Controversial App Provides Background Checks On the Go

Online privacy is a constant and growing concern as the evolving landscape of Web sites and services erode the traditional expectations of privacy. A new app from BeenVerified is adding even more controversy to the privacy dilemma by enabling users to conduct background checks on anyone in a matter of seconds from their iPhone.

The Background Check App is free and employers and individuals can use it to conduct up to three free background checks per week via the iPhone. Users, particularly employers who may want to conduct checks of employees, vendors, suppliers, partners, and other parties they do business with, can also subscribe to the BeenVerified service which would grant them unlimited background checks starting at only $8 per month.

In the press release for the app, BeenVerified CEO Josh Levy says "A BeenVerified background check contains information collected from thousands of public records and publicly available data where the average person would not even know where to begin. All of the information found in our reports is already out there and accessible to anyone."

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iPhone apps run background checks on your date

In a move that is sure to make playboys everywhere nervous, Internet company PeopleFinders has created two iPhone applications that let users perform background checks on their potential dates.

The apps, known as "Stud or Dud?" and "Are They Really Single?", utilize data culled from countless public records to give users a more complete picture of whom they're going out with. PeopleFinders President and COO Bryce Lane says his company collects data from "thousands of sources" across the country from "federal governments to the very smallest city governments." He says the company then uses algorithms to sort through the data and make comprehensive files that will give users a reliable picture of who the person is.

From there, the data is placed in PeopleFinders' database and is put up for sale. While both of the applications the company debuted today cost a mere $0.99 to download, users can only access records by either paying $9.95 per record or by paying an annual subscription fee of $24.95. In the case of "Stud or Dud?" users have the option of using simply by a person's first and last name, by their age and hometown, or by their phone number. From there, the program gives you a list of potential matches to choose from.

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Church Background Check Sample Shows 1 in 8 Volunteers Have Criminal Past

he results of a recent sample of criminal background checks on prospective church volunteers show the need for churches to remain on guard in protecting their congregations against workers with criminal pasts.

According to an article posted online at The Birmingham (AL) News, an agency that conducted 5,000 background checks for 450 churches found serious felonies in 80 cases and more than 600 people – almost 1 in 8 – that had some criminal history that may disqualify them from working at a church.

Read more here.

New Law Would Close Loophole in Federal Background Check Law and Protect Children

A person applying to be a summer camp counselor in New York could have been convicted of assault in Ohio or sexual abuse in Florida, and camp officials would have no way of knowing.

A loophole in federal law prevents camps, children's groups and other non-profits that work with children from accessing federal criminal background checks on new employees and volunteers.

Read more here.

Classroom Discipline Bill Passes House

Governor Daniels' top non-economic priority in this legislative session is on its way to his desk.

The House has unanimously approved giving teachers qualified immunity from lawsuits for disciplining students, as long as they act reasonably and in good faith.

The bill also requires criminal background checks before teachers are hired, and creates a public database of teachers convicted of drug or sex crimes.

Read more here.

Nebraska May Require Background Checks for Drivers of Children in State Care

Providing fingerprints and getting an extensive criminal background check could be a prerequisite for transporting kids and vulnerable adults under state care.

On Thursday, state Sen. Arnie Stuthman of Platte Center introduced a bill (LB290) to the Legislature that would require both of those who contract with the state to transport foster kids and vulnerable adults.

People who had felony records would not be able to drive for the state.

Read more at KCAU ABC 9.

VA Commision Splits on Ruling to Close Gun Show Loophole

The Virginia State Crime Commission on Tuesday declined to endorse closing the so-called gun show loophole in Virginia law, heightening uncertainty about the prospects of success in the General Assembly.

The deadlocked vote -- taken before a large crowd that included gun owners, at least one survivor of the Virginia Tech shootings and friends and relatives of other massacre victims -- highlighted an enduring split between country and city that transcends party affiliation in Virginia.

Two key commission members bucked their parties' habitual views of gun control measures. The commission's chairman, Del. David B. Albo (R-Fairfax), voted to recommend that the General Assembly close the loophole by requiring all gun buyers to undergo an electronic background check before any sale, including purchases at gun shows. But House Minority Leader Ward L. Armstrong (D-Henry), who noted the economic importance of an annual gun show in his economically depressed rural district, voted no.

Read the rest of the story at The Washington Post.

In the Internet Age, How Deep Should Someone Dig Before Hiring a PI?

Mary Kington once asked her daughter how to use the Internet to see if someone had served time in prison or had a criminal record.

Katrina Gregory steered her mother, a 56-year-old home-health caregiver from Worthington, to the searchable Web site of the Franklin County Municipal Court and the state prison system's online database of inmates and parolees.

Gregory, 26, said she never would have thought to tell her mother to dig deeper.

Incomplete Background Check Foils Bid to Open New Childcare Facility

The Pleasanton City Council Tuesday rejected for a second time a bid by a martial arts professional to operate a childcare facility for 20 children at a time in the Valley Business Park off Valley Avenue.

The council voted 4-1 to support Councilwoman Cindy McGovern who successfully sought to overturn the city Planning Commission's approval of the project on Nov. 12 and a subsequent recommendation that the council abide by that decision.

Read the rest of the story at the Pleasanton Weekly.

