If an employer fails to search for previous criminal activity and an employee with a prior criminal history commits a crime on the job, the employer can be held liable. It is recommended that a criminal records search be ordered on all employees. The law allows employers to use public record information, including criminal records, as part of their hiring process. However, one of the most confusing aspects of background screening is the criminal justice system, as there is no one national criminal database.  Each state, each county, each federal jurisdiction, maintains its own records, reporting standards and charges. 

Employers can whittle down the list of databases in which they need to search by confirming prior address history, to enable them to search only in states or counties in which the applicant has resided.

Backgrounds USA is able to establish the existence of a record. This information is critical in identifying individuals with violent or dishonest histories. This report includes the date, court location, name, physical description, descriptions of offense and file/case number. We can search court records in the jurisdiction of residence and employment. We are able to search at the county, statewide and federal level. Backgrounds USA compiles as much information as is publicly available. To assure the most current and accurate information, actual court records, not tape or disc databases are searched. More detailed information or information that dates back beyond the standard 7 years is available upon request.

Following is a list of all the criminal, civil and warrant searches we perform, with a brief description.  For more information on each search, use the navigation headings to the left or click on the search title in the table below