Fingerprint criminal background checks are a necessary component of the screening process for many regulated industries. Unlike name-based searches, fingerprint-based checks search FBI and State databases for criminal records, including arrests and convictions.
Fingerprints are unique identifiers. They help investigators link crime scenes involving the same person and provide insight into an individual’s past.
Background Checks
A fingerprint background check searches the FBI’s Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) database for criminal records linked to a person’s prints. This information can include arrest records, convictions, pending charges, and dismissals of cases.
Fingerprint background checks may also be required for professional licensing or employment purposes. Depending on state laws, these screenings can search federal, county, and local civil court records to identify issues like bankruptcy filings or civil suits.
Generally, a person can submit their fingerprints for a background check through a live scan or an ink-and-roll method. A live scan takes all ten fingers and converts them into digital images sent electronically to the FBI’s Secure Image Transmission (SIT) service. Typically, the individual or employer sends demographic information to accompany the fingerprints.
Fingerprint-based background checks can be more reliable than non-fingerprint checks because fingerprints are unique. However, these checks shouldn’t be used as a replacement for a full criminal and financial background check that combines multiple sources of information.
Criminal Record Checks
Criminal checks are a crucial part of the hiring process for many industries. They help businesses avoid hiring embezzlers, fraudsters, and rapists. Criminal checks are also required for regulated industries like healthcare, child care, and financial services.
Fingerprint criminal background check is considered the gold standard because they are more accurate than name-based searches, cutting down on false positives. However, fingerprint-based databases can be infrequently updated and can take weeks to complete compared to the 24-72 hours it takes for most names-based searches.
While criminal record checks can be a powerful tool for employers, they shouldn’t be relied on solely to make employment decisions. HR needs to conduct a comprehensive check, which includes not just the criminal search but also a police information check and a pardoned sex offender database search.
Remembering that criminal records can be sealed or expunged in some jurisdictions is also essential. While these records will not appear on a criminal background check, they might appear in a court or public records search. Also, in some states, non-convictions (like traffic violations) and other legal infractions like citations may not be reported on a background check.
Drug Screening
Drug screening is a crucial element of the hiring process. Employees who abuse prescription medicines or illegal narcotics are more likely to skip work, have accidents at work, and file workers’ compensation claims. Pre-employment and periodic drug screening tests help protect workplace safety and boost productivity by reducing absenteeism and turnover rates.
The fingerprint background checks used in criminal records searches cross-reference a person’s fingerprints with a record of a crime committed against them. While this method is effective in some cases, it can be prone to errors and needs to provide detailed information like a person’s name-based background check.
Candidates must bring a government-issued photo ID to the testing location when they submit to a urine drug test. They also receive a Consent for Drug Screening (CCF), which provides a paper trail of their urine sample’s seizure, custody, control, transfer, analysis, and disposition. This CCF is essential to the federal drug screening program and helps prevent tampering.
Employers must give candidates advanced notice of their intention to conduct a drug test and request written consent before administering it. This notification must stand alone and cannot be hidden within an employment application. Additionally, candidates must be informed that their employment offer is conditional on passing a drug test and that they have the option to withdraw it if they don’t pass the test.
Employment Verification
Using the applicant’s social security number, these checks verify their identity, past employment, and credentials. These checks also uncover any criminal history or civil court judgments they may have. This step is often included in a comprehensive background check, including fingerprinting and other searches.
Fingerprint background checks are a fast and reliable way to obtain an employee’s criminal history record, as they are run through federal and state databases that are more thorough than those used for name-based checks. However, they could be more foolproof. For example, the FBI only reports to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), so those records might not be found if an individual has multiple names or other aliases. The fingerprint databases are also incomplete, as the 10th Amendment allows states to keep much of their criminal data private.
In contrast, name-based searches conducted by a PBSA-accredited screening company are more complete and accurate. Professional screeners use personal identifiers to search multiple federal and state databases and social media sites for arrest and conviction records. They also have faster turnaround times and can integrate with ATS and HRIS management systems to streamline hiring. The bottom line is that fingerprint background checks are essential, but name-based checks are more valuable in promoting safer workplaces and complying with state regulations.
