When it comes to conducting thorough background checks, there are different types of criminal searches available. County, federal, and nationwide criminal searches each offer unique insights into an individual’s criminal history, and knowing the distinctions between them can help businesses make well-informed hiring decisions.
County Criminal Searches
County criminal searches focus on records within a specific county. With over 3,000 counties in the United States, the majority of crimes are prosecuted at the county level. These searches are conducted at the county courthouse and provide the most up-to-date and detailed information about an individual’s criminal history within that jurisdiction. This includes felonies, misdemeanors, and infractions.
Federal Criminal Searches
Federal criminal searches cover crimes prosecuted at the federal level. Some examples of federal offenses include tax evasion, mail fraud, drug trafficking, and crimes that cross state lines. These searches are conducted through U.S. District Courts and provide information on cases that are not typically found in county records. While federal crimes are less common than county-level offenses, they tend to be more severe.
Nationwide Criminal Searches
Nationwide criminal searches aggregate data from multiple sources, including county courts, state repositories, and federal databases. This type of search provides a broad overview of an individual’s criminal history across the entire country. It’s a powerful tool for identifying records outside of where a candidate has lived, worked or studied. However, it’s important to note that nationwide searches may not be as detailed or up to date as county and federal searches, and there can be gaps in the data. Therefore, it is best used only as a supplemental tool for live county and federal courthouse searches. Alliance 2020 confirms the accuracy of any information found on the nationwide search by verifying hits at the county or federal level.
Conclusion
Understanding the differences between county, federal, and nationwide criminal searches is important for businesses striving to conduct thorough background checks. Each type of search serves a different purpose and provides unique insights into a candidate’s background. At Alliance 2020, we offer all three types of searches to help ensure our clients get the most complete picture of their candidate’s background as possible. To learn more about our background screening services, visit our employment screening page!
