County Criminal Searches
Accurate Background electronically links to federal, state and local courthouses via a secure court interface. With direct, real-time admittance into over 1800 county courts, efficiency and turnaround time is greatly improved when our in-house researchers use our CourtAxis system. (This is not a database; rather it is an access tool to obtain the identical information, as if you physically were present in the court house.)
County Criminal Searches examine criminal records in county courts, and research any felony and/or misdemeanor cases reported on an applicant. These searches yield levels of offense, charges, file numbers, file dates, disposition and sentences. We provide a standard 7 year search; however, longer time frames are permissible in many counties (and may be permissible based on industry specific regulations). Accurate Background has the capability to conduct searches in any county within the United States.
Many companies provide only misdemeanors that are filed in conjunction with a felony case. These are referred to as "related misdemeanors", which are simply detected on a Superior Court level; cases with smaller offenses, such as Petty Theft are not reported and therefore not found in the competitor's search. If the search is conducted in both courts, there is frequently a charge per court. Accurate Background searches both the Superior and Municipal county seats for one price; this comprehensive search provides both felonies and misdemeanors at a competitive value.
It is recommended that County Criminal Searches are ordered in conjunction with Accurate Background's National SSN/Address Locater (SSN Trace), as multiple counties may be identified. Frequently, applicants will not report residential addresses in counties where they have had criminal activity.
Federal Criminal Search
Accurate Background's Federal Criminal Searches retrieve state level records from Federal District courts to discover crimes committed against the United States Government. Federal Criminal Searches reveal offenses such as bank robbery, tax evasion, Internet crimes, and mail fraud.
FederalPlus
Federal criminal cases are typically filed without defendant identifiers. Therefore, positive identification for inclusion in the background report is extremely difficult. If a Federal Criminal Search does return a possible case, Accurate Background's FederalPlus service automatically conducts additional research to uncover personal identifiers associated with the federal case. Our unique processes and methods reveal information from each of the 92 federal districts. This extra measure assures a prospective employer that a federal conviction report identifies the convicted criminal and confirms the correct case information is being reported.
National Criminal Database
The National Criminal Database is a proprietary database compiled from US court records. The data is sourced from county courts, statewide criminal databases, as well as sex offender and correctional databases. The National Criminal Database is updated on a weekly or monthly basis depending on the original source.
Data is also included from:
- Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) - Limited Access
- FBI's Most Wanted Terrorist List
- FBI's Most Wanted Fugitive List
- Wanted fugitive lists published by ten additional federal agencies, such as the US Department of Justice, US Customs Service, US Marshals Service, US Secret Service, US Drug Enforcement Agency, etc.
- Wanted fugitive lists published by numerous state and local law enforcement agencies
Statewide Criminal Record Searches
Provides statewide searches for felony and/or misdemeanor convictions (where available) on State repositories. Not all states allow public access to statewide criminal records information. Some allow access, while others require written application forms. Access may require a specific authorization form or specific identifying information such as full name, address, date of birth, social security number, and county of residence.
Information provided by a statewide record system may be incomplete due to limited date ranges or the limited number of courts and offenses for which records are maintained. Depending on the state, statewide criminal record repositories vary in detail and scope. There is no overall standard or federal law that determines how records of crimes (felonies or misdemeanors) are collected, indexed, searched, or used. The data available may reflect arrest information obtained by police departments, county cases forwarded from local courts, or other criminal reporting agencies by the state.
This product alone is not compliant with the FCRA and cannot be the only tool used to determine an applicant's suitability for employment. This search is solely intended to provide a broader approach to uncover possible criminal activity beyond where the documented evidence points. Hiring decisions must not be based solely upon the results of just the Statewide Criminal Record Search per the FCRA.
