The Next You

I was just flipping through the cable channels last night when I came across a silly but interesting movie about a person who pretended to be somebody else. The plot was interesting considering that the person whom the protagonist was pretending to be was already dead.

I wasn’t able to get the title of the movie. It was a funny one, although there were tear-jerking scenes at the end of the film. In the end, the family who thought that the protagonist was their missing uncle accepted him even after he revealed his true identity.

Don’t think that impersonation only frequently happens in movies. The incidence of identity theft has been climbing for the past few years. And while the movie that I saw ended happily, that’s usually not the case in real life. Identity theft has cost many people thousands of dollars in unauthorized transaction.

Be very careful when giving out information about yourself to others. Protect yourself from identity theft. If you doubt the credibility of the person who asking for certain details about yourself, conduct a criminal records search on him. Who knows, he might just decide to be “you” the next time he buys something online.

What's in a Tree?

Is your Christmas tree made of plastic, or did you cut a real pine tree to make it as the centerpiece of your holiday decorations?

We never had a real pine tree for a Christmas décor. My dad said that it would be a shame to cut them just for Yuletide props. I remember one time when I nearly went into a tantrum when my parents refused to buy the pine tree that was on sale near our village. My dad tried to scare me by saying that cutting a tree is like killing a person, and that such a deed would be noted in my criminal record.

Of course, I didn’t believe him. But I gave up on my effort to have a real tree inside our home because my dad had a point. It would be a shame to kill a living thing just to make your house look good. Besides, the white artificial Christmas tree that they bought really looked good.

The Uninvited Guest That Didn't Come

The party that I hosted two days ago ended late. It was supposed to be just a 4-5 hour affair. However, everybody was so excited and engrossed with each other that the last guest left at around 1am!

I was quite exhausted after closing the door. I thought of cleaning up before going to bed, but my body was begging me to lie down for a while. I sat on the couch hoping that a 10-minute rest would recharge me. I was dead wrong. My supposed 10-minute rest turned into a 5-hour sleep!

I wanted to continue sleeping until the sun set, but Christmas eve was just a few hours away so I dragged myself to the kitchen to clean things up.

When I was about to go out to throw the trash, I discovered that I dozed off without locking the door! It’s a good thing that I’m living in a very good neighborhood. Ed, my next door neighbor, told me that nobody in the village has lost anything or has been robbed for seven straight years already. He even boasted that I won’t find anything even if I conduct a criminal records search on anybody in the area.

It seems that Ed is right. Lucky me :)

Wide Awake

Have I told you already that I’ll be hosting a party on the 23rd? In about 20 hours, my house will be filled with 17 guests. Most of those who I invited are former classmates of mine back in college.

Everything’s all set. I spent quite a fortune on the two cases of imported white wine that I ordered from Bob. I also bought 5 gallons of ice cream for the kids with the hope that it would pacify them in case they’ll be a bit edgy tomorrow afternoon.

I hope that I didn’t forget anything. I spent the last few days preparing for this party. I already ran through the list 4 times, and it seems that everything’s already ok. Now if I could only put myself to sleep. The excitement has kept my adrenaline flowing for the past 3 hours. The TV hasn’t been helpful in my endeavor to doze off. The movie that I’m currently watching is about the gruesome murder of a student committed by his teacher. The scenes are so harrowing, but the plot is believable. I wouldn’t be surprised if the writer had actually conducted an extensive criminal investigation search for the movie’s plot.

I really should be snoring already. Maybe I’ll get my forty winks during the party.

Pile of Snow

Guess what. I’ll be going to Vancouver next month! I haven’t been to that part of the world yet, so my excitement is quite understandable.

This is the first time that I’ll be on a business trip in winter. I’m quite worried that it might get postponed due to heavy snow. My boss’ trip to London last year got cancelled for the same reason.

What I’m more concerned about though, is the possibility that my house would turn into an igloo if I’ll leave it unattended for a week. The guy who usually shovels off snow for me has already left for college, and I’m quite embarrassed to ask my neighbor to do the chore for me.

