Criminal Background Check 101: What You Need to Know
When you think of a criminal background check, the first thing that may come to mind is employment. Background checks are a routine part of employee screening and the legal way to get insight into a candidate’s past. However, a company running a background check on a prospective hire is one of many entities with a reason for running a background check. There are multiple uses for looking into someone’s criminal history and many ways to request them.
Who Can Run a Criminal Background Check?
Background checks are extremely important to the hiring process in the professional setting. A background check shows corporations a person’s driving record, criminal history, and much more through a standard criminal history check. Large corporations and businesses are just some who can run a background check.
Besides the professional setting, the personal setting is another common and helpful scenario for a criminal background check. You would want to request a background check for many different reasons. Remember that criminal history is public so anyone can run a background check.
Of course, running a criminal background check must be done within the parameters of the federal law. However, depending on the level of information requested, the methods can vary. Under the Fair Credit Report Act, big corporations must get your consent before they request one. When it comes to personal matters, however, this could be different.
Other Reasons for Requesting a Background Check
Humans are curious, and more importantly, humans are cautious. Running a background check on someone can stem from a number of reasons. The apparent reasons are safety, precaution, and trust. Think of a landlord and tenant; would you trust someone to move into your home if you didn’t know about their criminal history?
Personal Self-Checks
It is possible to run a personal background check. The reasons may vary from case to case, but a common reason is to run the check, which is a precursor to seeking jobs. You may be getting ready to go through a round of job interviews and want to know what will appear on a background check. A self-check is an excellent way to know what to expect when your prospective employers check your driving records, criminal history, and previous addresses.
Dating and/or Personal Relationships
While some may see it as controversial, running a criminal background check on a prospective partner can be an excellent way to know what you’re getting into. Especially in the age of online dating, requesting public records could be a safety precaution and a way to ensure that you can trust the person you are entering a relationship with.
Neighborhood
Maybe you’re moving into a new neighborhood or meeting new people. To learn more about your neighbors or the people that you interact with, you may choose to run a background check on someone. This could also be useful if you have suspicions about a particular person. Remember that there are many legal implications to running a background check on someone without their consent, which can affect the type of information that shows up.
Childcare
This scenario could dip into the professional setting, but let’s face it: Most babysitting and childcare situations are done informally. Trusting someone with your children is a very important issue; sometimes, more than just meeting someone, you need insight into their past. Many parents run background checks on new babysitters and nannies to get insight into their history, especially when it comes to sexual misconduct. Working with third-party companies is an excellent way to ensure you follow the law regarding requesting background checks.
How to Run a Criminal Background Check
There are many methods to obtain someone’s recorded history. Depending on who is requesting the information and the level of information you’re trying to get, getting a background check is relatively easy, but how long it takes to run a background check varies.
Internet Searches and Free Searches
A simple internet search can go a long way. For prospective significant others and other personal relationships, a quick Google could reveal much information about a person. From social media accounts to simple public records, this may be enough information to confirm what you need to know about the person you’re searching for.
Certain specialized websites consolidate personal information like social media profiles and legal public records. Sites like PeekYou are free to use and collect people’s general information.
The National Sex Offender Registry is also free and available to the public.
Third-Party Services
You may consider going with a private, paid company for a more intense criminal background check. You may want more peace of mind from going through a third-party company, whether for professional or personal use.
