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Background Checks

University of Virginia to Conduct Background Checks

As Corra Group, we conduct a fair amount of background checks for colleges and universities around the country.   We conduct these background checks on faculties and administrative personnel as well as some of the students.   More often than not the background checks we conduct on students are for grad students or those entering medical school or law school.   We also conduct these background searches to vet students who will be working for businesses as part of the college or university extended learning program.

So I must say I find it interesting that the University of Virginia has elected to conduct background checks on all of its students.   According to an article posted in the Huffington Post,this decision to conduct background checks comes in the wake of  the alleged murder of a coed at the hands of her ex-boyfriend, a fellow student.   The accused murderer apparently had previous altercations with the police,  and reportedly in 2008 he was reported to have threatened the life of a police officer.

On one hand the University’s decision to conduct background checks is a good one and may help prevent any future murders.   We can see where the school is intent on doing its utmost to protect its students.   However, conducting background checks on students poses certain difficulties.   Lower classmen have barely reached majority or the age where any criminal convictions would be reported.   Those  criminal convictions that took place while they were minors would not be reported.    And then there is the fact that some kids never did anything wrong before, but then they get to school, and in the freer environment where they encounter drugs, alcohol, and stimulus that may change their behavior.  There is no tracking this kind of thing.

However, in some circumstances there are prior police reports and even minor violations that may show behavior patterns that may be red flags.   While most kids may act out incorrectly, it is extremely rare that any student will resort to violence, yet alone murder.  But it does happen.    With all the kids trying to get into college, vetting potentially problematic students is at least one more way to perform due diligence.   Whether it is a case like this, where the alleged murder previously threatened the lives of police officers, or cases where there are charges and convictions for sex offenses, it may well pay to conduct these background searches.

The University of Virginia has suffered a grievous loss with the murder of a student.  It is testimony to its concerns that the University is taking steps to see that something this doesn’t happen again.

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Background Checks

Canadian Bill to Address Sex Offender Background Checks

The way the new Royal Canadian Mounted Police Director reads, it is conceivable that a pardoned sex offender could be working with children.   According to an article int he Toronto Sun a Minister of Provincial Parliament or MPP, introduced a private bill that asks to amend the current federal policy the restricts access to complete criminal background checks from the  Canadian Police Information Consortium database, or CPIK as it is known by is acronym.

As it stands by the current policy, those conducting background checks have no real legal way of finding out if the job candidate is a pardoned sexual offender or not.  Liz Sandals, the MPP who introduced the new bill claims  there may be thousands of adults  in Ontario who come into contact with children but who are not properly screened through a thorough background check.  The Ontario Education Services Corporation alone conducts some50,000 background checks a year on behalf of school boards and post-secondary institutions.  The new directive, however, limits the organization from conducting background checks on college students who will potentially be working with children.

Frankly, the new directive makes little sense to me.  It does nothing to improve the efficacy of background checks.  The directive is skewed in favor of pardoned sex offenders while putting children at greater risk.  As just this week alone we turned up two sexual offenders in the United States, both having committed criminal sex offenses against youngsters, logic would have it that we would be moving toward greater scrutiny and not less.   I am sure this situation will be adjusted in Canada, and hopefully because there is the usual sensational incident that makes headlines and embarrasses both law enforcement and the related bodies.

Sexual predators are quite numerous.   The repeated offender or recidivist rate is pretty high.  Some question whether there is ever such a thing as a reformed sexual predator, especially one who prays on children.   Those employers not conducting background searches on the sex offender registry can make a very tragic mistake.

In terms of this situation in Canada and the new directive by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, we shall see how this resolves.

Categories
Background Checks

Firearms and People on the Global Terror Background Check Watch List

Okay, this is something a little bit crazy.  There are people on the Global Terror Watch List who are legally in possession of firearms.   According to ABC News, there were 1, 225 background checks related to firearms and people who are on the Terror Watch List.   Let me repeat that for the cheap seats.  They are on the Global Terror Watch List but they are legally allowed to buy guns.

Okay.  Does anyone see a problem with this?  Out of the 1, 225 people where they conducted background checks, more than 90% of the customers were permitted to buy weapons and walk away as happy gun owners.   Apparently membership in a terrorist organization does not prohibit someone from buying a weapon, the article reports, according to the GAO.   Of course, we should feel more sanguine because the the FBI is notified when someone on the Terror Watch List buys a gun.

Now…we just had this attempted bombing in New York’s Times Square.  We have had other incidents of potential terror attacks we have luckily managed to thwart.  So how does a rule like this fit in to the overall Homeland Security Counter Terror Vigilance we have working here?  It befuddles me.    And I am one of many.  Last year, New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg introduced legislation that would prohibit people who the Terror Watch List or known to belong to a terror organization from buying guns.  That was last year.  And this is languishing how long for what reason?

The counter argument is that the Terror Watch List and be inaccurate and is not to be compared to an actual criminal history background check.   Some pointed out inaccuracies on the Terror Watch List.   It is argued that banning someone from buying a weapon because he is on the Terror Watch List may violate the gun buyer’s constitutional rights.

Yeah.  But then as Corra Group we conduct a great many Global Terror Watch List Background Checks for federal contractors and other employers who are either working with companies that are working with the government or in some capacity where the Terror Watch background check is mandated.  This is a serious background search with at least fourteen entities reporting from around the world.  So if a worker shows up on the Global Terror Watch List, he is denied employment or at the very least prohibited from participating in certain projects.  He can’t work…but he can buy a gun.

I don’t think of this as a slippery slope.  To be clear on this, I can understand the arguments that come from gun lobbies and gun owners.  I don’t even begin to want to dispute those arguments as there are too many vagaries and complexities on either side of the over all gun issue.   But this is not some citizen wanting to buy a gun.  This is someone on the Terror Watch List.  This to me is a whole different story, especially during a time when we must maintain vigilance against attempted terror attacks against our homeland and our shores.   I think with this one, we can put a lid on the rhetoric and actually get smart about it.  A little pragmatism would go a long way here.

Categories
Background Checks

After Effects of the New Arizona Immigration Law

The new Arizona law is a quizzical one and certainly a hot button issue.  Passions are hot and everyone has an opinion.    Many believe it is about time, as the federal government has done little to seal the borders.  Others believe it is a draconian law, racist even, and that it stimulate the kind or oppression we do not need in America.

I really don’t want to discuss the law.  Enough folks are doing so already.    No need for me to crowd the room.  What I do want to do is to remind everyone that if you are a government contractor and you are doing business with federal services or companies that federal contractors, then as of the early part of this year you are mandated to conduct the E-verify or I-9 Verification search to assure your employment candidate is eligible for employment in the United States.  Failure to run the E-verify or I-9 may result in the loss of your government contracts.  This is now federal law and as such it will be enforced.

Be aware you can conduct the E-Verify search, you must formally offer your job applicant the position.  You can not run the E-Very as a background check and part of the pre-employment screening.  It must be conducted after you offer the position.  What you can do, as part of your pre-employment screening program, is conduct the Social Security Verification background check to see if the job candidate’s social security number is valid and it belongs to him.

Prior to this new law that was passed in Arizona, Arizona was the first state in the union to mandate that every employer conduct the E-Verify or I-9 verification on all employment candidates, where they are government contractors or not.

I have blogged about both of these issues in a post back in December, ’09 entitled, Changes to E-Verify and I-9.

And to eveyrone out there, a Happy Cinco De Mayo.