I hope somebody would knock on my door next week and offer snow-shoveling services. I also hope that that person is from our neighborhood. It’s difficult to trust people nowadays. Sure, it’s easy to run a criminal records search or check on anybody. However, it would still be great if my “snowman” is somebody who I personally know.

Stolen Shots

I just hate it when somebody takes things from my desk without permission. We’re pretty much a tightly-knitted group in the office, but that closeness should not be used as a license to take things from each other at will.

I went out of the office to order two mocha fraps from Starbucks. When I came back, I discovered that my digital camera has been taken out of its case. I checked its contents and found 12 silly pictures of my officemates.

I’m quite cool with pranks. In fact, I’ve performed one of my own against Sally last month. I would’ve let it past, but the settings of my camera have been changed! I’m not that knowledgeable when it comes to electronic gadgets (except computers). Needless to say, I spent hours trying to restore the original settings.

I was irked, but I didn’t try to show it. Besides, I can’t help smiling at their crazy mugs. Nobody admitted as to who used my camera and changed its settings. I jokingly threatened them that I’ll go through lengths just to put this incident in the criminal record of the person responsible. They responded in a similar manner by pointing to my boss.

I just rolled my eyes and laughed with them.

The Inedible Spam

I received 12 spam mails today!!! I don’t know how they got my new e-mail address. It’s not even listed. This is really frustrating!

I’m sure many would agree to my proposition that sending spam mails should be criminalized. Those people or companies have no idea how annoying those mails could be! Maybe they have, but are just too inconsiderate.

I wonder how many persons or companies would turn out in my online background or criminal records search if spam mail-sending is criminalized. I guess there would be thousands of them. This unethical business or advertising practice has grown out of proportion since the Internet came along.

Maybe I’ll ask a lawyer friend of mine if there are some legal remedies against spammers. I’m really starting to hate them. Or maybe I’ll ask our local or national legislators to pass a law against this reprehensible act. People should really start to act on this. Otherwise, 2GB of e-mail space would no longer be enough in the near future.

Playing With Fire

What was your first game console? Mine was the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It was a must-have during the mid 80s, with the Atari and game watches having already been relegated to memory at that time.

I used to think that it would be great if I could play with my classmates even if we’re using separate consoles. As you all know, that was impossible back then since the players were only limited to two, and that both should be using the same equipment.

Of course, multi-player games are now commonplace, and thanks to the Internet, you could already play with anybody around the world. Kids today are lucky. However, they are more prone to danger compared to the gamers of old. Many are not just content in interacting with online friends over the Internet. Most of these players decide to meet each other in person.

Many teens cannot be dissuaded anymore in meeting up with the people they’ve played with online. Many parents already give up on this, or just blindly trust their children on this issue. What they should do though, is to check if the person that his or her child is meeting with has no criminal records. It’s very difficult to trust anybody nowadays, especially those from the Internet

Good Citizen

Many Americans were relieved upon reading the news that a man suspected of planning to set off hand grenades at a Rockford mall has already been apprehended.

Derrick Shareef was already placed under surveillance since September when an acquaintance of his who knew of his plan tipped the FBI. He was finally arrested last Wednesday when he actually pushed through his plan by going through with the purchase or trade off of the hand grenades.

The person who was supposed to give him four hand grenades and a gun in exchange for a set of stereo speakers was an undercover agent.

It’s a good thing that Shareef’s acquaintance informed the FBI immediately upon learning of the former’s plan. Every American should do his duty of reporting anything suspicious to the authorities.

If you think that a neighbor of yours is planning to do something harmful, tell the authorities right away. If you’re reluctant to do such a thing without having a clue as to his background or character, then conduct an online criminal investigation. Every one of us has to do his or her share in protecting our nation from such abominable plans.

As Real As It Can Get

Tom and I were watching a low-budget film from Japan that an officemate of his lent us. The dialogues were in Japanese, so we had to content ourselves reading the subtitles.

The movie was great, despite the fact that it only lasted for 40 minutes. I wish I could write down its title, but I think the distributor forgot to include or translate it in English.

The movie was about a 25-year old guy who led a life of crime ever since he was abandoned by his parents. There were no gunfights, nor martial arts scene. The violence was portrayed in a very subtle, but believable manner.

