To begin with, here's the link. It's one of many, many, many similar links. I've made it a little bit of a hobby to look up friends and lovers in various towns ... any county that is up-to-date has a similar database. If you don't have it yet, it's coming soon. For Tampa (Hillsborough County) it's: www.hcso.tampa.fl.us Click on 'Inquiries Online' and type in your name. Or anyone elses. Or look at the arrest records for the day. Or any given day. Or save it to a database and sort it by charge. It ain't tough.

Hopefully that's gained me a LITTLE credibility ...

Employers can ask any question that they want that is not relative to age/race/disability (okay, there is probably something here that I didn't think of, but you get the picture). In some states (including Florida), they can even ask about sexual orientation (although few do ... one exceptions being (notably) Boyscouts).

Why would I lie?

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Dude, thanks for the link.

I didn't say you weren't a credible source, by the way -- I just wanted the link so I could see for myself.

Unfortunately, there is a $23 fee for this service online. At least for the part that would list ME if I am even in there. Sex predator listings are free, and some other aspects as well, but not just general arrests. These fall into the category of "public records," of which I am aware is and has always been available to the general public. What I didn't know is that they made it EASIER to do it ONLINE now.

But I'm not spending $23 to see if I'm in there!

Most employers of a more casual variety do not make a point of delving into public records for screen purposes. So for most folks, at least those not signed on with big, multi-national companies, it's probably not a huge worry. Though I admit -- it is WELL worth some serious consideration. Something like this COULD easily fuck up someone's life, no doubt!

The site said the fee was going to take effect on July 1, but it seems to be in place now. And of course, this can all still be done by mail and filling out paperwork, etc. just like it always has been done.

Now, for some unlucky sonofabitch out there, he's going to go out cruising and have his charge bumped up to something that includes him on the sexual predators list, like maybe fucking around two feet too close to a schoolyard. THAT kind of shit is going to be found out, even if it is undeserved within the nature of the offense.

Big Brother creeps me out sometimes...

Anyway, still a great link and it adds impact and urgency to this thread. Cruising is serious business -- you can't be an asshole about it.

Finally, I saw no disclaimer (or maybe I was too tired to find it in the fine print) which stated how OLD the retained criminal records are. I would have to assume they go WAY back, though. Wouldn't make much sense otherwise...

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Scruffy, a STATE-WIDE BACKGROUND CHECK is $23, but doing an inquiry on any-and-every arrest within the county is free. I do it all the time.

Click on INQUIRIES ONLINE, then click on ARREST INQUIRY. Type in a name (for example, ANDERSON, BRADLEY got arrested yesterday for 'disobeying a police officer' (shame!) and will have his smiling mug out there for 5 years. Once the name comes up, click on the blue "i" (for info) to see the mugshot and details.

Until recently, arrest records were online in our county for 10 years. Now it's 5. Every county is different, but most progressive counties have something like this.

BTW, you can also search by date just to see who was arrested on the previous day, where they were arrested, what they were arrested for. I know, you're thinking 'man, you have too much time on your hands' ... but it has actually kept me out of trouble (mostly) since I can see when/where the 'stings' have been running.

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OK, cool.

Since I am in Duval County, Hillsborough doesn't help me much, but I am SURE that we have the same thing here, as you mentioned -- I just haven't found it yet -- but I haven't TRIED, either.

I was never busted for a sex offense -- so I'm not concerned there. And it has been more than five years since this happened, so... probably I don't have much to worry about.

I am curious, though, so I'll look around and see what Duval County has available online.

Nah, I don't think you have too much time on your hands -- and as you said, it's a good way to keep up on the patterns, etc.

Thanks again.

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