Comments on: Reputation Management and the impact of Crime http://searchenginetigers.com/2007/10/reputation-management-and-the-impact-of-crime.html SEO Consulting, In-House SEO Training, Social Media Insights Sun, 06 Dec 2009 12:13:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Margie at Limited Edition Foods http://searchenginetigers.com/2007/10/reputation-management-and-the-impact-of-crime.html/comment-page-1#comment-939 Margie at Limited Edition Foods Sun, 14 Oct 2007 13:32:04 +0000 http://searchenginetigers.com/2007/10/reputation-management-and-the-impact-of-crime.html#comment-939 A traffic ticket is a crime against the state, and one that results in a fine designed as a preventative measure to get people to drive more safely. For the most part, traffic tickets are "victimless" crimes in the sense that the person who is getting a traffic ticket is the person who pays the price (literally, in the form of a fine and higher insurance costs). Unless the job description involves driving or the perks include a company car, or the ticket is for something that indicates bad judgment such as driving while intoxicated, the employer can often turn her valuable mental energy to another topic with confidence that a traffic ticket every couple of years does not deserve much thought. Sex crimes require more thought as they are crimes against other people. Even after convicted offender has served the sentence and is released from prison, the victim of their crime will often still be in a prison of her own in the sense that she will still be dealing with the effects of the crime itself. The type of physical and mental trauma associated with many sex crimes is lasting and while many victims become functional again, they rarely heal back into the person they were before the assault. So while people deserve second chances, with added thought and precautions employers can give these second chances while still protecting their employees and customers. Think about what you are hiring this person for: does the job require lots of overtime, or opportunities for the person to be alone off site or after hours with other other employees or customers? If so, this may not be the right fit but perhaps a second chance can be given in another position. Bottom line: There are safety reasons, not just PR reasons, why employers should ask more questions and think about the consequences of hiring someone who has been convicted of a violent crime. A traffic ticket is a crime against the state, and one that results in a fine designed as a preventative measure to get people to drive more safely. For the most part, traffic tickets are “victimless” crimes in the sense that the person who is getting a traffic ticket is the person who pays the price (literally, in the form of a fine and higher insurance costs). Unless the job description involves driving or the perks include a company car, or the ticket is for something that indicates bad judgment such as driving while intoxicated, the employer can often turn her valuable mental energy to another topic with confidence that a traffic ticket every couple of years does not deserve much thought.

Sex crimes require more thought as they are crimes against other people. Even after convicted offender has served the sentence and is released from prison, the victim of their crime will often still be in a prison of her own in the sense that she will still be dealing with the effects of the crime itself. The type of physical and mental trauma associated with many sex crimes is lasting and while many victims become functional again, they rarely heal back into the person they were before the assault. So while people deserve second chances, with added thought and precautions employers can give these second chances while still protecting their employees and customers. Think about what you are hiring this person for: does the job require lots of overtime, or opportunities for the person to be alone off site or after hours with other other employees or customers? If so, this may not be the right fit but perhaps a second chance can be given in another position.

Bottom line: There are safety reasons, not just PR reasons, why employers should ask more questions and think about the consequences of hiring someone who has been convicted of a violent crime.

]]> By: Ash http://searchenginetigers.com/2007/10/reputation-management-and-the-impact-of-crime.html/comment-page-1#comment-767 Ash Wed, 03 Oct 2007 12:12:53 +0000 http://searchenginetigers.com/2007/10/reputation-management-and-the-impact-of-crime.html#comment-767 Interesting article. It seems that i have an american Namesake who was involved in some form of shooting related crime recently, the top 10 results for my name have a smattering of American (online) newspaper articles. Interesting article.

It seems that i have an american Namesake who was involved in some form of shooting related crime recently, the top 10 results for my name have a smattering of American (online) newspaper articles.

]]> By: Simon Heseltine http://searchenginetigers.com/2007/10/reputation-management-and-the-impact-of-crime.html/comment-page-1#comment-735 Simon Heseltine Tue, 02 Oct 2007 03:05:26 +0000 http://searchenginetigers.com/2007/10/reputation-management-and-the-impact-of-crime.html#comment-735 <p>...and that's really what I'm advocating George. I've known companies that didn't ask the right question at the right time, and later on down the road found themselves with a criminal record showing up in their listings, not something that you want prospective customers / employees to see...</p> <p>I'm not suggesting that we go all <a href="http://imdb.com/title/tt0119177/" rel="nofollow">Gattaca</a> on employees though.</p> …and that’s really what I’m advocating George. I’ve known companies that didn’t ask the right question at the right time, and later on down the road found themselves with a criminal record showing up in their listings, not something that you want prospective customers / employees to see…

I’m not suggesting that we go all Gattaca on employees though.

]]> By: Reputation Management: SEO Meets PR at Gypsy Bandito http://searchenginetigers.com/2007/10/reputation-management-and-the-impact-of-crime.html/comment-page-1#comment-733 Reputation Management: SEO Meets PR at Gypsy Bandito Tue, 02 Oct 2007 01:38:37 +0000 http://searchenginetigers.com/2007/10/reputation-management-and-the-impact-of-crime.html#comment-733 [...] look focused to the point of being stoic. I get cranky when I feel like this. Anyways, the Search Engine Tigers have another example of why SEO is such an integral part of reputation management: Back in the pre-web days, when [...] [...] look focused to the point of being stoic. I get cranky when I feel like this. Anyways, the Search Engine Tigers have another example of why SEO is such an integral part of reputation management: Back in the pre-web days, when [...]

]]> By: George http://searchenginetigers.com/2007/10/reputation-management-and-the-impact-of-crime.html/comment-page-1#comment-728 George Mon, 01 Oct 2007 17:18:07 +0000 http://searchenginetigers.com/2007/10/reputation-management-and-the-impact-of-crime.html#comment-728 Good post, Simon. This is a slippery slope. As you point out, we want to be a civilization that offers people a second chance if they have been convicted of a crime. I have hired people with a criminal background, but only twice, and in both cases, they told me about the conviction in the interview. I would have hired a third, but he had committed a financial crime, and the opening was in Accounting. I wanted to hire him, but with other things equal among candidates, how can I justify hiring the person convicted of a financial crime over a candidate who didn't commit a crime? That said, what does a traffic ticket every couple of years say about someone? Do we start creating behavioral clusters among job candidates, friends and others who go through some evaluation process when we first meet them? There is a book in here somewhere... Good post, Simon. This is a slippery slope. As you point out, we want to be a civilization that offers people a second chance if they have been convicted of a crime. I have hired people with a criminal background, but only twice, and in both cases, they told me about the conviction in the interview. I would have hired a third, but he had committed a financial crime, and the opening was in Accounting. I wanted to hire him, but with other things equal among candidates, how can I justify hiring the person convicted of a financial crime over a candidate who didn’t commit a crime?

That said, what does a traffic ticket every couple of years say about someone? Do we start creating behavioral clusters among job candidates, friends and others who go through some evaluation process when we first meet them?

There is a book in here somewhere…

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