Background Check Shows Teacher Is Fugitive

A new Davidson County teacher failed a background check and will be returned to Maryland to face criminal charges.

Arlene Denetta Hudson, 42, of 2324 Copperstone Drive in High Point, had been hired as a teacher by Davidson County Schools. A subsequent check of her fingerprints by the State Bureau of Investigation turned up a warrant for her arrest in Maryland.

According to the Davidson County Sheriff's office, the Maryland State Police wanted Hudson in connection with a September 2005 larceny of a motor vehicle from a Toyota dealership in Westminster, Md.

Counties Fail to Update Cases in Texas's Crime Databases

The state's criminal database, riddled with holes four years ago, has just as many gaps today.

Although officials in Dallas and other poorly reporting counties promised in 2004 to do better, the Department of Public Safety says counties in the most recent assessment submitted outcomes on just 69 percent of criminal charges – the same percentage as before.

"That's astonishing. That's leaving a substantial total number of criminals unreported in the system," said John Bradley, Williamson County district attorney. "That's the biggest threat to public safety that you can imagine, particularly in a post-9/11 time when we rely on databases to protect the public."

Angie Klein, manager of the DPS criminal history records bureau, attributed the counties' lack of progress to slow resolution of many felony cases, and glitches in big urban counties, which can bring down statewide compliance rates.

"It's hard to keep trained personnel," she said.

Dallas Completes Background Check On John Beck

The Cowboys have done a background check on Miami quarterback John Beck, but they have not had talks with the Dolphins regarding a potential trade for the 2007 second rounder, according to two sources. After signing Chad Pennington and drafting Chad Henne in the second round, Beck and Josh McCown are in a fight for the No. 3 quarterback slot. According to the sources, the Dolphins contacted the Cowboys - and other teams - about Beck shortly after coming to terms with Pennington

No bozos!

For Sharon Baker, founder of Teleduction Inc., a 35-year-old Wilmington film production company, recruiting good employees is the cornerstone of an organization's success. To prove it, hire a "bad apple," she said.

Baker knows firsthand. In the 1980s, she hired a worker who came highly recommended. Before long, the employee was showing up late, sometimes dishevelled. The worker's performance became erratic. It didn't take long for Baker to admit it wasn't working out. Worse, she realized the worker's previous employer had glowingly recommended someone "they were desperately trying to get rid of," Baker said.

"It was devastating," Baker said. "The lost salary is a lot of money for a small business. It's demoralizing for the other employees. But I learned a very valuable lesson: There should be a trial period."

The recruitment of key employees is what makes or breaks a business -- even more than financing, say employment specialists and business leaders.

"Today, it's crucial to do a background check. It's too expensive to not do your due diligence," Challenger said.

New Nurses Will Need Criminal Record Check

New nurses in Nova Scotia will soon be forced to undergo criminal record checks.

Starting in August, nurses who haven’t held an active practising licence in this province for two years will also have to undergo the same checks.

"We have an obligation to be aware of all factors that might affect a registered nurse’s ability to practise safely, competently or ethically," said Marie Dauphinee-Booth, a spokeswoman for the College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotia.

"It’s another measure to enhance public protection."

If a new or returning nurse doesn’t have a clean criminal record, there could be consequences.

"Any time that we determine that a nurse’s ability to practise has been compromised, then we take action," Ms. Dauphinee-Booth said, noting each case would be dealt with on an individual basis.

Retroactive Background Check Requirements Could Result in Loss of Veteran Teachers

They may have taught in Southwest Florida schools for years, but a new law could mean a pink slip for veteran teachers.

Teachers, administrators and others now fall under the Ethics and Education Act, which was passed by the Legislature and went into effect July 1.

The new law requires retroactive checks of the criminal records of teachers and employees in contact with students daily, and bars from employment anyone with any felony conviction for a variety of specified crimes.