Steven Brownstein Provides Saipan Police Clearances and Court Records

Need Saipan court records, driver license records, or police clearances?

These  records are available from Steven Brownstein.

For more information call Steven Brownstein at Straightline at 1-866-909-6678 or by E-mail at info@straightlineinternational.com

Straightline International - A Saipan based company serving the world.

Likening The Criminal Justice System To A Baseball Game

I came across this analogy while I was looking for information about the North Dakota (of all places) Judiciary.

Read on:

First Umpire: I sit there behind the plate and I watch the ball come down the groove and I call it what it really is.

Second Umpire: I can't do that, the best that I can do is watch its pattern and call it as I see it.
Third Umpire: It ain't nothin till I call it.

The prosecutorial part of the system operates under the influence and direction of the first umpire.

Like balls and strikes people are either in the groove or they are not.

Judges and juries often appear to operate under the influence and direction of the second umpire as homage is paid to the great historical charge of responsibility to listen to all of the evidence before making up their minds.

To the defense lawyer, however, it most often appears that in reality it is the world of the third umpire that most accurately describes what in fact is happening.

Pretty good stuff, right?

After watching on television the constant barrage of Law and order, CSI, Criminal Minds, Without A Trace, NCIS, Closer, etc., the above does a fine job of breaking down the sytem into simpler terms.

Straightline International Searches Further Back In Time Than Anyone

When it comes to criminal record checks for pre-employment screening Starightline International throws out the 'minimal' time requirements the NAPBS Provider Guide outlines and announces it can search some UK records as far back as the 14th century!

Here's hoping there aren't any age discrimination lawsuits stemming from some of these older applicants looking a bit past their prime!

More details will be published in the July edition of The Background Investigator. (http://www.thebackgroundinvestigator.com/)

Contact Straightline International at 1-866-909-6678 or by E-Mail at info@straightlineinternational.com

We've (Background Check Companies) Caused Problems In Canada

With a substantial growth in residential building projects and an increase in government investment in the non-residential sector, the construction industry in Canada shows great progress and potential.

Construction pumps $130 billion into Canada's economy, and all of these economic growth indicators signal that it's an ideal time to search for a construction job.

Job numbers are forecasted to increase steadily across Canada in years to come, but unfortunately, because of the rising demand for skilled workers along with a large demographic of baby boomers retiring, the construction industry is expected to experience harsh labour shortages.

On top of this, issues around criminal record checks are rising as a major barrier in the recruitment process when it comes to hiring skilled workers.

Most companies who complete record checks do not screen past the "yes"or "no", don't look into what the record was for, when it was obtained or how it may or may not impact the working environment.

Link: http://www.sys-con.com/node/1872308

A Tad About 'Ban the Box'

Those calling for 'Ban the Box' on job applications might mean well BUT,,
they should first be calling for 'Ban the Lawsuits' for negligent hiring when something goes haywire with a hire and it is found there is/was a criminal record.
No lawsuits and the employer can do what he feels best for the applicant - (maybe even hire him)

Police Records A Joke In India

One joke in India is you can find a criminal record on any politician but you can not find one on an job applicant or employee.
 Why's that?
 Did you know that most large companies in India will not even do criminal checks anymore?
 Why's that?
 Simply put - It is the local police check.
 Local police simply do not have the resources to perform a proper check.
 And historically background check companies in India provided local police checks.
 What is a local police check?
 It is a check of that police station's records for an arrest at that station. That's it. No more. But sometimes less.
 Some police stations do not have full time staff trained to manage police records. Some police stations have no staff.
 So the question is:
 Why perform a local police check?
 

Statewide Court Searches May Not Be Up to NAPBS Standards

Perhaps the NAPBS can't hold the states to task

What seems as a paradox is the NAPBS Guideline for (record) Providers.

While the NAPBS makes it clear what it wants and how it wants (records checked) from the 'mom and pop' record courthouse retrievers, it is eerily silent about the direct application (or lack of) of those guidelines to standards some states offer.

Not surprising, really.

You try telling New York you will only pay them for their search results  if they include alaises, close matches, etc..

