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View Full Version : What will show up in a criminal background check


ASAPplease
Apr 16, 2013, 03:15 PM
In my job, for an event working with kids, I will have to get a "full background check." A few months ago, I committed a crime of sorts was spoken to at the scene by police - The victim and the police concluded that it was due to mental illness/defect (not a quote) and the victim decided not to press charges. I agreed to be taken to the local hospital, to the psychiatric ward or wing for overnight observation and referral for treatment. No arrest, no charges. An ambulance took me, at my expense to the hospital. Will this show up on a background check? I'm so scared it will. I am getting my life together and this could ruin it all. :-(
Please advice asap
This is in Maryland, in case that makes a difference.

tickle
Apr 16, 2013, 04:09 PM
If no charges were laid, then I don't think you have anything to worry about, but you will still have to have it done no matter what.

dontknownuthin
Apr 16, 2013, 04:50 PM
Criminal background checks scan for criminal records. In order to have a criminal record you have to have been charged and convicted for a crime. Sometimes it will pick up on pending charges, but you have no pending charges.

I don't think you have anything to worry about, except making sure you don't get in trouble again. Next time charges could be filed, and the answer to your question would be very different.

ASAPplease
Apr 17, 2013, 12:24 PM
Thank you very much. The people I have asked in person include a Public Defender's office, the place I'm receiving mental health treatment, who treat a number of other people ordered by a court to be there (I'm not ordered to be there), and the state background check scheduler. All said we cannot say what will come up or not. Treatment office said "we cannot give legal advice. Try your public defender's office." The public defender's office said "You do not have a pending court case, nor are you a client of ours so we cannot answer your question. Here is a link you can use to check your own record, which pulls up any past or pending courts case records on file." Nothing of course, shows up for me in that database. I just don't get it. Somebody knows what shows. It shouldn't be a mystery. The background check doesn't consist of an Oracle consulting the Gods. It is procedural! :-( Very Frustrating.
As far as offending again... I'm getting treatment for the first time in my life. There is hope and fear keeping me well-behaved.
On a lighter note, your username doesn't inspire confidence in you here. Lol.

***And back to being serious again, I know I should only trust so far what an annonymous source on a website says, who's expertise are unknown... but I am desperate and am inclined to take a leap of faith here. *That being said:
If you have absolutely no expertise in this matter being discussed, please tell me. Either way, I really appreciate you answer. And know that you are doing a good deed. This isn't a "how do I program my vcr" question. This is my livelyhood - [and so you are really making a difference in my life and I appreciate it]. I work for a nonprofit helping other people. I am not a bad person. Thank you so much.

tickle
Apr 17, 2013, 12:43 PM
I think you received pretty good answers. We are all volunteers here in professional capacities in our personal lives. I am in healthcare so have to have a background check every year.

Dontknownothin's name is tongue in cheek, and is a long time member here, so don't take her name seriously, she knows what she is saying.

Do you actually think we play games with peoples lives here ?

If you don't like the answers you have received, and don't trust them, then go somewhere else for good free advice. I don't like the tone of your last post. Enough said.

I say, if you were not charged with any offence, it won't show up, unless you are not telling us everything.

Hire someone to give you the advice you want to hear and then you will receive an answer that will 'protect your livelihood/

Like I stated in my first post back to you, you have to have it done, so do it.

ASAPplease
Apr 17, 2013, 12:51 PM
I think you received pretty good answers. We are all volunteers here in professional capacities in our personal lives. I am in healthcare so have to have a background check every year.

Dontknownothin's name is tongue in cheek, and is a long time member here, so take her name seriously, she knows what she is saying.

If you dont like the answers you have received, and dont trust them, then go somewhere else for good free advice. I dont like the tone of your last post. Enough said.

I say, if you were not charged with any offence, it wont show up, unless you are not telling us everything.

Ouch. Apologies. It is hard for me to regulate my tone in typed message sometimes. That is why I said... "On a lighter note..." because I was being friendly. Obviously, in my mind anyway, an expert with a username like that is being humorous... and guess what... I found it humorous. The follow-up questions in the section "And back to being serious again..." requesting to be told if you have actual expertise, I felt had to be asked given the seriousness of this issue for me. BUT it was immediately followed with, I meant this completely sincerely, "Either way I really appreciate your answers." And how I say thank you a few times in the message. That was sincere gratitude. I am sorry that didn't come through for you. I am sorry I do not /did not know proper edicate on here. Please forgive me.

ASAPplease
Apr 17, 2013, 01:01 PM
I think you received pretty good answers. We are all volunteers here in professional capacities in our personal lives. I am in healthcare so have to have a background check every year.

Dontknownothin's name is tongue in cheek, and is a long time member here, so dont take her name seriously, she knows what she is saying.

Do you actually think we play games with peoples lives here ?

If you dont like the answers you have received, and dont trust them, then go somewhere else for good free advice. I dont like the tone of your last post. Enough said.

