"Have you ever been arrested?" (1 Viewer)

[TheIronSheik]

A while back, I applied for a job that was government and needed a clearance level.  I went through everything only to turn the job down and take a different job.  But it got me thinking about certain questions asked on job background scans.

"Have you ever been arrested?"

What exactly does this mean?  I ask, because I was once arrested and taken to jail then released.  When I went to court for my hearing, I made a compelling argument and they dropped all charges and I was cleared of any wrongdoing.  So my record is clean.  But technically, I was arrested.  What's the correct answer to this question?

 

[-fish-]

"I've never been convicted."

Then see if they want to press the issue.

 

[wikkidpissah]

I was arrested for smiling once.

 

[TheIronSheik]

"I've never been convicted."

Then see if they want to press the issue.

But I'd rather not mention that I was arrested at all.  Especially since I have no record.  The minute you say "I was never convicted", alarms start going off in people's heads.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

I was arrested for smiling once.

I'm sure that's because you have such an arresting smile?

 

[[scooter]]

It means different things for different jobs.

If you are applying for a private sector job where the application specifically says something to the effect of "The following questions only apply to the past X years" (and you were arrested before the X date), then you can safely answer "No".

If you are applying for a government job, then you must answer "Yes", even if it was just a brief case of mistaken identity. The form will usually allow you to add an explanation, and you can simply write "It was a case of mistaken identity and the case was dropped".

In your case, Shiek, I would not have added the part about making a compelling argument to get the charges dropped (that statement tends to imply that if you weren't such a savvy talker, you would have been convicted). Just keep it to the basics -- "the arrest was a mistake, the case was immediately dropped, and I was cleared".

 

[-fish-]

You could just start singing "Alice's Restaurant."

 

[TobiasFunke]

I was arrested for smiling once.

When a bowl of oatmeal tries to stare you down and wins, what choice do you really have.

 

[Oracle]

For a security clearance the appropriate answer is yes.  There’s a section that will allow for your explanation. You will not receive a clearance if you answer “no” to that question.

 

[Arizona Ron]

For a security clearance the appropriate answer is yes.  There’s a section that will allow for your explanation. You will not receive a clearance if you answer “no” to that question.

Not 100% true as you'll typically be asked to explain a "finding". 

 

[Apple Jack]

In 1994 I was arrested for approaching perfection. 

 

[Leroy Hoard]

In 1994 I was arrested for approaching perfection. 

Did she at least say hi?

 

[Scott Tenorman]

Does this board count?

 

[msommer]

Never. 

Speeding and parking tickets, that's all, and never in person

 

[Rhythmdoctor]

If you have no criminal record then of course you should answer “NO”. Why give them information they can’t confirm when it will most likely negatively effect their perception of you? 

 

[Leroy Hoard]

The urban legend is that one of the application questions if you try to get a job at Brinks or the Wells Fargo armored car is "have you ever fantasized about robbing an armored car?"

Everyone who answers "no" is weeded out for lying on their application.

I've always wondered why more of those guys don't just drive off and ditch the truck after making a big pickup.

 

[nirad3]

 

[tri-man 47]

The urban legend is that one of the application questions if you try to get a job at Brinks or the Wells Fargo armored car is "have you ever fantasized about robbing an armored car?"

Touring the facility where they process the money (which I've done) is interesting.  The manager who gave the tour had a Glock in a holster on his hip.  Mirrors everywhere.  The warehouse where the lift trucks move things around have a lot of coins (from broken bags) embedded in the tar flooring.  They said they dig the coins out periodically.

 

[simey]

If you have no criminal record then of course you should answer “NO”. Why give them information they can’t confirm when it will most likely negatively effect their perception of you? 

A lot of background checks will show arrests even if you weren't convicted.

 

[rockaction]

Arrested twice, charges dropped both times. 

Kind of 

 

[top dog]

Correct answer is "Which time?"
 

 

[Tom Hagen]

Convicted? No

 

[-fish-]

If you have no criminal record then of course you should answer “NO”. Why give them information they can’t confirm when it will most likely negatively effect their perception of you? 

You can confirm arrests.

