Can -do Foreign Criminal Record Searches

Many Pre-employment compnaies are forgetful that they check courthouses in the USA and not police departments for criminal records.
One difference they forget to note is that a criminal record at a court is not the same thing as a criminal record at the police staion.

If I were a betting man ;), maybe I'd wager that criminal records, not all but many, found at the police department are not FCRA complaint.

That is, there is no disposition of charges given, let alone the 7-year rule.

So be it, amnesia runs rank among the pre-employment cognosci, so much I hear about police records in foreign countries, blah, blah, blah.

How that;s how it's done, blah , blah, blah.

How third parties can't get them, blah, blah, blah.

The real hoot about the absent-mindeness is this - the pre-employment's can't get FBI records in the USA, either!

Blah, blah, blah.  Money talks.

Court records is the language money talks in the USA. 

Foriegn records.  I hear the greenbucks flying away out the hands of the doom. gloom, and naysayers and into the hands of the 'can do-ers.'

Cool Hand Steven Brownstein

Not unlike Paul Newman, the real Cool Hand, Steven Brownstein has made his mark on the pre-employment screening industry by first opening up a forum where companies and individuals in the background check industry could converse - openly and publishing the 'real deal,' The Background Investigator (www.thebackgroundinvestigator.com), a monthly newspaper found online and also mailed as a very popular print edition.
What's remarkable is that the pre-employment screening industry would even talk to itself.  The worst kept secret was the method that they used to obtain criminal records.
The joke was on us because it turned out veryone was pretty much using the same sources and denying it to anyone who would listen.
In stepped the cool hand.
Steven Brownstein promoted the first ever pre-employment screening conference almost a decade ago.  Now everyone wanted to talk .
He has promoted nearly a dozen more such conferences since.
We're still talking.
This year, 2011, he has taken time off due to his busy schedule, so there is no conference. He is currently on his way to Hong Kong and Bangkok to meet with several of his key researchers.
But he promises an invigorating 2012 schedule that includes many new innovations and methods for providing criminal records to the background screening industry.
And that might include a conference or two.
I've got to Hand it to him, that's Cool.

Avoid Criminal Record - Get Good Job

As one of the world's foremost experts on criminal background checks, Steven Brownstein should be listened to.

Brownstein catches us off guard with, "It amazes me how young people today are not taught more than just good morals.  They should be taught not to get caught."

Being taught g ood morals is somewhat disputable these days. But not getting caught?

"Hey, he continues, "I mean don't commit the cirme to begin with and keep your trash off of social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.  I can't begin, well, yes I can, tell you how many background checking firms are offering WebSite and Internat based searches designed to trip you up."

Brownstein's words ring the bit of wisdom he does profess.  A recent Google search of "facebook background check" came back in seconds with more than 106 million results; the top ones being companies offering Facebook and Twitter checks.

Brownstein quite seriously suggests, "Keep a low profile on the Internet or you'll end up paying for it with job offer refusals or lower pay. And criminal records?  Come on.  We all know it's public record.  Get caught drinking underage, pulling off some stupid party prank that gets you busted, the list of idiotic things we do can only get you the same result - unemployed."

Some states have drafted and passed laws disallowing use of certain criminal records, even going so far as to declassify them as criminal making them lesser offenses called violations.  These violations are in turn not usuable in making an employment decision.

"Maybe in some other world," adds Brownstein, "not this one. Get a criminal record, even a minor one, whatever you may call it, 'violation, misdemeanor, ordinance offense, and you think the HR department is going to ignore that?  Especially when there are tens of more applicants that come up clean?"

We're afraid we have to agree with Brownstein.  The best bet woud be to walk the straight and narrow and keep your life off the social networks.  But what a boring life.  There's got to be some better way.

We're Still Receiving Leading-on Promises About International Criminal Record Search Turn-around Times

I can't believe that after 20+ years in the pre-employment screening biz that I (and you) receive ads, contemporarily in the form of E-Mail, that make outrgeous claims of international criminal record turnaround.

The ad also implies civil searches, employment verifivations and what-nots!

I know the FTC is too busy with the big guys to track down this Calif. company; some wish they did.

