There's a new website out there that says it can provide companies with free criminal searches and save them upwards of a few hundred dollars. The site, www.criminalsearches.com, is easy to use and allows you to instantly pull up data on your subject by simply entering their name and the state they live in. But is this type of free criminal search of any value? The data provided is publicly available information, conveniently stored on this site's database. While the data may in fact show criminal activity, can it be used to deny individuals employment?
Consider a few questions. Is this data FCRA regulated? Is this data showing convictions or charges? Not everyone charged is convicted. Are the returned results even showing the subject you are interested in? What identifiers are offered to prove to you that this is the right person? John Smith is a pretty common name after all. How do you know that the information contained in this database is accurate, or even from legally recognized, sanctioned and reliable sources? How often is the database updated? I can offer similar information on my site and tell you that I got it from publicly available criminal databases. But, did I? How would you know for sure? Do you take my word for it?
Taking all this into consideration, using a site like www.criminalsearches.com to conduct free searches may be putting you or your company in legal jeopardy. The accuracy of the content and its sources may be easy targets for those of a litigious nature. I suppose we'll have to wait until someone who is wrongfully denied employment based on information reported from this site files a lawsuit and this all plays out in court to see if indeed a "free" criminal search is worthwhile.
When it comes to conducting criminal searches, the safest choice has been and always will be county level searches. This is when someone actually goes to the county courthouse and requests information on the subject in question. Is it quicker than a database search? Not by any means. Depending on the county in question the search may take anywhere from 2 to 15 days. But, is it more reliable? Yes. But you still need to be diligent. If someone moved into Maricopa County 2 years ago, they might not have a criminal record in Maricopa County. But, the county they just moved from, Pinal County, may show lots of criminal history. Always search previous counties where someone has lived for at least the last 7 years. This will cost more and take time, but check with your background check company. Most will offer you a package deal on the county criminal searches, such as up to 3 counties included in the initial price. You will probably still be charged any additional court fees, if applicable. In the end, this will save you costly legal fees.