Unless you have been living on another planet for the past year, you are probably aware that Amy Bishop was the University of Alabama, Huntsville,  college professor accused of shooting killing three of our colleagues and wounding three others.   Bishop was allegedly concerned she would be receiving bad performances reviews that would adversely affect her consideration for tenure.

What is particularly disconcerting is that background checks on Amy Bishop did not reveal that she had shot and killed her brother some 24 years ago.   It was considered an accident, as Bishop claimed she was cleaning the 12 gauge shotgun and it just went bang, putting buckshot through her brother’s chest.   Anyway, the killing, accident or not, failed to turn up in Bishop’s background check.  No problem there.  Everyone makes mistakes.  Accidents will happen.  Although sometimes such mistakes are not accidents at all, and in this case it was allegedly a prelude to a future shooting spree where people were killed by someone who had always craved attention.

I wrote  about Bishop and the failed background check in earlier articles.  One such article was entitled, The Amy Bishop Background Checks.    What particularly struck me, and I did write about it in the past, was that fellow academicians and psychologists lamented the rigors of tenured appointments, claiming the stress would cause psychological disorders and various disruptions.  Or something to that effect.    Poor college professors, tenured with a job for life, under so much stress.  As for the rest of the working world, where layoffs and terminations are a fearful if not periodic occurrence, are we to assume they have somehow miraculously avoided such stress?   Don’t think so.   I thought it was audacious at best and a matter of stone raving gall for anyone to attribute the shooting of innocent people to stress related to the tenured professor  process.  But what do I know?  I have only had to work for a living.

It appears that Bishop, who according to observations from people who knew her, did crave attention.  Well, now she is going to get more than she bargained for.  Not only is she charged for shooting the six people at University of Alabama, but according to the New York Times, Bishop will be charged with the murder of her brother, twenty four years earlier.   It would appear that justice for her brother is about to be served.

There are some critics who believe background checks actualize a certain bias and prevent people from finding employment.  That may be true.  But background checks make employers aware of their job candidate’s previous criminal history.   Forewarned, as they say, is forearmed.   There is always a first time for everything.  But as is the case with Amy Bishop, the unwitting University of Alabama invited her into to its faculty.   And three people died.   In this case, a background check would have and should have raised some eyebrows.  It’s a tragedy.  Whether or not it could have been ultimately avoided is a point of conjecture.    But there was a chance.

Now people are dead and the alleged killer is probably heading to prison.  That will be her tenure.  Life behind bars.

Most employers consider conducting motor vehicle driving records as background checks for their preemployment screening program.  Trucking and transpiration companies must maintain Department of Transportation or DOT compliance standards by ordering MVRs on their drivers at least once every twelve months.   So the DMV for employers is a busy place.

So it comes as a bit of a jolt when it is reported on the California Department of Motor Vehicle Site that four employees of the California Department of Motor Vehicles were arrested eon multiple counts of fraudulently processing driver licenses and effecting a title-washing scheme that involved several vehicles, the department announced today.

According to the California DMV Website…

“Today’s operation incorporated four separate internal affairs cases involving employee misconduct, two of which involves the criminal investigation of stolen/embezzled high-end vehicles, and the use of fraudulent DMV forms submitted to the DMV in order to further perpetuate the fraudulent activity. The other two cases pertain to the fraudulent issuance of California Driver Licenses, identity theft and illegal use of legal presence documents.

The employees allegedly worked to secure and perpetuate the distribution of fraudulently issued DMV vehicle records, such as a Certificate of Titles to further their criminal subleasing enterprise.

During the investigation, it was determined that the employees, allegedly conspired with a middleman to illegally issue driver licenses. The five co-conspirators would charge $350 to $6,000 to process the applications fraudulently.

DMV Internal Affairs, the CHP and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Homeland Security Division will continue to follow-up on all leads pertaining to this investigation.

In a separate case, Gonzalo Garcia, 40, a License Registration Examiner at DMV’s Hollywood/Cole office, was arrested on four felony counts each for alleged illegal access of DMV computers and falsification of public records. He is being held on $100,000 bail.

Charges:
The four employees are being charged with 182.1 PC (Conspiracy); 487 PC (Grand Theft); 502 (c) (1) PC (Illegal Computer Access); 68 PC (Bribery); 114 PC (Use of false documents to conceal resident status), and were booked at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Century and Temple Stations. Each is being held on $50,000 bail. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of $5,000 per count and up to four years in prison.”

I suppose it is doubtful while the crew was allegedly rigging license plates and driving records, the overall effect was minimal on preemployment background checks.   However, there may be some identify theft issues as the four charged with the crimes were reported to have falsified  information for driving records as well as license plates for stolen cars.   Nice.  We do feel relieved that California DMV Internal Affairs Unit in conjunction with the Highway Patrol conducted a successful sting and surveillance operation that may well have put an end to this business.  The four were reported to have charged anywhere from $350 to $6,000 to process the falsified applications.   Setting up shop within the DMV.   Apparently, there may be other conspirators as the CHP and DMV Internal Affairs are tracking down additional leads.

So, in all, they created documents that had false information to legitimize stolen and to illegally issue driver’s licenses.   Ambitious.  But criminal.   Perhaps in their next career cycle the foursome will be actually making license plates rather than issuing the documents for them.

While cruising the news today I saw Radar.com that the popular ABC Television Network Reality Show, The Bachelorette conducts what is reported as rigorous background checks.   The background checks for each contestant includes a six hour test consisting of more than 1,200 questions.   It also includes a psychological evaluation as well as blood and alcohol tests.

As Corra Group is based in Los Angeles and provides background checks to various television and film production houses, we always view these articles with great interest.   In fact, Canal Plus interviewed us a little while ago, regarding the Ryan Jenkins debacle.  Jenkins, a reality show contestant, murdered his ex-wife and then hanged himself in his Canadian motel room.    The magazine piece was entitled  Corra Group Discusses Ryan Jenkins’ Background Check with Canal Plus Cable French Television.

There are other contestants and former contestants who I dare say had histories that were not as pure as the driven snow.  One was a serial murderer, which can add an extra dynamic to any entertainment.

Seriously, television production firms, especially those who field reality shows and game shows, have to be very careful who they select as contestants.  I certainly respect The Bachelorette for conducting stringent background checks on any of its potential contestants.   A smart move for sure.

Since County Criminal records are one of the key background checks for any employer conducting preemployment screening, we like to keep you aware of any court closures, delays  or changes in court procedures.   We found this article interesting as the holiday pertains to one of the early battled fought during the American Revolution.  In fact it was reported that the very quote, “Don’t shoot until you see the whites of their eyes,” was attributed to William Prescott, a colonial officer, at the Battle of Bunker Hill.

In honor of that day, please read the following–

SUFFOLK COUNTY, MA COURTS CLOSED JUNE 17, 2010 FOR BUNKER HILL DAY

Suffolk County Superior Court, Suffolk County District Courts and  Boston Municipal Court will be closed June 17, 2010 for Bunker Hill Day.

Bunker Hill Day commemorates the battle at Breed’s Hill and neighboring Bunker Hill, which took place on June 17, 1775 during the Siege of Boston. Though the British won the battle, they did so at a massive cost and without lifting the American siege.