Police background checks have been transformed by the internet and computerization of records, making it quicker and easier to conduct basic crime-focused checks. Other checks, such as those for rental properties or relationships, are often done by private companies, but there are risks involved. Misinformation could result in costly lawsuits.
Like most of our 21st century society, police background checking has been transformed by the Internet and the computerization of records. A procedure that once took months can now often be done in minutes. Furthermore, the term “police background check” has become more generic than specific, as the police are no longer the sole investigators.
With increased public attention paid to drug-free workplaces, crimes against children and the possibility of terrorist infiltration, the odds of a police background check on an individual have greatly increased. Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies all keep thorough records, the most basic reflecting court verdicts and arrest records. In addition, some specific databases have evolved, such as the sex offender registry and information collected by the Office of Homeland Security.
Now that states have largely coordinated their individual records, a basic crime-focused policing check can be done almost instantly. This is especially beneficial in conducting “instantaneous” retrieval of information needed to purchase guns or providing a traffic officer with critical information about the owner of a vehicle he has just stopped.
Other searches take longer, sometimes much longer. And it would be impossible for police, especially in smaller communities, to find the time to investigate even a small percentage of the myriad requests for police background checks that crop up. Potential volunteers are also often screened through law enforcement databases, especially if they have to work with children. With the frequency of such background checks, the stigma of being the focus of one has largely disappeared.
Beyond that, of course, are the demands of rental property owners looking for information on potential tenants, people entering into relationships wanting to make sure they’re not dating a serial killer, and a host of other financial viability checks. These are instances that federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies probably wouldn’t get involved in unless there was a high possibility that a crime had been committed. Filling the gap are companies that will offer paid police background checks, usually focusing on information that is freely available to any citizen.
Some risks come with hiring these companies. Unlike the police, who have an interest in tracking down those with criminal records, private companies may or may not be equally diligent. Additionally, if someone were to be rejected for a job due to misinformation, such as being identified with a crime someone else actually committed by the same name, the result could be costly lawsuits.
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