Kinshu’s performance was great. His role as a hardened criminal was so convincing that one might even think that he had been incarcerated in real life for committing a crime in the past. Tom and I joked that we would most likely pick something up if we would conduct a criminal records search on him.

I hope independent films such as the one we watched would continue to flourish. There are many talented actors and actresses out there that are just waiting to be discovered.

Malice

Have you ever heard of the legal saying that “the act is not criminal if the mind is not?” It simply means that a person will not be labeled as a criminal if he acted without malice.

Many defense counsels often argue before the jury that their client has a good background, and that he has not been charged of anything before. The reason for this is that he wants them to foster a doubt as to the likelihood that the accused person has indeed committed the act or acts complained of.

It is therefore important for the prosecution to dig deeply into the background of the accused in order to determine if he has a criminal record or not. They could not ignore this duty or strategy without jeopardizing their chances of winning the case. The fact that the burden of proving that the accused is guilty rests on the prosecution makes the search and investigation all the more crucial and imperative.

Saving His Shoes and His Company

A distant cousin of mine has recently opened a small advertising company in Dallas. Some small companies have already hired his company’s services to make some print ads for their products. Unfortunately, he had to turn down some clients because he is severely understaffed.

Although James has received numerous applications, he was quite apprehensive in hiring any of them. From what I’ve heard from our other relatives, James is quite distrustful of strangers. His lone ad writer is his wife, while his secretary is also a relative of ours.

He called me up last Friday to ask if the online criminal records search services can produce detailed results. Of course, my “yes” came instantly. He was planning on going to the courthouses to personally check if the applicants that he is considering do not have a criminal past. However, he realized that this was not feasible, considering that many of the applicants live in different counties.

I’m not sure if I was able to persuade him to try the online search services. I hope that I was able to. Otherwise, he’ll end up losing clients.

Have They Called Already?

An officemate of mine who went to New Hampshire a few days ago to visit his parents told me that the airport was almost filled to the brim with passengers who are also rushing to go home for Thanksgiving.

A good number of passengers were students. I guess many are already leaving home to study in big colleges and universities.

Nobody can be too far from home nowadays. The Internet has effectively shortened every highway and sea lane. Parents can instantly talk to their children via phone or PC.

There are some children though, who fail to call their parents up after leaving home for college. Some usually hide under the pretense of being busy in school in order to avoid calling or going back home. I don’t why they do it. Maybe they’re really busy studying, or maybe they got into trouble and are just too embarrassed to ask for help.

I guess some parents will be relying on criminal records instead of phone directories to contact or locate their prodigal child.

Legal vs. Moral

I’ve just read a news article about a former high school teacher who had sexual relations with his female students. The accused insists that he did nothing wrong or that his acts were not criminal at that time since he had the consent of his students.

The applicable laws at the time of the commission of the complained acts did not prohibit teachers from having sex with their students even if they are still below 18 years of age. It would also seem that the community did not see the acts as reprehensible at that time.

A law was subsequently passed which made such deeds illegal.

It’s quite shocking that such acts were allowed or tolerated 30 years ago. Schools should conduct extensive background and criminal records searches on every teacher in their employ.

The accused may not have any legal obligation to avoid having any sexual relations with his students back then, but he certainly had a moral obligation not to take advantage of their vulnerable disposition.

The Bodyguard

What does it take for one to be a good bodyguard? If ever I apply for such a job, should I spend every waking hour on the gym to armor my body with extra strong muscles?

The Vatican doesn’t seem to give too much premium on muscles. I’ve seen a documentary on their Swiss guards, and they’re anything but intimidating. President Bush’s secret service agents also seem to lack the muscles that could ward off any intruder. I guess that job is not solely about being able to bully off unwanted people.

Night clubs do seem to require their security personnel to have a heavy built. You might even say that murder is written all over their body if they have tattoos on them. But, then again, looks can be deceiving.

What every bodyguard should have though, is a good character. You can’t expect a person to protect you if he has a record of harming people for no justifiable reasons. For those who want to employ the services of a bodyguard, make sure that you conduct a criminal records search on the applicants first before entrusting your life to them.

