<p>If your son was fingerprinted when he was arrested, I’d bet money that if he ever needs a security clearance for which his fingerprints are screened by the FBI, the arrest will come up. It doesn’t matter if it was expunged or otherwise “wiped off his record.”</p>
<p>I have known many people who adopted internationally and the arrest and its disposition had to be written up in the parents’ home study regardless of how long ago the arrest took place or what they did to make it disappear. The FBI does not expunge. Fortunately, for an immigration clearance it’s pretty easy to supply a letter from the jurisdiction indicating that there is no record (i.e., that it was indeed expunged). But it does have to be disclosed. </p>
<p>There are many categories of government security clearance for which the FBI will process the applicant’s fingerprints. I have no idea how a juvenile arrest would be treated, but it’s important to know the answer to the question: “Have you ever been arrested?”</p>
<p>If I were you, next time she calls, try and convey a few thoughts – You’re a good mom and you raised a good kid (assuming you sincerely feel that) but he could go either way, and right now, he’s drifting down the wrong path and it’s time to pull him back. Limit his available funds – he’ll still love you. And bottom line – his role as the one who gets the pot puts him in a bad position – police go after dealers.</p>
<p>He died this year at the age of 28. Our legal system is truly screwed up and mental health system as well. We pleaded with the police to incarcerate him, figuring that he would be safer in prison. Unfortunately, he was able to slip through their fingers by moving out of state. The interstate laws are screwy. When I said about drug manufacturers, I was speaking from experience. He was a well known manufacturer, who was able to stay 1 step ahead of the law but changing a molecule or two of a banned synthetic substance. Part of the substance would be obtained from suppliers in China and India. He died “researching” his own creation. It was actually quite interesting reading the various drug blogs discussion about him and the fear they had that my son was in a witness protection program and that they were potentially in trouble.</p>
<p>The one good thing that came out was that within 3 weeks of his death, congress and the President passed laws that made a more concerted effort to ban these chemicals.</p>
<p>Don’t forget that recreational drugs* are readily available in houses with Greek letters on them near a college campus…</p>
<p>*Most obviously, a recreational drug that is legal, but only for an age group that is likely a minority of undergraduate students at many colleges.</p>
<p>This is the disclaimer on my son’s website:</p>
<p>Welcome to -----. We are a domestically owned company offering research supplies to the academic community, qualified lab technicians over the age of 18, individuals conducting studies that do not involve human consumption, and GC/MS Reference sampling. Our goal is specific in catering to the academic research community. Nothing offered on this site is for human consumption, animal testing/consumption, or for use in ANY way that would cause harm to the researcher and/or ANY surrounding associates. It is important to check the laws of your state/province/country, as ----- assumes NO responsibility for any legal complications/penalties that arise as a result of violations of applicable law in your state/province/country. Neither -----, associates of----- the webmaster of -----, nor the host of ------ will be held liable in ANY way for such violations. By clicking on ANY link to the left, or on the ------ logo below: You acknowledge that you are entering a legal, formal, and binding agreement; which CLEARLY states that you are over the age of 18, and agree to follow the terms and conditions previously stated herein. You are also agreeing that you are a qualified laboratory technician with proper certifications and at LEAST two years in the specific field of research regarding the products that are viewed on this site, or purchased from this site or any affiliate. ANY violation of these terms will cause your IP address to be permanently banned from our site, and if necessary, a report will be brought to the attention of all applicable authorities.</p>
<p>DocT – I am so so sorry – every parent’s nightmare. We put so much effort into our children but sometimes all our love and work and hope doesn’t protect them.</p>
<p>Hopefully this year will be a better year. Last year, I lost my father in March, my son in June and I live 5 miles from Sandy Hook Elementary School and work with someone who lost their child in the incident.</p>
<p>I may have missed a post or two, bit am I the only one who thinks these nice, affluent hippie-ish parents are guilty of child neglect? The son is completely unsupervised and given adequate funds to engage in serious drug use–and probably dealing, too. His constant pot smoking suggests an attempt to self-medicate for whatever reason, but his parents do nothing. If these were my relatives, I’d tell them to start taking proper care of their kid, or I’d turn them in to the authorities. Yes, that would put quite a lot of stress on the relationship, but we’re talking about the welfare of a child here.</p>