Before the Internet era, all free criminal public records could only be accessed manually. You could not find a nationwide database of free criminal public records anywhere. Small amounts of information were stored in various locations by local communities, parishes, counties, or states. Obtaining criminal records meant going through all local, parish, county, or state registries. This is of course, time-consuming, expensive, and difficult even for a savvy public records researcher.

Many online companies sell criminal public records through the Internet via web portals. Their work usually involves a combination of traditional methods and new technology. The latter comprises a lot of Internet detective work, which means spending hours sifting through countless online databases. Many of these online databases offer free criminal public records; however, few can be trusted to provide you with accurate data so a researcher must be carefull in this aspect of his job.

For most large companies, online searches usually only comprises a small part of the research. The bulk of the job involves physically going to courts, public libraries, hospitals, state registries, to get the documents you want. But no matter how small a part Internet research might play in public records research, it still plays a necessary role.

Free criminal records and background checks helps a company make better-informed decisions during the pre-employment screening. The data they provide are indispensable as they are the determinants of a person’s character. In a way, free criminal records and background checks are steps that a company can take to insure it's security. There have been too many cases in the past where no background checks whatsoever was made on an individual and so when that individual was hired as an employee and then later on committed a crime while doing his or her job, the company was held liable.

Some states in the U.S. have laws requiring free criminal records and background checks during the pre-employment process. States, such as Florida, are especially particular about free criminal records and background checks on certain industries where personal care is provided as a service. Any prospective employee or volunteer of a facility for the elderly, children, and people with disabilities are required by state statute and by federal law to undergo free criminal records and background checks.

Check here for a complete up-to-date database for your Criminal Records Check.