Background Question

[JimInIndy]

Hi everyone.

I have a few questions regerding my background investigation. I am supposed to receive the questionnaire sometime next week and wondered if this will hurt me.

When I was 20, my girlfriend was 16. We never had sex, but did do some 'other stuff' once or twice. In Indiana, the age of consent is 16, so I technically didn't do anything illegal (I've heavily researched this). Will this give me any problems?

Also, I've purchased alcohol for underage members of my fraternity on occassion. Will this give me problems?

Lastly, I am the tresurer of my fraternity, and periodically have borrowed money without telling anyone when I'm short. I have always paid back every penny. Will this hurt me?

I'm really stressing about those three things, as that's all in my background that could hurt me. I've never been arrested, never done drugs, and rarely drink. I've never even gotten a moving violation or had an at-fault wreck. Do I have something to worry about with the things I mentioned or should I be ok? This is a very large metro department in Indiana. Thanks.

Also, could the thing with my girlfriend hurt me in a state where the age of consent is 18 if it won't hurt me in Indiana?

[Kahuna5150]

Hi Jim,

The age difference with your girlfriend should not hurt you if where you had, "relations" was legal. If she can get married, give consent to have sex at 16 legally in that state, then you're fine. What I find interesting is what state allows a 16 year old to consent to sex here in the USA. Perhaps I'm a little less traveled in our great nation, but I thought the universal age here in the USA was 18?

So technically a 50 year old man/woman can have sex with a consenting 16 year old boy/girl legally in a state here? If it is legal again nothing to worry about, but I would love to hear what state and what code section says it's legal. I'd also be careful about what research you've checked into on it. Sounds like it may have been done without research and then a mad dash afterwards to find a legal justification, (Not judging you, just the tone I get in your posting).


Buying alcohol for underaged people will hurt you a bit... The saving grace will be, (IMO) the fact they were adults and not juveniles. Depending on the time frame of how long ago it was, you're basically doing a crime when you buy for them in most states, so it could be a question of why you would do such a thing knowing it is illegal. If it was awhile ago I think you'll be OK. Again these things may not sink you alone, but in combination and with other, "cleaner" applicants, you could get passed over, so be CAREFUL!

The point about taking money you are responsible for even though you pay it back is also a red flag. It really doesn't matter that you pay it back, I mean it is good that you do so you're not stealing, but you have to be able to say it is OK for you to borrow it. If it isn't, you're stealing each time you take the money even if you put it back later. I would just talk to the organization you're with and make sure it's a known policy that you can borrow as long as you put back. If it isn't, then you need to stop, "Borrowing". http://www.911jobforums.com/ubb/smile.gif

All and all I don't see any major problems, just a few things to keep in mind. Again if someone else is just as qualified as you, but with less baggage, they may go for that person, so stay as squeaky clean as possible.

As for the out of state places getting you in trouble for what you did in a state where it was legal? No way that can happen. Now if you bring your girlfriend to another state and you aren't married and the age of consent is more... Well then you are breaking whatever local laws prohibit sexual or intimate contatct between an adult and minor. CA is 18, so if you come here with a 16 year old and have sex, you would be prosecuted.

Hope that helps.. Good luck!

Kahuna

[Alan]

Kahuna,

The age of consent in Louisiana is 17.



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Alan

[IL_TIM]

Kahuna5150,
If you go to www.ageofconsent.com (http://www.ageofconsent.com,) you can see the age of consent for every state.

[Kahuna5150]

An eye opener to say the least... Thanks for the webpage.

Hawaii is 14 years old to consent to sex! I can't understand that. I used to live in HI and had no idea a 14 year old boy or girl could legally have sex with a 60 year old.

Amazing... Wrong in my opinion... I think it should be at least 18. Or 17 if you're in the military.

Thanks for the education...

Kahuna

[JimInIndy]

That site suprised me quite a bit too. I knew the age of consent in IN was low, but didn't think it was like that all across the country. I don't think it's right that a minor should be allowed to have sex with someone who's 20 something years older than they are, rather there should be age difference stipulations in the law, IMO.

About the alcohol thing: It's been a while since I've done that...about 2 years or so. I never would buy for anyone who was under 18, nor would I buy for people who had a history of acting irresponsibly while drinking. Personally, I think that 18 should be the legal drinking age (if you're old enough to die for your country and vote, then you should be able to drink), but I guess that's beside the point.

As to the money...nobody ever said that I could or couldn't do any borrowing. I'm sure that if I told the President what I did, he wouldn't have any problem with it. Basically when I took over as treasurer, I got the chapter out of a heap of debt (from a previous treasurer who STOLE lots of money), and turned the place around. I don't think anyone there would have a problem with me doing what I did.

I was just worried about those three things. By the way, I'm an officer in the Army Reserve as an MP and am going into my third year of law school, so hopefully those two things will put me ahead of most people.

Just a suggestion here to anyone who's heading to college...think VERY long and VERY hard about joining a fraternity. I ended up quitting mine before my senior year because I didn't like the direction things were going in. LOTS of alcohol problems, people (not me!) accused of date rape, it was a VERY bad situation. Hopefully the fact that I saw and got out of that will help me as well, but just keep in mind that there is a lot of alcohol use and illegal activity in most fraternities out there. They honestly aren't good places for people who want to go into LE to be, since the ones who try to keep things on the up-and-up (like me) are the ones who are $hit on the most. Sorry for the venting, but I just think that any of you high school students should take what I say into consideration before making a mistake. A friend of mine from the fraternity wanted to be a cop too, but he did so many things while in (DUI, drugs, etc.), that he was DQ'd. I never did those things, but it's an environment that is VERY conducive to illegal activities, so just keep that in mind. http://www.911jobforums.com/ubb/smile.gif

[mswans]

In my opinion, I don't know why you would bring up the sex thing. If it was not illegal, then technically you did nothing wrong.
As far as the other stuff is concerned, call and talk to someone in recruiting and ask them. That seems like the only sure way to find out. If it's not a DQ, then you have a shot.

[kapsig42]

what fraternity are you in?

[JimInIndy]

I was a Pike.

[ppd1107]

If you were not arrested for any of the incidents (sexual contact with underage girlfriend, buying alcohol for other, ect.) why would any of it come up in a background?

[ben88]

because they will ask all of those questions and verify responses using a thorough background investigation and a polygraph. Just because you haven't been arrested doesn't mean you have no dark little secrets. There is packet of about 100 of those type of questions and it's in your interest to answer them all honestly.

[governor]

Please don't post to threads that are this old. If you have new information or questions, start a new thread.