 

[Sinn Fein]

Well, I am assuming that failure to disclose something like an arrest would be grounds for termination - so, why bother lying?

 

[Sinn Fein]

If you have no criminal record then of course you should answer “NO”. Why give them information they can’t confirm when it will most likely negatively effect their perception of you? 

So would lying...

 

[EYLive]

"Have you ever been arrested?"

I was once arrested and taken to jail

Seems like an easy "yes" to me.

 

[Rhythmdoctor]

So would lying...

Sure but I’d rather take that chance than straight up telling them. If you tell them you’ve been arrested you’re not getting the job. I’d personally roll the dice and lie. He wasn’t convicted of anything and can always play dumb saying he thought they meant convicted. 

 

[Glass Joe]

I listened to a podcast in which a guy discussed how he was arrested on suspicion he had just committed a robbery. Brought to the station. But when he got there, he was able to show them that he’d been stationed out of town at the time. Years later, he was in the police academy. At one point he got pulled out of class for lying - that he’d never been arrested. He’d forgotten he’d been arrested and immediately released.

Thats some bs.

 

[[scooter]]

If you have no criminal record then of course you should answer “NO”. Why give them information they can’t confirm when it will most likely negatively effect their perception of you? 

If you've ever been arrested, then there is a high likelihood that a government background check will find out about it.

 

[Courtjester]

I have been "detained" twice, but luckily both times I didn't get charged.....

My life really could have turned out differently.

 

[Ignoramus]

A while back, I applied for a job that was government and needed a clearance level.  I went through everything only to turn the job down and take a different job.  But it got me thinking about certain questions asked on job background scans.

"Have you ever been arrested?"

What exactly does this mean?  I ask, because I was once arrested and taken to jail then released.  When I went to court for my hearing, I made a compelling argument and they dropped all charges and I was cleared of any wrongdoing.  So my record is clean.  But technically, I was arrested.  What's the correct answer to this question?

"No."

 

[RC94]

What if you were arrested, but not under your real name?  Fake ID.  Asking for a friend.

 

[ZenoRazon]

DUI

Reckless driving

Public intoxication

Disturbing the peace...fighting

But, nothing in the last 30 years.

 

[Hot Diggity Dog]

No but made two daring escapes.

 

[Sconch]

AM I BEING DETAINED?

 

[SoBeDad]

Yes, but the records were expunged. I was advised to respond "no" to such questions. A quick Google search reveals that it's rare for expunged records to show up on a background check, but if it does, I could appeal. The expungement process took several months, but I did it without an attorney. However it cost me a couple grand to fight a bogus domestic abuse charge. 

 

[BassNBrew]

Felony discharge of a missile.  

 

[TheIronSheik]

It means different things for different jobs.

If you are applying for a private sector job where the application specifically says something to the effect of "The following questions only apply to the past X years" (and you were arrested before the X date), then you can safely answer "No".

If you are applying for a government job, then you must answer "Yes", even if it was just a brief case of mistaken identity. The form will usually allow you to add an explanation, and you can simply write "It was a case of mistaken identity and the case was dropped".

In your case, Shiek, I would not have added the part about making a compelling argument to get the charges dropped (that statement tends to imply that if you weren't such a savvy talker, you would have been convicted). Just keep it to the basics -- "the arrest was a mistake, the case was immediately dropped, and I was cleared".

Yeah, to be clear the security question makes it crystal clear that you need to identify every situation.  Which I did.  And the "compelling argument" was just a joke here.  I wouldn't say that seriously.

The reason I ask that question was because the government security question got me thinking what exactly "arrested" meant.

 

[jhib]

The urban legend is that one of the application questions if you try to get a job at Brinks or the Wells Fargo armored car is "have you ever fantasized about robbing an armored car?"

Everyone who answers "no" is weeded out for lying on their application.

I've always wondered why more of those guys don't just drive off and ditch the truck after making a big pickup.

You're hired!

 

[Thorpe]

"Arrested" means the police say you are under arrest, which is followed by handcuffs and Miranda rights.  It's pretty clear what it means...

 

[kutta]

About 30 years ago when I was a wee lad in my 20’s I was arrested and charged with a class 4 felony for stealing street signs. I had 32 of them in my apartment hanging as decorations.