I don't want them shutdown - just shut up.
Or at least have them start telling the real story.

One pre-employment screening expert says they re using some meaningless database,;incomplete, and I mean incomplete.

I would be embarrassed and ashamed to use it for any reason.

I have no idea what this Calif. company is thinking.

Maybe trying to steal business with trickery and sleight of hand.

Like in once they got you the truth can come out.

Use them and I hope you have plenty of E&O insurance.

You're going to need it.

9% Of All Background Searches In Saipan Turn Up As A Criminal Record

In a recent nationwide survey by PRRN (The Public Record Retriever Network) taken nationwide, Steven Brownstein, the only background investigator west of Hawaii, found that 9% of all criminal background searches resulted in a record in Saipan.

Probably, you have seen Steven Brownstein's name pop up on the internet; his criminal record retrieval ads appearing on such Sites as the Saipan Tribune and the Marianas Variety.

"It's not rocket science or anything like that," admits Brownstein.

"But I have been at this more than 20 years."

"It (background checks) comes second nature to me."

Most of his previous experience has been in two of the largest metropolitan areas in the USA - Chicago and New York City.

But coming to work in Saipan is no let down, either.

Brownstein continues, "Convincingly enough, Saipan presents as much a challenge as the rest of the USA when it comes to getting the facts."

"A careful inspection of all criminal records and second guessing local Police Clearances takes a certain amount of skill."

An understanding of the CNMI (Saipan) judicial processs helps, too.

"There is never an area where I go to work," admits Brownstein, "that I don't begin by learning the Judiciary and their system."

Brownstein has been a member of NACM (National Association of Court Managers) for most of a decade and a half, and has served on the Membership Committee with past Alanta (Fulton County) Clerk of Court, Juanita Hicks.

"My experience with the Clerks of Courts has been tremendous in my continuing education and has provided a number of sources for quick record retrieval and turnaround."

"I can't say that I haven't used that to my advantage."

Many a television network and large metropolitan newspaper have used Brownstein on numerous occasions for information on a fast breaking story.

Coincidentally, Brownstein publishes a newspaper specifically for the background screening industry, http://www.thebackgroundinvestigator.com/

The Background Investigator has a circulation in the thousands and is used as a tool of reference by hundredes of pre-employment screening companies
.
Brownstein is also an investigative reporter and a member of IRE (Investigative Reporters and Editors).

"It pays to get the facts."

Concluding, Brownstein had this to say, "It doesn't surprise me that there is a 9% hit ratio (the percentage of criminal records found) in Saipan."

"But. what does surprise me is the number of young adults that move off island, not paying a traffic citation, and then having a warrant issued for their arrest."

"That does not look good on a resume."

October 2011 Background Investigator Newspaper Now Onliine

The October 2011edition of The Background Investigation is now available for your viewing.
Some articles of interest are about courts using Facebook, novel ways criminals beat cases, and how Texas schools are filing cases against their students.
This and more at http://www.thebackgroundinvestigator.com/

Truck In Way - Court Closed

Authorities closed a 3-block stretch of Tucson, Arizona, and evacuated a nearby federal building September 28 after a suspicious vehicle was spotted by U.S. Marshals, police said.
A search of the vehicle, a white box truck, turned up several metal boxes of ammunition and duffel bags filled with clothing, a Tucson police spokeswoman told Reuters.
"There's no indication that there are any explosives inside the vehicle." She said investigators were speaking to a "person of interest" about the truck, and that the man was cooperating with investigators.
He was not taken into custody.
Police later gave the all-clear and opened a major street to traffic, but kept part of the area roped off as they processed the vehicle.
A bomb squad was initially called to the scene at about 11 a.m. local time after U.S. Marshals noticed the truck had been parked for an extended time near a building that houses federal bankruptcy court, the spokesman said.
About 30 people were evacuated from that building. Source: http://news.yahoo.com/tucson-police-evacuate-federal-building-over-truck- 001452978.html;_ylt=AsHqHaCbQSr3udH7ZKNxcfJvzwcF;_ylu=X3oDMTNudHY2M2cyBG1pdANUb3BTdG9yeSBVU1NGBHBrZwM1NjY2YWNiNS1hZTk0LTMxODgtYTNiMy1iNDcyODI3YTg5YjcEcG9zAzIEc2VjA3RvcF9zdG9yeQR2ZXID