Of course, don't forget insisting they provide you with a copy of their E&O insurance, too!

Funding Available To Serve Identity Theft Victims

Application deadline: June 15, 2011

Maryland Crime Victims' Resource Center, Inc., through an OVC grant, is seeking proposals for up to nine subawards of up to $50,000 each to create or support regional, statewide, or community coalitions to better assist identity theft victims.
The project's goal is to expand the outreach and capacity of victim service programs to serve victims of identity theft. (OVC)
http://www.mdcrimevictims.org/ID%20theft%20Network/index.html

Checking Your Indiana Driving Record For Free

  The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles has lifted the fee to view your driver record online – and it’s easy to do.
  If you want to check out your driver record all you need is the number on your driver’s license, the last four digits of your Social Security number and your ZIP code.
  Go to http://www.mybmv.com/, click on Driver Record on the left side of the page, then click on View your Viewable Driver Record, plug in the aforementioned information, and voila! You can find out how many points you have against your license as well as suspensions and restrictions (although you should already know that).
  According to a news release issued by the BMV, more than 340,000 Indiana drivers have suspended driver’s licenses. The most common question the BMV gets is from people who want to know what they have to do to reinstate a suspended driver’s license, said Commissioner R. Scott Waddell. The redesigned driver record now lists those requirements at the top of the page. If it’s a court-ordered suspension, the record provides the name and phone number of the court and the case number.
  In more good news for Indiana drivers, the cost of getting a certified Official Driver Record has been reduced from $8 to $4. Some employers require a certified driver record. It can be obtained at the BMV website or by mail.

The Background Investigator Goes To Botswana

The Background Investigator Goes To Botswana
  In a continuing series, The Background Investigator goes to various countries around the world to explore the justice systems and bring back to you their findings. This month Faheem Ebrahim visited Botswana.
Here is his report:

Obtaining Criminal Records in Botsawana
by Faheem Ebrahim,
  Botswana isn't a country that is much talked about around African nations.
  The people of Botswana will tell you, that this is because there aren't as many problems in Botswana as other neighbouring nations, and the people are friendlier.
  During my visit to Gabarone, the capital, I certianly found the latter to be true.
  A visit to the magistrates court showed a colonial looking building with plenty of character.
  The criminal registry was serviced by a local lady who was very accomodating and took me for a tour of the courthouse, and more importantly, showed me the details of the criminal record system in place.
  The system was based on microsoft access with a wide option of identifiers, and we tested our names on the system (with both of our consent of course) to ensure we did not have a case filed in the country.
  The best part about the system in Botswana is that every court is linked by the same network, therefore even though a case is filed in a different town within the country, they can still view the file in Gabarone - and vice versa.
  I was impressed with what I saw, and complimented the team on their setup.
  If only some of the larger and more developed nations around the world would take a small country such as Botswana as an example; due diligence checks would be a much simpler process!
  I look forward to visiting again soon.

New Guidelines Can Hurt Rather Than Help

  I'm still hemming and hawing about my recent experience with the NAPBS guidleline exam for USA domestic court record retrievers.
  Not about the exam, itself.
  Now it's comparing the USA domestic guidelines with the 'proposed' international guidelines.
  The international guidelines proposed by NAPBS are ambiguous at best and leave pre-employment screening comapnies at a loss.
  NAPBS is on the right track asking for feed-back from members about the international 'guidelines.'
  How I was included in the discussion of the guidelines or asked to contribute my thoughts about the proposal - I am not sure I was on 'their' list at all - I still do not know.
  I think there are many ways to do a criminal search. International AND domestic.
  NAPBS needs to be careful.
  The guidelines they put forth today might lead to employers doing their own 'nationwide' FBI searches tomorrow.
  Where will that leave us?

