An Overview of Criminal Background Checks: FBI Records vs. Commercial Checks

• In Event: Criminal Background Checks: Impact on Employment & Recidivism

Abstract

This presentation will provide an overview of key findings from the published report that examines the two main types of criminal background checks available to employers in the United States; those requiring job candidates to submit fingerprints that are then compared to an FBI database, and those conducted by commercial vendors that compare information about the job candidate to public records. The report examines the differences and limitations in the types of criminal background checks employers’ conduct and discusses their impact on the employment prospects for justice-involved people. The research team will present on the methodology undertaken to synthesize the body of literature on background checks, including analysis of interviews with key stakeholders. The research team will conclude by discussing how incomplete and imperfect criminal records affect both employers and job candidates.

Author

• Emily Reimal, The Urban Institute