When Old Convictions Won’t Die

When Marie, a computer programmer in the Los Angeles area, pleaded “no contest” to a misdemeanor shoplifting charge more than a year ago, she did so only because a judge assured her the case would be dismissed after 12 months’ probation.

But now that the year has passed, Marie said she was surprised to find out that while the case has been dismissed, everything else about it remains in the public record. Using the court’s website, she said, anyone can find out about her arrest and the no-contest plea preceding the dismissal — including employers. Read More

Holes in the screen, Online background checks often don’t detect criminals

Employers worried about crime, terrorism and liability are embracing a new breed of online services for screening job candidates, but these low-budget background checks don’t always check out.

The cheapest ones routinely fail to identify criminals, performing such superficial reviews that serious offenders can get perfectly clean reports, critics say.

Even when these services uncover criminal records, the information often is incomplete and unreliable. And with instant checks costing as little as $10 apiece, the trampling of privacy rights and fair-hiring laws can become as simple as a point and a click, the critics say. Read More