Background Checks For The General Public
Kirstin Cole
Reporting
(CBS) NEW YORK Your child’s soccer coach, your landscaper, the handyman? Do you know who these people are?
“There are essentially unhealthy people out there, predators that come into our lives looking like and acting like they’re just good natured people,” said security expert, Robert Siciliano. So to be sure you know who you’re dealing with, take your own precautions.
“People are realizing their personal security and they’re becoming much more responsible by getting background checks done,” said Siciliano.
For years, major companies have used background checks to look into prospective employees. But these days, business from the general public is booming at services like my-background-check-dot-com where you need only a few bits of information to research somebody without their knowledge.
“Five years ago, we would maybe do ten or twenty background checks a month. Now, we easily do hundreds of thousands of personal background checks a year,” said Robert Mather with www.mybackgroundcheck.com. Ted Stone used a service when looking for a nanny for his infant son.
“For the amount of time it’s going to take you, it’s well worth the feeling you’re going to have afterwards,” explained Stone.
The peace of mind cost Ted about $20 and reports can run up to about a $100. It all depends on the scope of information you’re looking for.
“You might want to verify if they graduated from college; you definitely want to do a court record check. If they’re going to be driving your children, you want to check their motor vehicle record,” said Jason Morris with the National Association of Professional Background Screeners. You can also ask for a sex offender search or confirm a social security number.
But if you check into someone who will be working for you, you must, by law, get written permission first. “I expect it. How can they really trust someone that’s walking into their house without seeing their complete background?” questioned Amber Moreau, Ted Stone’s nanny. And you also might want to screen the screener.
“A big analogy that people use is, ‘who’s guarding the guards?’ so, you want to make sure that the background screening company you’re using is a good screening company and that they give you good information,” said Morris.
Because some companies strictly rely on database searches, which may not always be 100 percent accurate, ask for the details to be confirmed. “When they talk about criminal records research, you want to make sure that they’re going to the courthouse, they’re going to the source of information to find out if the person does or does not have a record,” said Morris.
And as you send you kids back to school next week, know that under state law, it is your right, to check out a teacher’s, even a coach’s background, including disciplinary actions, salaries, education, and attendance records. This does not apply to private schools.
In N.Y. you must contact the Records Access Officer in your school district for a copy of your teacher/coach’s record. To inspect the record, there is no charge. For a copy, up to 25 cents per page may be required but an e-mail copy is free.
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