"Mommy On Call" Helps Take Care of Sick Children

Mary King is a single mother who can't afford to miss work.

The paralegal specialist, who is active-duty military at Fort Gordon, has two young children, and she is also six months' pregnant.

Her children recently became ill, but the people listed on her contact list weren't available.

"They started day care, and they're catching every bug that comes through there until they acclimate themselves. I had to take off quite a bit of work to stay home with them," Spc. King said.

If her children become ill again, she said, she's going to contact Mommy on Call, a new Grovetown caregiver service that cares in-home for sick children.

Felonies in College Deter Employees After Graduation

Felony convictions can severely impair a person from attending universities and securing careers. In certain, less severe cases, those potential students and employees still struggle for acceptance in society.

Annually at Illinois State University, between 30 and 40 applicants have a felony conviction on their record. Trying to get a job after college with a felony conviction is extremely difficult, as many administrators explain.

Man Brings Cocaine to Police Station While Getting a Background Check

A man accused of bringing cocaine into the Jackson police station has been formally charged.

Lawrence Hayes, 29, of Jackson was arraigned Thursday on charges of domestic violence and possession with intent to deliver cocaine.

Policy Change Requires Background Check for Hospital Volunteers

A few weeks ago, a woman walked into Suzanne Gray's office at the Colmery-O'Neil VA Medical Center to offer her volunteer services.

The former Marine had just moved to the area and was excited about volunteering, but when Gray told her she would have to submit to fingerprinting and a background check, the woman became upset and left.

That might not be a common occurrence, but new regulations requiring background checks of hospital volunteers may throw some people off.

"The days of coming in and saying you want to play cards with the veterans that day are gone," said Jim Gleis-berg, spokesman for the VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System.

The Joint Commission, through which medical centers receive their accreditation, changed the rules in January to include volunteers in the category of employees in terms of job application requirements, said Beverly Rice, director of volunteer services at Stormont-Vail Regional Health Center.

Now, if someone goes into Stormont-Vail wanting to give of his or her time, the person has to have a tuberculosis screen and reference check, attend an orientation, and undergo a background check, which takes a few hours, Rice said.

BACKGROUND CHECK AT STATE FAIR LANDS FUGITIVE BEHIND BARS

A fugitive is back behind bars after trying to get a job at the Alabama State Fair in Pelham Monday.
58-year-old Preston Goff is wanted for robbery in Flathead, Montana.
He applied for a job at the fair around noon Monday, and managers ran a background check. When Goff realized the situation, he ran and hid in nearby woods.
Alabama State Fair employees called police, who the launched a 4-hour search for Goff.
Two nearby schools were placed on lockdown.
Goff finally surrendered and is now in the Shelby County Jail, waiting to be extradited back to Montana.
Goff’s criminal record includes armed robbery assaulting a police officer, forgery and vehicle theft.
Alabama State Fair organizers say they always fully screen all applicants.
“We try to run a clean, safe fun fair. We want parents to feel secure about our employees because their picking children up, helping them on and off rides,” says David Renfro of Universal Fairs.
Pelham police, Hoover police, Alabama State Troopers and officers with the Alabama Prison System helped search for Goff.

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW THOSE CARING FOR YOUR FAMILY?

92 year old Ilalie Robinson is legally blind. That's why she depended on her in-house nurse, Regina Tatum, to help her out.
"She wrote out my bills for me and I signed the checks...but this check she tried to pass she had tried to sign my name and they knew down there that it wasn't my signature," said Robinson.
Tatum, also known as Regina Jacobs, worked at Jordan Health Services in Longview.
Longview Police say she has been charged with forgery in this case.
Robinson says Tatum opened credit cards in her name.
"When she'd go buy my groceries. She'd buy her some...she brought quite a bit a things at Wal-Mart on my card."
Longview Police say people need to do their homework before hiring someone to help care for family members. A couple of tips - run your own background check, and always ask for references.
"If you can find a family friend or somebody to help with their finances and not having home health care people write checks and not have to deal with that person's financial information that would be all the better," said Kevin Brownlee with the Longview Police Department.
Now, all Robinson has left is her social security money to survive.
"She just...I just can't believe it, still can't believe that she would do that to me."
Jordan's Health Services, where Regina Tatum worked, tells KLTV they did do a background check on Tatum, but her criminal history did not warrant them to not hire her.
After an investigation into the allegations, Tatum was fired.
Longview Police are still investigating this incident and more charges could be filed.

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

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.

United States Bowling Congress Making Changes for Safety of Young Bowlers

The United States Bowling Congress is taking steps to keep the children who participate in its programs safe from predators.

As of Aug. 1, all organizations under its umbrella that run youth bowling programs will be required to enter the USBC's Registered Volunteer Program, which will mandate criminal background screenings and require volunteers to abide by a code of conduct.

Volunteers always have been, and always will be, the backbone of the USBC. Most are dedicated, hard-working, unselfish people who have the sport's best interests at heart. It is extremely important in today's world that all volunteers who work with USBC Youth programs understand that USBC is facing the same problem every youth sports and social organization in America is facing: Protecting our kids against a handful of people who prey on the innocence of children. The only practical way to make youth bowling safe is to identify those persons who refuse to abide by acceptable standards of behavior and conduct, remove them from contact with our young people and establish barriers to prevent other predators from gaining access to children who bowl.