Criminal Background Checks

Criminal background checks (CBC) are conducted to determine whether an applicant for a job has a criminal record or not. It is a comprehensive database search of state, local and federal government files and it exposes all convictions in the past, if any, regardless of the state of domicile.

A criminal background check is a legal and inexpensive way of obtaining pertinent data about a person. Details of past convictions are stored in criminal records and other manuals of the court. Each state stores records and details of individuals with a criminal history in their respective courts. CBCs access these records to prepare a profile of the person concerned.

Criminal background checks are important to ensure that you are hiring an honest and trustworthy employee. It is an unfortunate reality that many employees seeking employment often withhold any data pertaining to criminal records. With the number of white collar crimes increasing, a criminal background check is the only way of ensuring that you are hiring a person without any previous history of fraud, felony, deception, criminal theft or violence. In the case of certain jobs, a criminal background check is statutory. For instance, in the US, a criminal background search is necessary for positions in educational institutions, nursing homes and adult health care centers.

There are different kinds of criminal background searches. So, when conducting a CBC, make sure that you are conducting the right kind. Many employers are happy with a basic CBC for the state of domicile. However, such a check only reveals criminal offences committed in that particular state. There is no mention of federal charges, if any. That is why you need to conduct a comprehensive criminal background search.

A comprehensive CBC reveals all cases of previous conviction. For example, if a crime was committed in a state where the individual previously lived, a CBC will contain the corresponding report. Similarly, all convictions will be revealed, unlike a state search where a check for sexual abuse will only reveal a history of sexual abuse while remaining silent on any other criminal activities. A federal criminal background search is important because federal criminal charges are more serious than state criminal charges. A basic CBC may not expose serious criminal tendencies like drug abuse, arson, smuggling or kidnapping.

A basic CBC can be obtained from government organizations like the Dept. of Justice. But the data you get from these agencies will be greatly limited in nature and cannot form the basis for hiring a person. Criminal background checks must always be conducted by a professional background screening company. These companies are legal and have wide access to a comprehensive database containing records from databases of courthouses across the country.

Criminal background checks are very important to ensure the safety of your loved ones and property. Whether you are hiring an employee or giving out your place on rent, you have to consider the potential liability you may face if the person you choose commits a crime. In that case, your best defense is to show that you have used the best possible means to check out the applicant’s history before you hired them. If you fail to do so, for whatever reason, you may be wiped clean by a court that will hold you responsible for negligent hiring.