Checking Hollywood’s A-List

Have you ever wondered what your favorite stars did before they graced the TV screens? I’m sure you’ve read or watched many exposes that revealed the unglamorous lives that many glamour kings and queens of today had before they wore make ups and lip glosses.

There’s nothing embarrassing about that. I wouldn’t jump stars if the one I’m presently rooting for happened to be a member of a McDonald’s crew a few years ago.

There are stars that have a very shady past, though. I don’t want to name names, but you would be surprised when you see the angelic or seemingly innocent faces that would appear on your screen when you try to conduct a criminal records search on the persons that fill up Hollywood’s A-list.

The lives of famous actors and actresses are basically open books that everyone could read, and sometimes tear. The ability to pry into the lives or past of other persons has its own pros and cons. If you’re planning to snoop deeper into the life of somebody, just make sure that you do it in a manner that is least intrusive.

Networking Against Crime

I’ve just read the news that the United States and Canada will allow their respective law enforcement agencies to freely access each other’s forensic data.

If you’re a fan of the hit TV show CSI, then you basically have an idea as to how much this deal means to investigators. I’ve seen many episodes where investigations are unduly hampered because pieces of evidence are in the custody of different law enforcement groups. By the time they’re through with all the bureaucratic mess that comes with the retrieval of evidence, that object would already be meaningless since the perpetrator of the crime has already been able to cover his tracks.

I hope that this pact will spark the creation of similar ones (but with larger coverage). If law enforcement agencies around the world will share their criminal records with each other, then the apprehension of suspects or criminals would be expedited. When that time comes, offenders will definitely realize that crime really does not pay.

Is He Naughty Or Nice?

The most wonderful time of the year is just around the corner, and Santa look-a-likes are already roaming around downtown establishments for possible seasonal employment.

While some of them would most likely be tasked to carry banners or signboards, many will be asked to entertain and look after kids while their parents go around the store for gifts.

These business establishments should seriously check criminal records and other databases for possible past offenses that their Santa Clauses might have committed. Stores should treat their Santas like elves or children, scrutinizing them if they have been naughty or nice.

I don’t want to start a scare among parents and gift shop proprietors, but one can really never be too careful nowadays. Running a criminal records search on persons is not difficult. There’s definitely no excuse for skipping this precautionary measure.

Whipping Your Whims

People are always asking me when they should consider a criminal record search on somebody. I always say, “it depends”. Indeed, each situation calls for a different course of action.

However, it occurred to me one time that one could actually run a criminal record search on anybody for no reason at all. The process is not that intrusive, so I see no reason why they can’t ask somebody to check on a person for possible past and present criminal offenses.

It’s a waste of time and money, I know. However, it’s not my money, and every act shouldn’t always have a reason or purpose. My position is that as long as it won’t cause any harm or inconvenience to the person being investigated, there is no reason why people should be prohibited from going through it.

You may want to check the criminal records of your favorite basketball star or soap opera to prove or disprove the rumors about them. You may also conduct a background check on a prominent person in your area to see if he’s living his life within the bounds of the law. The reasons could be endless. But, as I’ve said before, every act shouldn’t always have a reason.

Cut the Gossip

I don’t like gossip. Listening to them is just a waste of time. It’s very dangerous to believe or consider something that has no basis. I always make it a point to verify everything first before coming up with a conclusion.

Some of my neighbors in the village where I used to live loved to pry upon the personal lives of some of the residents in the area. One of their favorites was Mr. Smith (ok, not his real name;). They told me that he was a convicted felon and had just gone out of prison a few years back.

Of course, I didn’t immediately believe my neighbors. I was able to talk to Mr. Smith once and he seemed to be a very gentle person.

One Saturday morning, the thought of running a criminal record search on Mr. Smith crossed my mind. I don’t know if the gossip had gotten to me or if I really just wanted to prove my neighbors wrong, but I decided to go through with it.

Just as I suspected, Mr. Smith had a clean record. I was supposed to tell those rumor-mongers about my discovery, but I was quite too embarrassed to let them know that their stories had gotten into me. Well, at least I’ve proven to myself that gossips are indeed a waste of time.

