The 4 Different Types of Criminal Background Checks

When you hear the words criminal background check, it can sound intimidating, even if you don’t have anything to hide. However, if you are hiring an employee, looking for a tenant, or even asking people to spend time with children, you should look into their criminal background.

That being said, it isn’t as easy as it looks on the television. You can’t just make a phone call and have an answer right away. There are different levels, depending on what you are looking for.

Here are some of the different levels of criminal background check available:

County Level Court Records

When searching county-level court records, we start looking at the district court, looking for any felonies. Then, we go to the county court, looking for serious misdemeanors. For extra, we can also search the municipal court, looking for minor misdemeanors and petty offenses.

State Level Court and Arrest Records

When looking at arrest records, you will be able to see that your candidate was arrested and fingerprinted. However, you won’t be able to see what happened afterward. You may not see if they were convicted, though if you see multiple arrests, you may see a pattern of behavior that you don’t want with a potential candidate.

Court records will show any misdemeanors and felony cases that were tried throughout the state.

Federal Level Criminal Records

This level consists of arrest and conviction records. However, the results may not give you much information. You may only find a little information about the case, including the defendant’s name, case number, type, and some details. Further research may be required to get the full story.

International Criminal Records

Our international criminal record searches look for any crimes and offenses that may have occurred where your candidate may have lived before. However, what information we can find depends on the country itself. Each country has its own laws and regulations that must be followed.

Learn More About Criminal Background Checks

If you want a true background check, you are going to need to look locally and federally. You also should do a state-wide search. If your candidate lived elsewhere, you might want to include an international check!