I say, if you were not charged with any offence, it wont show up, unless you are not telling us everything.

Hire someone to give you the advice you want to hear and then you will receive an answer that will 'protect your livelihood/

Like i stated in my first post back to you, you have to have it done, so do it.

So it would seem I screwed up on here. I have so much anxiety about my personal circumstance that I created that I was offensive to people offering their help. I am new to this site and did not know what kind of credibility it has. My tone reflected that uncertainty and feelings were hurt. I am sorry again. (There is no sarcasm in this message. Every word is sincere) And thank you for your time, energy, and hopefully forgiveness. If there are any follow-up questions and comments you have, I am all ears, to so speak.

ASAPplease
Apr 17, 2013, 01:07 PM
If no charges were laid, then i dont think you have anything to worry about, but you will still have to have it done no matter what.
Thank you for your advice.

joypulv
Apr 17, 2013, 01:22 PM
You were given a link to the public record and you weren't there, end of story.

The reason they are so vague is that the for-profit background check companies have different prices for how far back the record check goes and how many states.

People here are given various titles under their names that they didn't put there (I can't stand Uber). I was asked to be an expert on 2 subjects, and I turned both down. I'd rather not bear the burden of Expert, and don't care much for the concept anyway.

tickle
Apr 17, 2013, 01:50 PM
@ASAP your apology is accepted of course, I find it difficult to carry a grudge, if my background check ever came back with a criminal offence, I would be out of a job immediately, but I know for sure it won't !

@joy, I have no trouble bearing the burden of my expert status. I don't abuse it, and I sincerely believe no other experts do either, in fact some are more then just experts, but that status is not posted under their names.

ASAPplease
Apr 17, 2013, 02:13 PM
@ASAP your apology is accepted of course, i find it difficult to carry a grudge, if my background check ever came back with a criminal offence, i would be out of a job immediately, but i know for sure it wont !

@joy, I have no trouble bearing the burden of my expert status. I dont abuse it, and i sincerely believe no other experts do either, in fact some are more then just experts, but that status is not posted under their names.

Thank you all. I feel a lot better about this and I have you to thank.
Any other info is still welcome of course. But I do feel a lot better. Thank you.

ASAPplease
Apr 17, 2013, 02:22 PM
You were given a link to the public record and you weren't there, end of story.

The reason they are so vague is that the for-profit background check companies have different prices for how far back the record check goes and how many states.

People here are given various titles under their names that they didn't put there (I can't stand Uber). I was asked to be an expert on 2 subjects, and I turned both down. I'd rather not bear the burden of Expert, and don't care much for the concept anyway.

A background check performed by law enforcement seems like it would yield more results than that link to a website gave. Because why would anyone pay for a background check if they could just get that link and do a search? Know what I mean? Any thoughts? Thoughts may include: respectly @ASAP, you're being an idiot, so relax. Lol.

If my response in anyway comes off offensive, it is an accident. I really appreciate your feedback and I hope that my follow up question lead to more helpful follow up answers. Thank you :-)

tickle
Apr 18, 2013, 02:29 AM
When I have mine done, go to our local detachment and give them my drivers license, and $25. That is the only place where we can get it done in Ontario.

joypulv
Apr 18, 2013, 03:04 AM
People pay for background checks that contain no more information than they get from the free link because they don't know about the free link and are often doing multiple checks for job applications. It is cheaper from them to pay something like $30 per person than to spend all day finding the right site for each state the person lived in, or may have lived in, and of course many will omit a state they lived in on purpose.
I do understand your worry. I would suggest that you pay to have a check done on yourself but it would be a waste of money.
I didn't list all the reasons you were given vague answers, because they get complicated, but they just don't pertain to you. A big one is the matter of expunged records still showing up in for-profit databases.

(Tickle, my comments about the Expert title weren't a jab at any one person. I believe philosophically in the concept of the teacher-student on the seesaw, learning from each other, and think that the title reflects poorly on a society as a whole, where generalists are given short shrift.
And I cringe when I see ads for AMHD saying 'Ask an Expert for free.' People come here with certain expectations.)

tickle
Apr 18, 2013, 04:12 AM
Joy, I never thought for a minute it was a jab!

On a side note. My employer would never accept information from the internet, from a specific link. It has to be from the proper source, signed by the police chief, authenticating the information provided.

ASAPplease
Apr 18, 2013, 05:33 AM
Joy, i never thought for a minute it was a jab!

On a side note. My employer would never accept information from the internet, from a specific link. It has to be from the proper source, signed by the police chief, authenticating the information provided.

Good side note

Fr_Chuck
Apr 18, 2013, 06:50 AM
There was no arrest, no charges and no conviction, there is no record of this from criminal records.

Now what there is, will be a local office record that you were taken for eval for mental health.
So if this a issue if found out ?

dontknownuthin
Apr 22, 2013, 08:33 PM
My indight is based on experience pulling backgrounds in my work. I am a paralegal professionally.