstein travels around the world and learns court sytems.
He takes that knowledge, shares it with the background screening industry, uses his contacts made for reliable results of international criminal record requests.
Steven Brownstein - A Johnny Appleseed of criminal record retrieval.

Manila More Than Vanilla

Just left the Philippines. Did you know most Americans spell it as Phillipines?
Manila is cool if you don' t mind the polluted air. Locals blame the smoke on the buses.
I agree.
I met with officials of the Regional Trial Court. Computerisation of their court records is and has been underway for some time now. I was told electronic records date back to 1999.
Still they have paper backup.
One, of a few courts I visted in Metro Manila was Mandaluyong Municipal Court.
My purpose, driving records. Plenty of traffic citations are given out in Manila.
Mandaluyong court records are computerised, too. So are traffic cases.
Traffic is so bad in Manila. Traffic citations are handed out like candy. Most are payable without a court appearance. I don't know their point system.
Also visited Makati RTC, Makati MTC, and Pasay City MTC.
Read more in March edition of The Background Investigator.

Straightline International's Background Check Learning Center

Be a criminal record researcher anywhere in the world.

In this day and age with worldwide unemployment at unprecedented highs what might a person do to get ahead?

Education is one solution.

And educating oneself about how to do criminal record research is something that can be taught online through training programs that Straightline International offers to 3rd world countries.

Its NGO office can guide an interested person through the methods and red tape that would otherwise discourage the most eager student. Once the applicant has finished the course the graduate will be well on the way to starting a new career.

If you are interested in learning more about  Straightline International's NGO background check student learning center contact phyllisn@search4crime.com

Russia Criminal Record Checks

Straightline International background checks processes requests for Moscow and Eastern Russia through its London, Paris, Saipan and Macau based offices.

info@straightlineinternational.com

"If your company is going to do searches in the USA without an FBI clearance certificate, you should have no difficulty accepting the results from your vendor in Moscow."

Our many trips to Moscow have shown me that although it is no longer communist the people are still not comfortable with dealing with people they do not know.

in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Eastern Russia, they know Straightline International.

The Moscow criminal courts are divided into 2 two types of courts - the District courts and the City court.

Both courts have a computer system and they can search by name.

The city court handles the more severe cases.

Because of the language barrier we do hire a translator.

You can also have your applicant apply for a police certicate and trust them to give you a copy when the Ministry gives it to them, similar to the FBI method in the USA, but "if your company is going to does searches in the USA that is not a FBI clearance certificate, you should have no difficulty accepting the results from your vendor in Moscow."

That vendor if not, should be Straightline International.

Moscow Criminal Record Checks

Straightline International background checks processes requests for Moscow and Eastern Russia through its London, Paris, Saipan and Macau based offices.

info@straightlineinternational.com

"If your company is going to do searches in the USA without an FBI clearance certificate, you should have no difficulty accepting the results from your vendor in Moscow."

Our many trips to Moscow have shown me that although it is no longer communist the people are still not comfortable with dealing with people they do not know.

in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Eastern Russia, they know Straightline International.

The Moscow criminal courts are divided into 2 two types of courts - the District courts and the City court.

Both courts have a computer system and they can search by name.

The city court handles the more severe cases.

Because of the language barrier we do hire a translator.

You can also have your applicant apply for a police certicate and trust them to give you a copy when the Ministry gives it to them, similar to the FBI method in the USA, but "if your company is going to does searches in the USA that is not a FBI clearance certificate, you should have no difficulty accepting the results from your vendor in Moscow."

That vendor if not, should be Straightline International.

Paris Background Checks

Straightline International background checks also has an office in Paris, France.

info@straightlineinternational.com

"If your company is going to do searches in the USA without an FBI clearance certificate, you should have no difficulty accepting the results from your vendor in France."

My many trips to Paris have shown me that the French do not want to do work performing pre-employment screening.

Take criminal records. Only, in the United States is accessing criminal records through the courts the norm.

In Paris, and France, accessing criminal records is done through an agency in Nantes.

But you can save yourself a lot of time (especially) if you are the employer going to the courts.

Court records are stored and accessed similar to the USA.