Macau Office Expands To Hong Kong

  Steven Brownstein and Faheem Ebrahim, annouce the opening of a new Hong Kong office for Straightline International and The Background Investigator.
  Initially, a staff of two researchers will be added enabling a more prompt return of Northern and South- Eastern Asia reports.
  Straightline's fine researchers in Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Busan, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Jakarta will continue as usual.
  The Hong Kong office will also provide sales support for Asian based companies plus after hour customer service work for U.S. and UK based pre-employment screening companies.
  Contact Steven Brownstein at steveb@search4crime.com and Faheem Ebrahin at faheem@search4crime.com

Background Checking's Centrally Located Criminal Search Flawed

When you check central courts, and central courts only, the habit (and now NAPBS guideline) of omitting background checks at outlying courts can look pretty irrersponsible.

Especially if the subject applicant has a misdemeanor record at one the outlying courts.  Or how about multiple misdemeanor records at an outlying court?

Take Arizona, for instance. 

Many incorporated cities or towns have a municipal court, also known as a city court or magistrate court.
Municipal courts have criminal jurisdiction over misdemeanor crimes and petty offenses committed in their city or town.

They share jurisdiction with justice courts over violations of state law committed within their city or town limits.

Also,  each county  has precincts, containing that county's justice of the peace courts.

Generally, these precincts are larger than city or town limits and typically incorporate an entire city or town, and pieces of other communities as well.

Although these geographical boundaries can be changed.

Justice of the peace courts hear traffic cases and certain criminal and civil cases, including domestic violence and harassment cases.

So you want to miss Domestic Violence cases? DUI's? Assaults? Petty Theft?

I'd think not.

So where Arizona is not online, say Maricopa County, here is a brief 'what you're missing' summary:

There are 25 justice courts in Maricopa County that hear a combined caseload of approximately 400,000 cases each year.  (That's over 1,000 cases per day, if they worked every day!)

These include the full range of civil and criminal traffic offenses, including DUIs, and  other types of misdemeanor allegations (e.g. shoplifting, writing bad checks, violating restraining orders) and, like other trial judges, also handle requests for orders of protection and injunctions against harassment.

Sure you want to miss these, they all require a seperate search, Tempe, Paradise Valley, Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa?

You can use Arizona's online system or Maricopa County's site. 

Either way you are missing over 1 million (1,000,000+) residents of these cities and towns that might have committed a misdemeanor crime closest to where they live.

Increase the E&O insurance, mate, it's getting warm in here!

I applaud the NAPBS for their guideline. It took a lot of hard work by many to even agree what to agree on. So hat off for their hard work.

And this is not NAPBS' fault.  The record search at only the central court location was alive and well way before their creation.

Mainly because researchers in Ohio did not want to drive to the outlying courts and (and this is a big AND) screening companies did not want to pay extra for the search.

Competition was tough. It still is.

Maybe someone will come up with a better way.

But, the consumer (i.e., the employer) meanwhile will pay.

In fact. so will you and I.

Visa Hassles

If you read my China visa posting, this should come as no surprise.

I finally got my Chinese visa (an all day affair).

Next came the India visa.

India has outsourced their Visa application procesing to a company called Travisa Outsourcing.

I applied online at Travisa's Website for same day processing.

They gave me a date and appointment time to be in their office.

After waiting in line at the appointed time, a security/application processing officer announces that if it was anyone's concern, same day visa service was actually taking 2-3 days!

No exceptions.

I had to return to Saipan without an India visa.

So much for outsourcing.

I'm sure the India embassy has no knowledge of travisa's poor service; that is, Travisa Outsourcing getting people to their office with the promise of same day processing - then surprising the applicant with, already known to Travisa, bad news that they could not process same day visas.

NAPBS Provider Exam

I recently had the 'pleasure' of taking and passing the NAPBS Provider Exam.

The only passing score is 100%.  I was penalized  for answering that a provider should give more service than NAPBS the test requires as correct. The question answered, and actually answered not incorrect was "what is the standard for record retrieval when there is a computerized index of several years, a microfiche of several years more, and finally, an index card system further back in time?"

I answered it should be all three. But, the NAPBS giudelines test will accept only the first two as correct. That is, even though, most index card systems are easier to browse than microfiche record systems, and you, the customer will get even more years searched - NAPBS penalizes you on the exam for answering that you would do the work.

