Legal and medical questions pose a real hazard for librarians, because we have to avoid "Unauthorized practice of law" in most states. But we can suggest places for folks to look, such as the state law and other Massachusetts sites noted in the earlier answers to this CORI question. Though they are no doubt heavily burdened by the present economic situation, it still might be worth looking into the Office of Labor and Workforce Development to find websites or local offices that could help advise you how to deal with these records.
At public or academic libraries you can also search in full text magazine, newspaper or journal databases, to see if anybody has written about how to handle the problem of a conviction record when applying for jobs. For example, the Masterfile Premier database, common at most public libraries, gets 59 articles for the TX-ALL Text search: "criminal record" and getting w3 job. The "w3" is a "Proximity" search - requiring that the words be no more than 3 words apart. This is important in full text searches, because words often are so far apart in an article that they are completely unrelated to each other. Most public libraries will have full text newspaper databases, to find articles by using searches similar to the above ones. If you are near an academic library, LexisNexis Academic may well be available, or even Factiva (known for business research, but very good for newspapers in general). Lexis and Factiva use a slash after the "W" for proximity search. Factiva gets 72 hits in the past 2 years, for the search: "criminal record" and apply* w/4 job. Please note that we can't link to these searches, because the commercial publishers charge money for them. You have to go in person to the libraries that subscribe to them, or login using a public library card number (sometimes along with a PIN, maybe the last 4 digits of your phone number, for example).
Google appears to include proximity search for its "Relevance" ranking, so that words closer together will tend to get hits listed on the first pages of a big list. But unfortunately, Google won't let you "force" output to be limited to a precise proximity search - you have to choose either the phrase: "Criminal record" or criminal AND record. But even with Google, there are some tricks that will help you, such as limiting to site:gov, site:edu, etc. The search: "criminal record" "applying for a job" site:gov gets 134 hits (about 88 unique ones). Compare USAsearch.gov which searches state government as well as federal websites and online publications. It gets 75 hits for the search: "criminal record" "applying for a job"
I had misdemeaners 17 years
I had misdemeaners 17 years ago; annoying phone calls, violation of protection order, and verbal threat all stemming from one date in 1992. There is also a driving on a revoked license from 1994.
I haven't had as much as a speeding ticket since.
100A applications
It appears that, in this case, the sealing should happen upon receipts of application, though I would STRONGLY suggest you clarify this by calling the law help center number referenced in the first answer. Librarians are NOT lawyers, and cannot give legal advice - only references.
From page 44 of the above cited guide
G.L. c. 276, § 100A
ADULT CRIMINAL
DISPOSITIONS
except for violations of:
c.140, §§ 121-131H (firearms)
c. 268 (perjury, escape, etc.)
c. 268A (State Ethics Act) -
Upon application, Commissioner of Probation shall seal record
and notify court clerk and chief probation officer to do the same, if:
• Court supervision, probation or sentence” has been terminated:
• on all MISDEMEANORS for at least 10 YEARS; and
• on all FELONIES for at least 15 YEARS; and
• There have been no new criminal convictions (except motor
vehicle offenses with maximum $50 fine) or imprisonment in
Massachusetts or elsewhere in last 10 YEARS; and
• There are no convictions to which this section does not apply;
and
• Defendant is not required to register as a sex offender for such
conviction (G.L. c. 6, § 178G).
Thank you
Thank you
Cori check question
I have 1 DUI conviction from 20 years ago, does this show up on a basic CORI check and is it something that could cause any hiring problems as it was very long ago.
Cori check
Folks - this is outside of what this site is for! Refer to the guides and information cited above for answers to this type of question.
That being said - it will (probably) show up, unless you get it sealed by making an application. What potential employers make of a decades old incident is up to them.
I am sorry about that, I
I am sorry about that, I didn't know but thank you for answering any way.