Arguably the greatest source of agita when it comes to screening future employees and tenants is the lengthy turnaround times associated with criminal background checks. While delays are routinely attributed to the consumer reporting agency performing the check, the reality is that turnaround times often vary due to numerous factors outside of the CRA’s control. This includes your specific requirements as the client and the intricacy of the candidate’s personal history.
For example, searching for criminal records under all of a candidate’s known aliases, in all locations where they have lived, worked, or attended school can prolong the results of the screening significantly, if the candidate has used several names and lived in multiple different counties.
Despite constant portrayals in film and television, there is no CSI style database that CRAs can plug into to obtain an instant criminal background check. That’s because there is no single criminal database in the United States that reports all criminal convictions. Instead, public records are maintained by the more than 3,100 individual counties across the United States. Of these counties, approximately 30% do not keep digital copies of criminal records. This means that CRAs must facilitate in-person visits to the courthouse to retrieve paper copies of any records requested. Further still, some courts restrict access to court-appointed researchers only.
Additionally, there are eleven federal districts across the nation, with a myriad of courts which may house criminal data. Each court has their own unique process and set of timelines with regard to furnishing results. Altogether, this places a great deal of onus on the CRA to be able to conduct a thorough and accurate search.
Furthermore, CRAs have to ensure each search is compliant with state and federal laws, in addition to FCRA regulations. Though there are apps and other recently emerging technology offering instant criminal record searches, they often fail to meet the legal standards required of a CRA and run the risk of incurring costly litigation for the companies utilizing their services.
So the next time you order a criminal background check, remember to allow some extra time for the CRA to do its due diligence. Quick results are no substitute for providing a perpetually safe and secure environment for your company and its employees.