Sorry NAPBS members. It's hard to understand penalizing retrievers that offer a 'better' service.

Also, not to rant, but the idea that using only the central court location (where or when there are multiple court locations that have separate records within a county)  for retrieving records is acceptable for NAPBS guidelines seems a bit short-sighted.

I suppose that is why the 'Guidelines' insists upon all record retrievers obtain E&O insurance.

Lost In Traffic

Traffic can drive me nuts.  Not that I am always in a hurry. You know, time is money. It's hard to have both at the same time.
I'm in Chicago and I grab my applications to extend my Chineses Visa.  The Chinese have a consulate in Chicago.  So does India, but that 's a story for another time.
I stay about 15 miles from the "Loop," Chicago's famed center. It takes me about 45 minutes to drive there.
I get lucky when I finally get there finding a parking space on the street no more than 2 blocks away.
I grab the applications and walk up to the consulate, open the door to the entrance, and stop dead in my tracks.
I really should have started pounding my head against the wall right then and there, except that I'm with someone and did not want to cause a scene.
I broke out laughing out loud. I had the applicatiobs, the preciuos applicationx that I determindly made certain I did not forget.
Sure as the sun wil rise though, I left the passports at home!  No passport no visa.
Yikes, what a dum-dum!
Like I said, you either have time or money, but I now realized I can sometimes have little of either!

CPIC Searches Cause Grief for NAPBS Pre-employment Screening Companies

Background Checks run through the CPIC (without fingerprints) will only return name matches.

Many NAPBS member companies have written and talked about the ineffectiveness of FBI, or state-wide searches, and CPIC.

Background Checks run through the CPIC (without fingerprints) will only return name matches.

You will then have to submit fingerprints and wait - sometimes weeks or months!

CPIC searches can cause more than grief for pre-employment screening companies.

Say good bye to the job candidate.

He's been hired by someone other than your client who has the knowledge to check the Provincial Court Systems for date of birth matches.

On the other hand, CPIC, and other national searches, are good sources for pointers.

Search first, but not last. Mixed or unclear results, now that's bad.

Obviously then, if you want to get fast results with date of birth identifiers, Canadian Provincial searches are your best bet.

A Joke for Every Boss

A lawyer, his secretary, and one of the office paralegals are walking through the park during lunch.  
They see and old bottle in the bushes, and when one of them picks it up and brushes the dirt off of it a genie appears.

The genie says "Usually I grant three wishes when I'm released.
 
Since there are three of you, I'll grant one wish each."
 
He asks the secretary what she wants.
 
She says "I want to be married to a super rich sugar daddy in Hawaii."
 
POOF! She disappears.

The genie asks the paralegal what he wants.
 
The paralegal says "I want to own my own tropical island populated by beautiful women."
 
POOF! He, too, disappears.
 
Then the genie asks the lawyer what he wants.
 
The lawyer says "I want those two back in the office ready to work right after lunch!"

Lifetime Likelihood of Going To State Or Federal Prison

If recent incarceration rates remain unchanged, an estimated 1 of every 20 persons (5.1%) will serve time in a prison during their lifetime.
Lifetime chances of a person going to prison are higher for

  -- men (9%) than for women (1.1%)
  -- blacks (16.2%) and Hispanics (9.4%) than for whites (2.5%)

Based on current rates of first incarceration, an estimated 28% of black males will enter State or Federal prison during their lifetime, compared to 16% of Hispanic males and 4.4% of white males.

Canadian Bankruptcies Online

This information is  provided free of charge from The Background Investigator

This bankruptcy database contains a record of all bankruptcies and proposals filed in Canada from 1978 to date.

It also contains a record of all private and court appointed receiverships filed in Canada from 1993 to date.
All petitions that have been registered in our offices are also available in the database.

There is a minimum $8.00 charge for each search, including those which result in "no record".

In the case of multiple hits, the charge is $8.00 for each group of ten matches or less, utilizing the same search criteria.

Users are able to redefine their search criteria to limit costs.

https://strategis.ic.gc.ca/sc_mrksv/bankruptcy/bankruptcySearch/engdoc/