Experts Recommend Parents Use Criminal
Background Checking Services
Safety experts are starting to recommend that parents use a criminal background
checking service regularly. By running a criminal background check on anyone you find
suspicious or even anyone your child might come into contact with, you'll know if there's
anything to worry about. You'll be armed with the knowledge you need to take
appropriate action.
You can use the search services to check
out your baby sitter, nanny, au pair, day
care center and staff, and even school
teachers and workers.
You can use it to search geographically
and find out if known sex offenders live
near you. It's now possible to determine
exactly where they live.
When You Choose a Criminal Background
Search Service, Here's What to Look For
To help you find the best possible service
for criminal background checking, here are
the things I've found important to consider during a review:
1. Free versus Paid
I've been disappointed by the free services. Better to pay the small fee and get quality
information you can trust. Many of the better services have special offers of multi-year
memberships for a low one-time fee. The cost can be less than what you'd pay for a
low-priced blouse or golf shirt.
2. Speed
You want a service that responds quickly and gives you exactly the information you
need. Make sure you try it out. Check both speed and accuracy!
3. Proprietary Database
If a service compiles their own database, it's a sign they're more likely to be in the
business for the long term. That's because a proprietary database is costly to build and
maintain. A company wouldn't invest if they didn't expect to stay in business.
From a usability standpoint, a dedicated database is better too. You get a single
interface that you can quickly learn.
(One note: I've never seen a free service that has its own database. Most of the free
services I've checked out are really just link farms - they just point you at some public or
gover