And privacy issues can be averted by getting an 'informed consent' from the applicant; the same consent you would need to use information even if given to you by the applicant.

Which by the way would have to happen because in no way would the certificate be issued directly to a 3rd party.

Of course you can do things American-style and go to the court.

Even the same office that processes criminal record request suggests that in case of a problem to contact the courts:

For all information contact:
 The ‘Casier judiciaire national’,
 The ‘Tribunal de Première Instance’

True, the documentation provided by the Casier judiciare nacional is a 'bird in the hand," but if your company is going to do searches in the USA without an FBI clearance certificate, you should have no difficulty accepting the results from your vendor in France.

Straightline International has an office in Paris, France.

NAPBS Hedges On International Provider Guidelines

First, let me say this is a good thing.

One broad sweep of the world's access to criminal record information doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

NAPBS must have heard from its foreign members.

Still, a user of international criminal record providers must be cautious to weed out the sellers of mis-information posing as experts whose only goals are to steer customers to themselves.

Here's what NAPS had to say about their hedging:

New International Provider Recommended Practices
from NAPBS Thursday, jan. 27, 2012  Newsletter

  Following in the tradition of the Provider Committee, the International Committee has created a Recommended Practices Document relating to international screening.
  This document has been written to be country agnostic, meaning that it is pertinent to providers of international data and their customers (background screeners) worldwide.
  However it is acknowledged that the document was written with greater focus on the U.S. screening market.
  This Recommended Practices document is designed to be customized to local market needs by the NAPBS Chapters in APAC, Canada, and other upcoming groups.
  International screening has experienced growth in the few years.
  As with all new products, it can be confusing for the client to understand exactly what the product is.
  The Recommended Practices documents sets the standard for recommendations on search availability, process, and communication between the provider and the customer (background screener).
  It is a valuable tool for use by background screeners who are researching various providers for international screening, since it will provide talking points to clarify the service provided. It can also be used by providers and their customers as a means to clarify current services provided.
  For background screeners located outside of the US, this document, in conjunction with the current Provider Guidelines, can clarify the sometimes confusing US market.

Steven Brownstein - A Real Criminal Records Researcher

Steven Brownstein is the real McCoy.
There are many want to be's but it takes more than a wish, a desire, an E-Mail ad campaign, or a We Bite to make a real criminal records researcher.
The other week Steven Brownstein reci=ceived an order to find an ' illegal fishing' case on a subject from 10 or so years ago.
The applicant couldn't remember he date(s). Just something like 10  years ago; he was detained, and ended up paying a fine of maybe $500. Or mybe it was bail. He couldn't recall.
Steven Brownstein, knowing the jurisdiction and it processes started at the Federal district Court. There are fish sanctuaries nearby. Maybe he was picked up by the U.S.
But searching the dockets and files for the last dozen or so years proved nothing.
So it was onward to the Superior Court. 
A computerized check of the files showed nothing.
Hmmm, he wondered where this $500 payment went.
Steven Brownstein then went to the Dept. of Public Safety (DPS).  Maybe there was an arrest and no charges brought to court. He might have posted bail. At least that was what Brownstein hoped for. No hanky panky, hopefully.
DPS had no records of the individual being arested nor the subject having been detained or questioned.
One could surmise it wasn't going so well and call it quits.
But not steven Brownstein, a real criminal records researcher.
Wracking his brain, a thought came to him.
Maybe Fish and Wildlife stopped him.
And you know what, that was what had happened.
After a hand search of records (Fish and wildlife has only been compuertised for several years) up popped the name and the illegal fishing 'citatation' and a fine of $500 paid 9 years ago.
Had the researcher been other than Steven Brownstein, you the person needing this information (and document) would have been out cold.
And that's what he means when he says there are many lessor researchers in the business.
They're out to take your money. Fast. With little or no work nor effort on their part.
Brownstein says that if you're willing to part with your cash so easily, shame on you.
Our advice is that if you need a real researcher and Steven Brownstein is the REAL DEAL, contact him at his companies, Straightline International or The Background Investigator at 1-866-909-6678.  Call him directly at 1-670-256-7000.  Rememeber, Brownstein is in Saipan, about 15 hours time zone difference from the USA.