Criminal Background Checks - The Basics
There are very few ways we can confidently learn about someone's character. You can ask them directly, but no matter how honest they may seem it's impossible to know if they're telling the truth. You can ask friends and family, but there is no guarantee that they know everything either. Even if you learn what transpired at a certain job or in a relationship, etc., you may be getting biased feedback.
There are simply very few ways to discover the truth about someone's life and background. One of the only methods you can use to truly get your hands on the truth is to conduct criminal background checks.
The Basics of Criminal Background Checks
Whenever information is collect by or passed through any government or government sponsored office (such as a police department) it becomes part of "public records." Public records are designed to ensure the government's operations are as transparent as possible, and the only way to provide that transparency is to make nearly all data - including data on individuals - available to those that want access to it.
A person's criminal history is considered a matter of public record, because it is part of law enforcement - a government sponsored entity. That means that it is meant to be available to anyone that wants to view it.
In the past, however, this was still moderately difficult. Public records were initially kept at government offices, and while you could not be denied that record, you would still need to go to the offices and apply to see them. You didn't need a reason, and you couldn't be denied, but the time it takes to travel all the way to the public records office was enough to discourage people from utilizing them.
Luckily, times have changed. Now criminal background checks can be performed online, using search boxes that have compiled criminal histories into databases to allow them to be searched more easily. This gives you the opportunity to perform one of these background checks whenever it interests you.
What Criminal Background Checks Include
Every state decides what is included in background checks and what is not. Washington State includes smaller charges like traffic or other minor violations, while other states may consider these private, and only include "Worse" crimes. However, almost all states include:
- Violent Crimes
- Sex Crimes
- Drug Crimes
- Theft Crimes
- Business Crimes
Most criminal histories in most states are made available, with the only questionably included item being minor traffic offenses. The only exception to this is California, which still includes most of these crimes but does not necessarily release the type of crime to the public.
Because there are many types of crimes that are "harmless" in nature, it is advised to get more details about any crimes before rushing to judgment. However, in general you can get a report of a person's criminal history that will help you decide how you would like to associate yourself with the individual in the future.
Are All Criminal Histories Included?
A Criminal background check is an extremely valuable tool. They help you discover who has a criminal past and who does not, giving you the opportunity to use that information in your own judgments. However, while they are an excellent resource, they aren't necessarily perfect. There are two ways that criminal background checks lose some of their power:
- In some states it's possible to get some of your criminal history hidden. It takes a great deal of work though on the part of legal counsel so this is very rare, and are unlikely to affect important crimes.
- It will not include current investigations or crimes they committed where they simply were not caught.
Criminal histories are a resource, but they won't tell you everything you want to know about a person's history - only the parts they were successfully charged for.
What Are Criminal Background Checks Used For?
One of the interesting things about criminal background checks is that they can be used for almost any purpose. Businesses and individuals use these background checks for a variety of reasons.
Businesses and a Criminal Background Check
Businesses need to know the history of those they hire before they choose to put them on staff. Some of the reasons include:
Employees at most companies handle money, products, and information on a regular basis. Cashiers handle credit cards, bankers handle money, researchers handle personal information - if the person they are hiring has a history of theft, or something that would imply they may be a risk to keep on staff, that is important for these companies to know.
Another reason that many businesses need a criminal background check is because of a type of lawsuit known as "Negligent Hiring." Negligent hiring is when an individual or group sues a company on the grounds that the company should have known that the individual they hired would be a risk for criminal activities. For example, if there is an employee that has a criminal history of violence against women, and this employee assaults someone in the workplace, the assumption is that that assault could have been prevented had the company performed an adequate background check. Negligent hiring can result in some serious losses to a company if an incident occurs.
Businesses may also choose to run these background checks in order to simply discover any interesting or relevant background data that may be important to the hiring of the employee. An employee that has a criminal record may still be qualified for a position, or they may have something in their past that gives the hiring manager pause. Either way, it is important that data be discovered.
Individuals and a Criminal Background Check
These days - since the data from criminal history reports has been placed online - individuals are now commonly searching for people in their life to find out if they have a criminal history. There are plenty of different reasons this may occur:
One of the most common reasons that someone performs a criminal background check is nothing more than curiosity. It may not be due to any lack of trust, or any indication that someone would have a criminal background. Rather, it may easily be that a name pops into a person's head and they choose to make that search. Because the data is already online, curiosity alone is a good enough reason for many people to search for the names they think of.
It's not uncommon to meet people whose history appears to be a mystery. Perhaps they act a certain way or they are secretive about their past - whatever the reason, their suspicious behaviors lead you to believe that something may be awry, and a criminal background check can help you find out if there is anything that should concern you.
Another reason that may individuals perform these criminal background checks is because they are considering inviting someone into their home, and need to ensure they are not a risk for their family and belongings. New nannies, plumbers, house sitters, electricians - these are people that will spend time near you, your family, and your property, and it is often a good idea to make sure they have no history of being untrustworthy or dangerous.
It's also common for those that are starting new personal relationships to simply check for their friends or relationship partners to make sure there is nothing in their past that would cause some concern over their safety. Because these searches are easy to perform, the reasons for criminal background checks can vary considerably by individual.
Performing a Criminal Background Check Search
It doesn't take very much information to perform a criminal background check. In general, all you need is a name. In fact, in some cases all you need is a last name, but many last names are too common and a first name helps to narrow down results. If you receive too many individuals, you can often filter by city or state, and possibly by age if there are too many names to go through.
Once you've completed your search, you can often pull up or order a report that contains more information regarding the individual's criminal history, often with more detailed data on why the person has a criminal history at all. If there appears to be information missing, the site may also direct you to places you can discover more information if necessary.
Criminal Background Checks Are Easy
The key aspect of these criminal background checks though is the ease of use and the ability to draw from nationwide information about those of interest to you. Whether you are a business hoping to find out the history of an applicant or an individual that is curious about a friend, acquaintance, or relationship partner, these searches give you the opportunity to find out more about those you associate with, so that you can make better decisions about your future involvement with them.
