How to Perform a Background Check

How to Perform a Background Check

Every day, people just like you wonder how to perform a background check. Law enforcement agencies and employers have their own methods that work for them, but those methods don’t help you as a private citizen. So, how exactly does a private citizen go about getting a background check? There are a couple of methods you can use and they may be easier than you think.

County Court and Sheriff’s Department Resources

Many courts and sheriff’s department websites contain a lot of this kind of information. It might take a while because you have to manually search through court and arrest records to find the information you need. This can be especially laborious if you need to check across several counties. That being said, this method is the most efficient if you only need to check in one county.

There are other shortcomings of this method, unfortunately. Not every county will have the same amount of information available, nor will it always be accurate, or even up to date. Typically, larger counties with lots of staff and resources are able to keep an accurate database up and running that is updated multiple times a day with accurate information, so their databases are always kept up to date.

The real problem arises if you happen to need to check in a smaller county. Smaller counties typically don’t have the same resources or personnel that larger counties have, and this can lead to some issues. Inaccurate information and out-of-date databases are common among counties that lack the resources, and some counties opt to not have a database like this easily accessible to the public as a measure to save some of their resources for something else.

Online Background Check Companies as Resources

As the internet has grown, many companies have sprouted up to step up to the plate to provide private citizens with background reports. Many of these companies strive to provide only the most up-to-date, accurate information that they have available. In most cases, it’s as easy as filling out the form with all of the required information and clicking a button.

Most of these companies are able to provide detailed reports, instantly. Usually, they are able to include everything from criminal records to driving records and even phone records if those happen to be available. These companies have access to public records databases all across the country, so when you’re performing a search through one of these websites you’re actually simultaneously conducting a search through every database that they have available.

These services are able to save you a good deal of time and hassle if you have multiple counties you need to check and can save you a lot of trouble if any of the counties you need to check to lead your straight to a dead end. These companies are dedicated to making background checks simple and accessible to every public citizen.

Background Checks for Your Safety

There are many reasons why private citizens might want to conduct a background check on someone. Maybe you have a new potential love interest and you want to make sure that they don’t have a criminal history, or you just got a new neighbor that you don’t trust. Regardless of your reasons, thanks to the growth of the internet and the many resources found on it, it’s easier than ever for anyone to get a high-quality background check instantly.
