Re: CRA Criminal Histories Forum

[22stud]

NO GENERAL ANSWERS. BE SPECIFIC!

Hello,

Prospective employers often ask prospective employees to authorize a background check using a CRA. I was wondering how thorough such agencies are regarding criminal history? Any information regarding exactly how such criminal histories are searched is welcome. For example, what databases will they search? Which public records will they try to access? what level of violations will show up? WHICH counties or agencies do these reports request info from?

If you answer this question please provide where you believe each violation's information was mined from. Ex. traffic violation -- found using driver's license;

THANK YOU

[NoBladesNoBows]

NO GENERAL ANSWERS. BE SPECIFIC!

Hello,

Prospective employers often ask prospective employees to authorize a background check using a CRA. I was wondering how thorough such agencies are regarding criminal history? Any information regarding exactly how such criminal histories are searched is welcome. For example, what databases will they search? Which public records will they try to access? what level of violations will show up? WHICH counties or agencies do these reports request info from?

If you answer this question please provide where you believe each violation's information was mined from. Ex. traffic violation -- found using driver's license;

THANK YOU

The two bolded statements contradict each other. In future, you are likely to get responses more quickly if you don't begin your post by making all caps demands of people that have no obligation or reason to answer any of your questions other than to pass on the help they've received from others. You're also asking for specific answers without really asking a specific question, and you would be a lot easier to answer if you gave some context and specific circumstances rather than just asking generally how background checks work. Your post is pretty rude. That being said I'll do my best to answer your question.

Not all background check companies have the exact same procedure, so it's not feasible to give you a comprehensive list of everywhere they will search and what all of their resources are. However, you really should assume that they will find absolutely everything that isn't expunged, and potentially even expunged things (although probably not, because if they do someone fucked up).

At the very least they're likely to run an FBI check, an SBI check in every state you've lived in, and check the state and county courthouses of every state in which you've ever lived. They'll probably check every state and county courthouse across the country. Some companies have databases that every single arrest across the country populates into. Ideally any professional background check company would keep these up-to-date and remove dropped/expunged charges, but people do fuck up. Sometimes places limit the timeframe (7 years is standard I think), but again, as far as I know this isn't a legal requirement and could vary across employers, background check companies, and states.

I doubt traffic violations will show up but I really don't know. Why would you be worried about that anyway? If you don't remember the exact date of something put a month/year or just a year. If they need more info they'll ask, the important part is for it to be clear that you're not hiding anything. I have no idea what you're talking about when you say "found using driver's license".

Whatever question you're being asked, just answer it truthfully. As long as you answer truthfully you don't have to worry about anything popping up because they'll either know about it because you told them, or you can honestly assert that it's a mistake (database not up-to-date, etc.).