It is not uncommon to find other background screening companies lowering the cost of a background check by simply saying that a National Criminal Database Search “includes sex offenders.” This approach has left many HR professionals unaware of the potential gap in their background screening program.
The truth is, just because your National Criminal Database Search includes some sex offender data, it does not mean it will have the sex offender information on your candidate. A National Sex Offender Registry is a “live” search of sex offender specific records provided by individual state and local registries. If you are getting your sex offender information through a National Criminal Database Search, you might be missing out on sex offenses or critical crime details.
Often sex offenders relocate, sometimes frequently, for a variety of reasons, including moves to different states with different regulations surrounding sex offender registry reporting. A search targeting specific county criminal records and state sex offender registries may create gaps in search areas. Would you want to be looking in the wrong jurisdiction? Augmenting criminal searches with a National Sex Offender Registry search creates more chances to find a sex offender who may fall through the gaps in a background check.
Any HR professional concerned with finding sex offender information may benefit from a layered approach to sex offender background checks, combining the information sources of a national criminal database and criminal searches with a dedicated sex offender registry. If you are not doing a real time search of the National Sex Offender Registry or are unsure of what you are doing, schedule a consultation to start exploring your screening options.