How To Conduct a Thorough and Complete Criminal Background Check
By: InvPros | Posted: 29th April 2010
WHY CONDUCT A CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK?
Prospective employers, landlords and business people ask this question when considering an individual for employment, property rental, or as a business associate. Follow through with a criminal records check to be absolutely certain that the person under consideration is as trustworthy as they may appear to be in an initial interview or a check of their paperwork.
THE IMPORTANCE OFA CRIMINAL RECORDS CHECK
1) Workplace Violence - Acts of violence against a co-worker can be devastating. Even the simple threat of violence can cause panic or havoc. A criminal background check may reveal a record of past violence, which might be a deciding factor concerning a person's character, as often there is a propensity to re-offend in the future.
2) Negligent Hiring - Employers have been the subject of large jury verdicts for negligent hiring in cases where they hired a person with a criminal record who later harmed others. An employer can be found liable for negligent hiring.
3) Employers Legal Duty - To insure a safe workplace, employers should exercise due diligence in the hiring process. Checking criminal records demonstrates due diligence. The same need for due diligence can be applied to landlords if they rent to a tenant who later is proven to have been responsible for property loss, damage or violence against others.
4) Childcare Institutions, Nursing Homes, and Hospitals - Caregiver institutions should exercise extra caution when recruiting personnel. Does the prospect have a record of child molestation or a history of violent behavior or drug abuse? These institutions can be held liable for any harm brought to their clients or patients by an employee who was not properly screened. Jury awards in such cases can be devastating to the institution.
5) Government Contractors - Industries that execute government contracts should not hire employees with an anti-establishment disposition or with a felony record or a terrorist connection. Conduct criminal background checks for both national security and to guard against loss of contracts.
6) Neighborhood Communities - Community watch groups or homeowner's associations should conduct criminal record checks to assure that individuals planning to move in do not have a criminal background.
7) The Internet - The biggest dangers one confronts online are frauds and sex crimes. Face-to-face meetings set up after online acquaintances develop can end up as an unpleasant or dangerous experience for one party.
CRIMINAL RECORDS CHECK: BASIC INFORMATION
Subject's FULL name, aka's. Date of Birth (DOB). Offenses/dates. Dispositions or convictions/dates.
Criminal records information is obtained from county and state criminal court records, federal fugitive files, DOC files, and sex offender databases. Each level of search provides important information:
1) County Criminal Searches - This search offers the most current detailed information, as it is being retrieved from the source. Note: If a crime was committed in another county your search will not reveal the crime committed in that county. Search the records in each county where the applicant is known to have lived or worked.
2) County Criminal Databases - Not all counties maintain their criminal records on database. If a name match is made, the actual records must still be retrieved for review from the county courthouse. In many jurisdictions, older records have been placed in storage
3 Felonies & Misdemeanors - Most counties maintain separate records for felonies and misdemeanors. In some counties felony and misdemeanor records are maintained in a combined index. Felonies are
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Investigative Professionals has been conducting thorough background investigations since 1996 for individuals, employers, property owners and managers, company executives, financial institutions, universities, and law firms
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Tags: business associate, due diligence, criminal background check, government contracts, propensity, hiring process, workplace violence, criminal record, prospective employers, violent behavior