Ended up getting reduced to a misdemeanor, but amazingly it showed up on my TSA precheck background check a couple years back as a “felony arrest” and I had to jump through hoops to truly get it taken care of.

 

[rockaction]

"Arrested" means the police say you are under arrest, which is followed by handcuffs and Miranda rights.  It's pretty clear what it means...

It does get tricky, though. Some places will ask you if you have ever been "detained," which is a much grayer area than "arrested."  

 

[Sconch]

"Arrested" means the police say you are under arrest, which is followed by handcuffs and Miranda rights.  It's pretty clear what it means...

Fun fact:  The cops don't have to "Mirandize" you when they arrest you.  They're only required to read you your rights if you are going to be questioned.  ≈≈≈≈≈★

 

[Beef Ravioli]

About 30 years ago when I was a wee lad in my 20’s I was arrested and charged with a class 4 felony for stealing street signs. I had 32 of them in my apartment hanging as decorations.

Were these signs that were already knocked over and you picked them up or were you truly taking them apart? How did you get caught?

When I was 10, the 25 mph sign on my little road got knocked over, post and all. It was laying on the side of the road for several days when I decided to drag it home. Put it in the garage and several weeks later, my dads spots it. He ask me where I got it and when...I give him the run down and he looks at me like I’m crazy. Told me to never to anything like that again. It’s probably in the garage somewhere as I type this out. 

 

[Ned]

For everyone answering in here

 

[cheeseypoof]

Isn’t the arrested question usually followed by “have you ever been convicted?”

Seems strange to have one without the other.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Isn’t the arrested question usually followed by “have you ever been convicted?”

Seems strange to have one without the other.

I was just about to post that the 2nd part is the important thing. Anyone can be arrested but being convicted is whole nother level.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

About 30 years ago when I was a wee lad in my 20’s I was arrested and charged with a class 4 felony for stealing street signs. I had 32 of them in my apartment hanging as decorations.

Ended up getting reduced to a misdemeanor, but amazingly it showed up on my TSA precheck background check a couple years back as a “felony arrest” and I had to jump through hoops to truly get it taken care of.

At one time you would have been our hero. My buddy and I stole a single temp stop sign (permanent one was run over by a drunk driver). Thing was pretty heavy sunk into a concrete base. We then set it up as a basement target for our pellet guns. Everyone we knew was very impressed.

 

[kutta]

Were these signs that were already knocked over and you picked them up or were you truly taking them apart? How did you get caught?

When I was 10, the 25 mph sign on my little road got knocked over, post and all. It was laying on the side of the road for several days when I decided to drag it home. Put it in the garage and several weeks later, my dads spots it. He ask me where I got it and when...I give him the run down and he looks at me like I’m crazy. Told me to never to anything like that again. It’s probably in the garage somewhere as I type this out. 

My roommate and I had a system. We had two 5/8th inch sockets - what all the signs were fastened with. I’d hop on his shoulders and get the top bolt and he’d get bottom one. We’d toss it in the back of my truck and go get the next one.

We did this quite a few times and got lots of signs. Stop signs (really dangerous in hindsight), speed limit, high voltage, yield, etc. We would actually carry the tools with us so if we saw a sign we didn’t yet have we could grab it.

Another buddy and I went out to get more one night and the security guard from our apartment called the police and reported us. They knocked on the door at 3 AM and took all the signs and the USA Today Newspaper stand that we had.

We still joke about me waking him up with the phrase - Chris, wake up. The cops are here.

Anyway, a few years later there was a big story about a guy who took a stop sign and someone was killed at the intersection. Thankfully we don’t think that happened in our case, but it was pretty stupid to do and we got off pretty light.

 

[GroveDiesel]

While dropping leaves off at the township when I was in college, I spotted a big bin of beat up road signs. I asked the worker there what they were and he said they were old signs that they were scrapping. So I asked if I could have one and he told me that nobody would notice of one disappeared when he turned the other way

Even though I got it innocently, apparently it's still illegal. Surprisingly, the only issue I ever had was my college giving me a hard time about it being in our dorm room. @Black Box may remember.