Parolees find some employers give them a chance

Recordnet.com: Parolees find some employers give them a chance: "Job searching is always a gamble. You invest effort pursuing employers, meanwhile your pockets might shrink. Add to that a past criminal record and your odds decrease. Odds are your work prospects will also be less appealing.

Just ask Boyde Gay, 45, of Stockton. He said he works a total of 72 hours a week at two jobs, owns two cars and has a credit score of 736. But life wasn't always good, he said.

At age 20, Gay was convicted for burglarizing someone's home. After being released from prison a year later, he wanted to change his ways. He began searching for a job. His options were limited: seasonal work, then back to the unemployment line.

"I applied everywhere, but no one would hire me," said Gay.

Even today, finding a decent apartment to rent, when you can't pass a criminal background check, is even tougher, Gay said.

After costly criminal checks, schools can get valuable info from Web

MySA.com: Metro | State: "The Madison High School teacher accused of sexual misconduct with a student passed a criminal background check.

The Wilderness Oak Elementary employee accused of inappropriately touching a student passed a criminal check.

Collectively, San Antonio's three largest school districts spend more than $250,000 each year searching criminal databases. And each year scandals explode, revealing the limits of the screening system.

Job applicants may have no criminal history. But that doesn't mean they pose no risk.

Very often, school districts miss warning signs seen by hundreds and available to millions. Those warning signs are posted in cyberspace.

Don't believe me? Check out the postings of future educators on Facebook.com and MySpace.com."

Sex offenders are slipping easily through the school safety nets

MySA.com: Metro | State: "Rape. Inappropriate touching. Indecent exposure. Sexual misconduct.

These were the stories percolating on four San Antonio school campuses from mid-December through last week.

And then came news that broke Tuesday: A student at Madison High School alleged she had a sexual relationship with a female teacher.

'We're in shock,' says Northeast Independent School District spokeswoman Laura Calderon.

The allegation at Madison follows others at Wilderness Oak Elementary, Rhodes Middle School, De Zavala Elementary and Clark High School.

No one has been arrested in any incident, but a teacher at Clark is dead. Tommy Ford took his life in late December after a student accused him of sexual misconduct.

The Northside Independent School District investigated and substantiated the student's claim."

Background check lapse shuts Ohio schools

Background check lapse shuts Ohio schools | Chicago Tribune: "Schools in Columbus canceled classes for 56,000 students Thursday after a contractor responsible for some school bus routes discovered it had not done complete criminal background checks on drivers.

First Student Inc. had not submitted any of its bus drivers' information to the state for checks since August 2004, said Jennifer Brindisi, spokeswoman for Atty. Gen. Marc Dann."

A Closer Look At Bus Driver Background Checks

Investigation News - A Closer Look At Bus Driver Background Checks - PInow.com Investigator Directory: "There are 20,000 school bus drivers in the state of Ohio and 15,000 of them work for the public school districts. The other 5,000 are hired by private contractors.

How much do the districts really know about the drivers they don’t hire themselves?

10 Investigates learned a school bus driver police say they caught with cocaine drove a private school bus for 20 years. Is it possible there were no red flags?

First Student Inc., a private bus company, hired Lawrence Battle to drive Columbus children to charter and private schools. The Columbus School District says it’s up to the company to make sure Battle passed a background check."

Background checks won't stop airborne terrorists

MercuryNews.com | 01/24/2007 | Background checks won't stop airborne terrorists: "Clear has arrived at Mineta San Jose International Airport. Run by Verified Identity Pass, it's one of several airport ``trusted traveler'' programs being tried around the country. Fill out an application, let the company capture your fingerprints and iris pattern, and present two forms of ID. If you pass the Transportation Safety Administration's background check, you'll get a card that will get you through airport security more quickly.

Sounds great, but it's actually two ideas rolled into one: one clever and one very stupid."

Online Criminal Background Checks-Importance & Ease

Online Criminal Background Checks-Importance & Ease: "In today's world of lawsuits and identity theft, it is important to check the criminal background of other people and even yourself to help ensure you do not become a victim of crime or fraud. Individuals and organizations need to carefully check out any potential employees or service providers admitted into the home before they make commitments. For example, contractors, plumbers, live-in care providers, nannies, even physicians or surgeons should pass online background checks before they are hired. Make sure you are making a sound investment by doing a criminal background check first. "