Blog, Resources
It is commonly thought that a fingerprint background check is an all-encompassing background screening. No two fingerprints are alike, so the background check would be accurate, right? However, the criminal records associated with the fingerprint are sometimes incomplete. We will go into detail explaining what a fingerprint background check is, the industries that use it, and its accuracy.
What is a fingerprint background check?
Fingerprints used to be stamped onto a paper card and sent to an expert who would compare the fingerprint to the others in the database. Now, fingerprints are captured digitally from a scanner. This process is cleaner and faster than what was previously done. Fingerprints are stored in the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) database.
What does it show?
A person’s fingerprint can identify a lot of information about a person. A fingerprint can pinpoint a person’s birth date, name, address and employment status. It can also identify a person’s criminal record, which includes criminal arrests, charges, and dispositions of cases. Over 70 million criminal backgrounds along with fingerprints are stored in the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS).
Do companies still use fingerprint background checks?
In short, yes. Many industries are mandated to include fingerprinting in their pre-employment background screening. Some of these industries that require fingerprinting are education, health care, and child care. Millions of Americans each year apply for these positions and are fingerprinted.
How accurate is a fingerprint background check?
No two fingerprints are the same, which is why fingerprinting can be accurate. A fingerprint can’t be faked. However, the record that goes along with the fingerprint isn’t always complete.
In the case of fingerprint background checks, some records, such as misdemeanor drug offenses, public intoxication and disorderly conduct, can be missed simply because the crime is a ticketed offense in that area and doesn’t require being fingerprinted in the first place.
The associated information is oftentimes inaccurate or incomplete. For case dispositions, many records that are submitted to the FBI do not include the court’s final ruling. Sadly, there is no universal reporting methodology and local regulations vary, which is a big part of the problem. It is up to the states and local agencies to decide what is reported to the FBI database.
What is a good solution?
The best solution is not to depend solely on one source expecting to return a 100 percent accurate and completed criminal background report. Combined reports are the best options to get a thorough background check.
That is why at SELECTiON.COM® we always recommend a thorough approach to your pre-employment discovery and background check procedure.
We bundle reporting based specifically upon the needs of our clients, combining granular criminal reporting from the actual counties of residency and the most complete national criminal database in the industry.
Contact us today to see how SELECTiON.COM® can take your employment background check process to the next level.
NOTE: The contents of this article are not legal advice for your particular situation. You should neither act nor rely upon anything stated in this article without first consulting your own legal counsel.
Blog, Resources
According to The Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS), which is maintained by the FBI, there are currently 78-million subjects in its criminal master fingerprint file.
When you take into consideration that slightly more than one in three American adults has a criminal record, that number seems low. Especially when you consider that over the past 20 years authorities have made more than a quarter of a billion arrests, according to the FBI.
America now houses roughly the same number of people with criminal records as it does four-year college graduates. In fact, the number of Americans with criminal records today is larger than the entire U.S. population in 1900.
All of this isn’t meant to disparage the use of fingerprints as part of any company or organization’s background check process, because it is absolutely true that the use of fingerprints for identity verification does have its advantages.
For one thing, fingerprint data is unique and cannot be falsified.
However, the associated information is oftentimes inaccurate or incomplete. That’s especially true as it relates to case dispositions, because many records submitted to the FBI don’t report the court’s final ruling.
A big part of the problem is that there is no universal reporting methodology and local regulations vary. Thus, the FBI database is reliant solely upon what state and local agencies choose to originally report.
That is why at SELECTiON.COM® we always recommend a thorough approach to your pre-employment discovery and background check procedure.
We bundle reporting based specifically upon the needs of our clients, combining granular criminal reporting from the actual counties of residency and the most complete national criminal database in the industry.
Next week, we’ll talk about our Search America™ product and the benefits that it brings to any criminal history reporting. If you can’t wait until then, I’ll be happy to talk to you right now. Call me at (800) 325-3609, extension 3024.
SOURCES:
“Fbi — Iafis”. Fbi.gov. 1999-07-28. Archived from the original on 2012-09-21. Retrieved 2012-09-14.