Brand New or Newly Stolen?

I love a good bargain. I do believe that many department stores are unreasonably hiking up prices just to increase corporate profits. Hence, I usually go the extra mile in searching every nook and cranny for good deals.

A few months ago, a friend of mine took me to an electronics store that sells mobile phones at incredibly low prices. My eyes beamed when I saw the price tag of the Motorola RAZR phone that previously caught my fancy. It was being sold at just a fraction of its regular price! I would’ve immediately bought it had I been able to withdraw cash from the ATM. However, I only had a few dollars on my wallet, and the store doesn’t accept credit cards.

I asked my friend to drive me to the nearest ATM. While we were looking for one, I asked him if the units were stolen or smuggled because I found it difficult to believe that they were regularly acquired. He told me that I was worrying too much. Maybe I was. The thought of running a criminal record check on the proprietor of the shop ran through my mind. However, my friend assured me that the shop was legal and that it was licensed to do business.

Of course, I ended up buying the phone ;)

Second Chances

Convicted felons are always hopeful that there would be life after prison. Unfortunately, many of them are rudely awaken from their dream of a new life since businesses are hesitant to employ them.

I can’t blame those businesses though. Those who carry a criminal record under their name sometimes do seem to be still capable of committing another felony. However, we would be doing more harm to society if we let these people return to their former life of crime due to unemployment.

Whenever a person who carries a criminal record approaches you for a job, don’t dismiss him outright. Check his resume and talk to him. You could also go the extra mile by conducting a background check on him to see if he really has changed for the better.

If your investigation has shown that he has conducted himself in a very respectable manner after having spent some time in jail, or after doing community service, then seriously consider him for the vacant position in your business. Everybody deserves a second chance.

Deep Enough?

In my previous article, I have stressed that one shouldn’t judge anybody based on the color of his skin, or by the income bracket that he belongs to. Indeed, discrimination has no place in a civilized society like ours.

However, my admonition shouldn’t dissuade anybody from conducting a criminal record search on somebody whom they’re uncomfortable with. Sometimes, hunches are right, especially if considerable thought has already been given to it.

If suspicious looks are coupled with dubious actions, then by all means check if that person has a criminal record. Living in a civilized society doesn’t mean that every person in it is civilized. One can’t be too careful nowadays. Besides, a criminal record search is not that intrusive. In fact, the process usually just involves browsing through police and government databases. Believe me, the undertaking wouldn’t even merit a filler scene in CSI – no guns and wild chases are involved.

Skin Deep

Have you ever prejudged somebody because of his appearance? I’m ashamed to admit it, but I’m sometimes guilty of it. I can’t help but be suspicious of people who dress or look 'differently'.

Before I confess my sins, I would like to make it clear that I’m strongly against discrimination. It’s not right to tag people as criminals just because they belong to a specific race or class.

I had a very embarrassing experience a few years ago. I have a friend who lives in a not-so-reputable portion of our city. I’m always uncomfortable whenever he’s in my room for fear that he might steal something. I was seriously considering a criminal record search done on him, but I had no money back then.

When things get lost inside my room, my mind automatically points to him. However, I’m always proven wrong since my sister turned out to be the real culprit in all those cases. I know, that was really shameful of me. And believe it or not, we remain friends to this day.

Cloaking the Parent in You

Do you know the Camdens? They’re that cool, but not so cool family in the hit TV series “7th Heaven”. Many are wondering why the show has lasted this long. Cheesy family programs, especially those involving religion, usually have a very short shelf life.

I think one of the reasons why it is still a hit even among the teens is that the show doesn’t always depict the Camden family members as having halos on their heads. The Camden children are always running into trouble, and sometimes associate themselves with persons that have questionable character.

The head of the family, who is also a pastor by the way, is both permissive and overly protective. He would sometimes spy on their friends, albeit discreetly, to see if they’re a blessing or a headache. He’s a cool dad even though he gives sermons on the pulpit.

It’s not unusual for parents to conduct background checks on the friends of their children for possible criminal records, especially if their kids are spending a considerable portion of their time outside the house. If you’re planning to sleuth on the peers of your child, be sure to do this discreetly. After all, spying on them would be “uncool”.

