What are the most common types of criminal background checks?
A criminal history check reveals detailed information regarding an individual’s county, state, and federal criminal history. Each record varies by the type of information it searches for and the results that are returned.
1) County background checks, or county criminal history search results, include information about criminal cases filed only in the county ordered.
2) State background checks, or statewide criminal history search results, include information as reported to a state by counties within the state. Results may include case number, offense type, date of offense, disposition date/specifics, and confirmation of the current disposition.
3) Federal background checks, or federal criminal history search results, include criminal court record information that can be accessed via one or more of the 94 U.S. Federal District courts across the United States.
How long is a background check good for access to a consortium owner site?
In most cases, a background check is good for two years. You should check with the contractor's employer for a specific owner’s time frame.
Are there different types of background checks?
There are two different types of background checks; instant and comprehensive. Instant background checks, also known as “national criminal database searches” provide general information pulled from a commercially available database. These searches aren’t corroborated against any official county court record. Although they are quick, they can often return with error-filled information, since it’s not derived from a verified source. Comprehensive background checks, like DISA’s, involve multiple National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) FCRA certified employees confirming that all information aligns with the person who is being checked. These individuals also must hold a private investigator license in order to legally be able to research and verify information about the applicant. This process verifies that the information is accurate and is not information from an alias with the same name as the applicant being screened.
If states overturn previous marijuana convictions, how does it impact background checks?
With the legalization of marijuana across many states, cities such as San Francisco have implemented conviction expunging policies (Proposition 64) which remove misdemeanors and non-violent charges related to marijuana. Policies like these aim to get previous convictions reduced or reclassified to lesser offenses, with some convictions being dismissed altogether. This means that charges that are expunged will not appear on background checks. Employers need to implement a comprehensive background check process that will navigate individual state and city regulations. When employers use cheaper instant background checks, information can be incorrect or outdated, which could lead to potential lawsuits or liability in the workplace.
In addition, employers should consider services, such as social security number validity, criminal history for federal, county, and state, employment verification, etc., to provide the most accurate and up-to-date information.