Fields, G., & Emshwiller, J.R. “As Arrest Records Rise, Americans Find Consequences Can Last a Lifetime.” The Wall Street Journal, 18 Aug. 2014. Web.
Friedman, Matthew. “As Many Americans Have Criminal Records As College Diplomas.” Web blog post. Just Facts. Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law, 17 Nov. 2015. Web.
Blog
In order to do a complete and comprehensive background check for potential employees, most companies request Social Security Numbers (SSN.)
But what happens if an applicant refuses to disclose their SSN?
It’s important that your company have a policy in place regarding SSN Disclosure. Depending on whether your company is hiring employees or volunteers, your policy may differ.
For employees—there is no way around SSN Disclosure. Providing a Social Security Number is an important step in the background check process. It provides information that Name and Date of Birth simply would not. And according to the Federal Privacy Act of 1974, companies are allowed to require SSN disclosure for various reasons. There are no legal protections that allow applicants to refuse to provide their SSN.
For volunteers—it can depend on your company’s views. It is not 100% necessary to require your volunteers to disclose. However, like we stated above, Social Security Numbers give you access to information about potential volunteers that you may need. If you do not require volunteers to disclose you cannot, however, obtain certain types of reports, e.g. Social Security Number Trace Reports, some County Criminal Reports, etc. A lot of reports just simply cannot be run without SSNs.
For potential employees, it is not “illegal” to require them to disclose their SSN. And in order to protect your business and employees, it is necessary. For potential volunteers, it will depend on your company’s policy and which type of reports you want to run.
Background checks can be tricky and with so many laws and regulations it can be hard to keep track. The best response to an applicant not disclosing their SSN, is to follow your company’s policy and consult with a company lawyer. And since an applicant’s Social Security Number is not protected under current law, it can be required.
NOTE: The contents of this article are not legal advice for your particular situation. You should neither act nor rely upon anything stated in this article without first consulting your own legal counsel.
Blog
On September 28, 2012, Ohio Senate Bill 337 went into effect. The new law is also known as the “Collateral Sanctions” bill and removes some restrictions connected to job searching for ex-offenders.
This new law has affected the FBI and Ohio BCI fingerprint process and has altered their fingerprinting turnaround times. The minimum fingerprint turnaround time for anyone who has had an arrest is currently 45 days, but can take up to 90 days. Please note: This only affects the turnaround time of fingerprint requests, not Selection.com’s other background check reports.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) is no longer able to release charges that are dismissed, or that do not have a disposition. This has created a backlog for background checks for individuals that have criminal history. According to BCI officials, the backlog does not affect background checks that do not have criminal history, and those background checks are still processing within the normal turnaround time.
BCI reports that its current computer system is not designed to easily remove the charges that can no longer be released from individuals’ reports. This, combined with the problem that many charges do not have a disposition attached and now have to be researched, has caused the backlog. BCI is working to make changes to systems that will allow the agency to process all background checks within 30 days, but at this point does not know how long it will take for all the changes to be put into place.
We recommend that employers submit their fingerprint background check requests as soon as possible for new and potential hires. Selection.com will continue to monitor the situation and notify you of any changes.
Some other highlights of the bill include:
- Expands offenders’ ability to apply to have their criminal records sealed to one felony conviction and one misdemeanor conviction, or two misdemeanors.
- Reduces the penalties for driving with a suspended license when that offense is not a central factor in the crime and allows the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles to create a repayment plan for license reinstatement fees.
- Allows courts to grant limited driving privileges when a license is suspended because of violating a child support order.
- Allows judges to consider a parent’s incarceration when determining earning capacity for child support.
- Decreases the penalty for use or possession of marijuana paraphernalia to a minor misdemeanor.
- Certificates of Qualification for Employment. These judge-granted certificates would relieve specific legal job barriers for eligible people with criminal records who could demonstrate their rehabilitation. Also, employers that hire Certificate holders would be protected from negligent-hiring liability.
- Reduces criminal-record-based restrictions for cosmetologists, optical dispensers, salvage-yard dealers, construction-trade workers, hearing-aid dealers and fitters, and security guards.
To read Ohio Senate Bill 337, click Here.