Jumping to Conclusions

I got a good laugh a few years ago when I came across a joke where a person said that John Doe is the most wanted man in America. When asked why, he said that his name appeared in almost every criminal record in the country.

Of course, John Doe isn’t exactly a person (my sincerest apologies to those who really bear the name). The name is usually given to a person whose identity is not conclusively known. Indeed, John Doe would really be the most dreaded man in the nation if he does exist and is actually the very person referred to in thousands of criminal records.

Be careful when you’re conducting a criminal record search on your own. It is highly possible that you’ll be encountering records that match the name of the person you’re investigating. However, be careful in jumping to conclusions. There are many persons bearing similar names. Check out his other personal circumstances first and see if it matches with those indicated in the record that you’ve found.

Lending Your Trust

I sometimes wonder how lending company CEOs could go on running their business without biting their nails everyday at the prospect of being conned. I mean, who would ever risk lending money to a person that he or she has only known for a few minutes.

I’ve let only a very few and select friends borrow money from me. The fact that I don’t have a fat bank account makes me think about 9 to 10 times before giving in to a loan request. While I don’t hire a private investigator to check on my friend’s trustworthiness, I do pry a little bit on his financial background or history before giving him the nod.

Every lender would agree that loaning money to somebody who is running from the law would end up running away with it. If you’re in the business (or habit) of letting people borrow money from you, make it a point to conduct a criminal record search on them first before trusting them to come back for payment.

D-I-Y Criminal Checking

Searching for criminal records is not just a task that investigators and other experts can only do. Ordinary persons like us could embark on such an undertaking without having to wear a badge. It’s not exactly NYPD stuff, so don’t think that you have to obtain a degree in Criminology before you could successfully check the background of a suspected felon.

There are many databases in each county or state that could help you take a closer look at the character of the person you want to know or are already dealing with. Some even have Web sites where you could log on to for the information that you want.

Don’t get too excited on your search though. There are some databases that are exclusively reserved for law enforcers only. The available resources for ordinary persons like us might not be as extensive. However, a keen eye and a persistent and persevering attitude usually yield good results just the same.

An Apple a Day...

I used to laugh at the saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”. I remember telling my mom that my burger is just as good as the apple in keeping me away from the hospital.

I ended up eating apples and the words that I’ve said to my mom a few months later. I got a nasty fever after playing football in the rain and going home without changing my dripping clothes. My illness wasn’t that serious enough to merit me a few days of vacation at the hospital nearby. However, the person that my burger was supposed to repel became a frequent visitor in our house for about a week.

I’ve learned that preventive measures are important and should not be taken lightly. Rummaging through criminal records is also a preventive measure for people who are dealing with someone they don’t really know. Cures are definitely more expensive and bothersome than preventive remedies. Don't you think so?

Shelling Before Getting Shelled

I have always been told by my parents that safety should come first, regardless of the costs. It’s not they are paranoid about everything. People who are meticulous about their safety are just being reasonable. I mean, spending $20 for a criminal record search on your laundrywoman is definitely a bargain compared to the $2,000 in hospital bills that you might incur if it turns out that she has a penchant for washing blood-soaked clothes.

Having a serial killer for a laundrywoman really does seem far-fetched. Such a script would probably even be junked as an early-morning re-run or alternative for the Crime and Suspense channel. Statistics might even dissuade you from taking my advices seriously.

But statistics do play cruel jokes sometimes, and I certainly do not want to be at the end of those. I’m not saying that you should go through your entire list of friends and run a criminal record search on each of them (but you could :). My advice is simply not to disregard a criminal record search option no matter how angelic your house helper looks like.

Dissecting Criminal Records

When somebody says your neighbor has a criminal record, chills come down your spine don't they? Your immediate thought is that he has chopped body parts in the freezer or is a serial child molester.

Although this can be true, it can also be that his criminal record is a simple DUI (driving under the influence). But that's it isn't it? Are you ok with NOT knowing if people around you have or don't have a criminal record?

So long as your only purpose is to put your own fears to rest, then by all means conduct a criminal check on people around you. One cannot be too careful nowadays...