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Frequently Asked Questions - Criminal History Reports


Frequently Asked Questions - Criminal History Reports
 
How can Criminal History Searches benefit my company?
Criminal History Searches will provide your company with better employee screening methods, resulting in more informed employment decisions.

 Employment customers can be setup with access to these reports in a matter of minutes. Click here for more information.
Insurance customers interested in criminal reports must establish an account for employment purposes.

To learn more, contact Sales at 800-683-8553, Option 1 or chat online.
 
What information is required to order a Criminal History Report?
The Last Name, First Name, Date of Birth, and Social Security Number (SSN) are required.
 
What are the various turnaround times for Criminal History Reports?
Instant - This report is a database report. The turnaround time for "Instant" reports range from 15 - 60 seconds.

Same Day - This report is a combination of a database and 3rd party source report. The request will be returned the same day if the request is made prior to the 2pm cutoff time.

1+ Days - These reports are almost always not available in database form, some manual process takes place. The turnaround times shown for each of the products is an average turnaround time and could vary greatly.
 
Generally, what type of information is contained within each of the reports?
Disclaimer:  The report definitions below are very generalized.  Please be sure to check the state definitions individually. These definitions are available within ExpressNet by clicking on the information icon () to the right of the report.

Criminal - This type of report searches felony and/or misdemeanor information within state agencies and along with state and county courts. It's important to note that criminal reports will search different agencies within a state.  The criminal reports do not contain sex offender information.

Criminal Comprehensive - This type of report is much like the Criminal report from above. More agencies and inmate/counties are searched within a Criminal Comprehensive. Many states included the sex offender information as part of the criminal comprehensive report. 

Inmate / Conviction - This type of report returns incarceration data. It will provide information such as the incarceration facility, length of incarceration, offense, and release date.

Single County Search - This type of report is a manual search performed at the county level. When a report is ordered for a particular county, a researcher is sent out to this county to retrieve felony and/or misdemeanor charges placed on the submitted person. This information could be contained within a computer terminal or filing cabinet, so it's important to note that the turnaround time can vary greatly.  There are some counties that have an online database.

Note: Sex offender information matches on the name only.  The name match is fuzzy.  Smith could be Smithe.  They do not match on the date of birth or the social security number.  iiX will help provide you with a link to the official sex offender registries for each of the states. The states list pictures and descriptions along with the sex offender information.  It could help to rule out someone that may have been listed by name as a sex offender.  Some states list date of birth but many only show the age instead of date of birth.
 
Is there a central, national database where criminal records are stored and tracked in the same way that driver's records are maintained at the state level?   If not, where is the information obtained for criminal reports? 
There is not a single national database of criminal information maintained by a federal agency that can be accessed by employers.  Criminal Histories are unlike MVR (Motor Vehicle Record) reports in this respect.  MVRs are based on records kept by the driver's license issuing agency in the individual's state of residence.  Each person who is licensed to drive has a drivers' license number issued by their state, providing a common reference number to which any actions relating to their driving history may be attached. 

Criminal records - as provided by the courts - generally contain the subjects name and date of birth as identifiers.  Only a small portion - 10% or less - of case records contain a Social Security Number, making the SSN an unsatisfactory reference for creating an individual criminal history "file".  Therefore, criminal history reporting depends on matching the personal information submitted by the employer with information collected from the county and state courts, using only the information provided by the various courts for each case.  This can mean that some matches are reported based on name plus date of birth or SSN, while others (Sex Offender information) are matched on the name only.

The reporting of criminal history is dependent on matching an employer's request information with the data collected from over 3000 state and county courts.  Because the information recorded and reported by each court is not consistent, it is imperative that you carefully screen the criminal record matches received and verify that the person being reported is the same as the person you have requested.
What is the difference between a felony offense and a misdemeanor offense?
This question greatly varies by state. A misdemeanor in a state could possibly be a felony in another. For example, Driving While Under the Influence (DWI) in the state of Texas is considered a misdemeanor, where the same offense could possibly be a Felony in other states.

A general rule: The greater the offense, the more likely it will be a felony. Petty Theft would be a misdemeanor, where Grand Theft Auto would be a Felony.
 
Where can I obtain information on pricing, availability, and further details on Criminal History Reports offered by iiX?
Feel free to give us a call to obtain further information regarding the employment screening services we offer. The iiX sales team will be more than happy to assist you.

Sales: (800) 683-8553, option 1
 
I've already obtained a Criminal History Report from iiX, but am having difficulty reading it. Where can I get help with interpretations?
The iiX support team will be happy to assist you with all interpretations, questions, or problems you have regarding Criminal History Reports or any other reports that iiX currently offers.

Support: (800) 683-8553, option 7, option 2
 
What are "Suggested Reports"?
A report is suggested when the scope of that report would include coverage of one or more of the subjects' previous or current addresses. For example, if an address is found to be covered within a specific criminal report, then it will become a suggested report.
 
Can I use an SSN Verification as "proof positive" that an applicant is the owner of the SSN he has given me?
An SSN Verification does not access official Social Security Administration records directly for this information.

An SSN Verification does access published Social Security Administration information regarding which SSN's are valid, where they were issued, and the date range in which the specified SSN was issued.  An SSN Verification searches records of applications for credit, utility services, phone service, and other services to obtain any names and addresses used in conjunction with the requested SSN.  

On occasion, you might encounter names or addresses being returned that do not match the submitted information. There are several different scenarios that could apply to this situation:

  • The name / address that does not match the submitted subject could possibly be a relative or friend who was listed on a joint credit card account, utility or telephone account, or who co-signed for services or credit.
  • The name / address that does not match the submitted subject could possibly be someone who aided the subject to obtain a credit card, cell phone, or other service that requires a credit check.
  • The name / address that does not match the submitted subject could possibly be the result of human error. It's quite possible to have a scenario where a clerk or agent entering such information could accidentally mistype an incorrect SSN for a person.
  • The most unlikely scenario would be that the submitted subject is a victim of identity theft. If this is suspected, the submitted subject should contact the Social Security Administration directly to report the unauthorized use, but only after careful examination of the results of the SSN Verification.
How is a match analysis performed when running a Multi-state SuperSearch?
iiX requires that a subject's first and last name, date of birth and social security number be submitted at the time of the request. This information will be used to perform a multi-state SuperSearch on the requested subject.

Some important things to consider when viewing the results of this search:

  • SuperSearch uses a "fuzzy name" system to match close possibilities of names submitted. For example, "William" will also be searched under "Bill", "Smithe" will also be searched under "Smith".
     
  • Only 10% of counties nationwide record the social security number in a court case. This means that SuperSearch will only be able to match a social security number 10% of the time. 90% of the time, Super Search will rely on the full name and the date of birth to make its match.
     
  • Sex Offender data will be matched based on the name only, not the date of birth or social security number.
I ran a Criminal History Report and it returned "No Matches Found." What does this mean?
Based on the information submitted, the criminal history search was unable to find a match on the subject. There are several possibilities:
  • Based on the report you selected, the subject has no criminal/inmate information on file. [Most Likely Possibility]
  • Based on the report you selected, the subject was a minor at the time of the conviction and/or prison sentencing.
  • The information you submitted was not accurate enough to make a match. Verify the spelling of the first and last name, date of birth, and social security number.

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If you have suggestions for additional information, or need further assistance, please contact us by e-mail: iiX Customer Support or via phone at (800) 683-8553.