Provide Maiden Name To Speed Up Puerto Rico Criminal Background Searches

If you want to speed up your Puerto Rico criminal background searches, especially for pre-employment screening, always include the Mother's maiden name of the subject requested.
You can't imagine the insanity of sciolling through hundreds or thousands of common names looking for, say, a date of birth that matches.
And anyway, the computer's database will 'time out' (freeze up) long before  you could complete the search.
Then you have to start again.
Best bet is to provide the Mother's maiden name.

Philippines Blows It With Slowed Down Results of Background Checks

The NBI in Philippines has awarded a contract to a new company to provide support for their criminal record computer syatem dramatically crushing the police clearance certificate turn around times.

Now that's good news for Straightline International; they provide court recorrd checks.

And believe it or not, half of the background checks that Straightline International has performed with the NBI has resulted in a further search of multiple courts attempting to identify the correct subject.

Similar to the RCMP (CPIC) in Canada, a hit record requires further investigation.

Anyway, the NBI used to knock their results out (albeit faulty) pretty much the same day.

How does 20+ days sound? That's their turnaround now.

Straightline International has fallen into a gold mine and their prices are low enough to ensure that your company can mine some some of those prfits, too.

Starightline is found at info@straightlineinternational.com

Steven Brownstein #1 Access To Criminal Records

Steven Brownstein is The Background Investigator

Worldwide Criminal Record Searches.

International Criminal Record Searches.

Contact me at steveb@search4crime.com

Steve Brownstein is The Background Investigator.

International Criminal Records Double Talk> Vol. (many)

I have written before how international criminal record retrievers engage in passing along information that is incorrect or is totally meanlingless, though it sounds official.

The latest is a thread going through a pre-employment screening Chat List whose topic this time is electronic signatures.

It ( the topic of electronic signatures) was going along smoothly until an international record retriever decided to add this double sided comment:

"All, I can tell you on an international basis that e-signatures are not accepted.

Only wet signatures are allowed, generally."

Here we go again.

The international expert writes first you can't (that is..he goes, "I am an expert and I'm telling you that internationally, E-signatures are not accepted."

But hold on there!  His next sentence, "Only wet signatures are allowed, generally."

That throws me for a loop,

What's the "generally" for?

Probably means that All I Can Tell You Is I'm Not Positive About My First Statement About E-signatures not being accepted.

Probably means this, too, "I just want to sound important and knowlegeable and you know, like an expert, so you will give me lots of business."

That is, (Generally Speaking).

You Can Become A Licensed Private Investigator Associate

Licensing associate private investigators around the world is available according to The Background Investigator

The Background Investigator said this offer is available to anyone 18 yrs. or older.

There is no experience required.

Licensing and government filing fees are expected to be paid by the applicant.

Contact The Background Investigator at info@thebackgroundinvestigator.com

Steve Brownstein Has Not Retired (The Background Investigator)

  Steve Brownstein, the Background Investigator, has not retired. (dated August 18,20011).

  I have found there are many individuals with my same name, one has a posting 'Steve Brownstein Has Retired.'

  Not me.

  That Steve Brownstein; I have found there are many individuals with my same name, the one I'm writing about one has a posting 'Steve Brownstein Has Retired.'

  I have had several conversations with him when he first joined the Chicago PD, he's retired. Too soon, I might add.

  He could have been on an animal cop show. He was that good.

  As a matter of fact, all of us Steve Brownstein's, we work hard.

Calif. Compnay Offereing International Record Checks In 24-48 Hrs, Bologna!

A Calif.company keeps sending E-mails around the pre-employment screening community touting 24-48 hr results on criminal record checks in over 195 countries.

My 20+ years experience and travels worldwide tell me this is ludicrous.

This company is harmful to our industry and to the companies we serve.

Buy from them at your own risk, plus have plebty E&O insurance.

A good lawyer will tear you up.

Some Background Researchers Can Drive You Nuts

Some criminal background investigators can drive you nuts.

It wasn't to long ago a Ben something from England quoted a police clearance site from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police and ascertained from it that all record checks in Japan are illegal.

It wasn't too long a go a Bill somone published a background checking book and wrote criminal record checks in Hong Kong were illegal.

It wasn't too long ago a Wayne somebody spoke at a conference (The India Background Investigator Conference) and said all types of criminal record checks were illegal.

Beware these guys - for they know not what they speak.  (soory for the imperfect quote).

They drive me nuts and cost all of us a lot of money.

When we believe them (why, I do not know) we lose when we hire the wrong candidate based on their advice not to do a search.

When we have to disprove them, it costs time and money to re-educate ourselves.

What their motives are I'll never know.  They are all beginners in the records field. Maybe that's why.

August Background Investigator Is Now Online

The August 2011 edition of The Backgrouund Investigator is now online.

http://www.thebackgroundinvestigator.com/

A Guide to How Using Straightline International's Turnaround Time Links

Go to

http://www.straightlineinternational.com/

1. Click on continent desired.

2. Choose from drop-down list the country that you want the 'average turnaround time.

Keep in mind the turnaround around times are calculated exactly, combining the last 90 days, for the whole country chosen, including all jurisdictions for that country (rural and urban areas).

You can also log on to your acct. at

https://www.search4crime-orders.com/SLIlogin.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fDefault.aspx

and search by specific jurisdictions (cities, towns, etc) for the country desired.

The 'Can't Do This' Background Check Insanity Continues

Once again, a list serve posting on the background checking association's website declared erroneously that criminal record histories are unavailable, illegal, what have you..this time in Saudi Arabia. 

I would have replied to that list serve, but it seems I can't get published there if I disagree.

So here it is...

Last time, this Englishman wrote that court records were unavailable in Tokyo.  So all the times that I went to the courthouse to pick up records there didn't happen.

Now, Saudi Arabia.  I'm not going there. I'll let the pre-e,ployment scrfeeners' sort this one out themselves.

Criminal Record Check: New York OCA Does Not Report Many Reduced Charges

The New York State Office of Court Administration (OCA) provides a New York Statewide criminal history record search (CHRS) for a fee of $65.00.

The search criteria is strictly based on exact match of Name and DOB (variations of Name or DOB are not reported. 

The OCA is not accountable to the NAPBS (National Association of Professional Background Screeners).

The OCA searches do not meet the NAPBS Provider Guidelines that are required of researchers that go onsite to perform record checks.

The search results are public records relating to open/pending and convictions of criminal cases originating from County/Supreme, City, Town and Village courts of all 62 counties.

Sealed records are not disclosed.

Town & Village criminal disposition data is limited. {They couldn't mean DUI's, could they?}
 NYS Town and Village court dispositions are not available for the period May 1991 through 2002.

As of May 2007, all Town and Village courts report to OCA.

As of July 20, 2007, data relating to non-criminal offenses (e.g., violations, infractions {They mean the majority of cases, like reduced theft or marijuana charges) will no longer appear as part of the CHRS report.

And finally, are the CHRS results provided by the Office of Court Administration certified?

Their answer: No.

This information is available at: NY OCA Website: http://www.courts.state.ny.us/apps/chrs/

24-48 hr International Criminal Record Checks Mainly Nonsense

Lately there has been a rash of criminal record retrieval ads circulating in the pre-employment screening industry for international criminal records being returned 24-48 hours after receiving them.

I know that turnaround is a key component of criminal record checks.  In fact, in the USA, the push to reduce the turnaround times has been a major factor in increasing use of background checks.

But let's face facts.  The international compnent to criminal record checks is vast and overwhelming.

There is no way most international criminal record checks can be completed in most jurisdictions in the 24-48 hr time frame.

Since most criminal record retrievers in the USA are challenged by obscure USA county searches, how in the world could they define a location in a foreign country, study their justice sytem, make contact with a researcher in that jurisdiction and get the result in 1 -2 days?

Better still, how can you or your staff believe their claims of near-instant turnaround.

I know it's your money and your business.  But if you want to keep it you had better get real with the situation.