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                            Library & Multimedia
 The Problem with Criminal Records: Discrepancies between State Reports and Private-sector Background Checks
NCJ Number
              308600
Journal

*Criminology* Volume: Online Dated: 2024
Author(s)
          Sarah Lageson;
                        Robert Stewart
Date Published

February 2024
Annotation
              This article report on their analysis of a sampling of criminal records for 101 people to determine the level of false-positive or false-negative reports that occur in the private sector; they define specific problems with private sector criminal records; and provide qualitative examples of how those errors can limit access to social opportunities.
Abstract
              Criminal records are routinely used by employers and other institutional decision-makers who rely on their presumed fidelity to evaluate applicants. In this paper, the authors analyze criminal records for a sample of 101 people, comparing official state reports, two sources of private-sector background checks (one regulated and one unregulated by federal law), and qualitative interviews. Based on their analysis, the authors conclude that private-sector background checks are laden with false-positive and false-negative errors: 60 percent and 50 percent of participants had at least one false-positive error on their regulated and unregulated background checks, and nearly all (90 percent and 92 percent of participants, respectively) had at least one false-negative error. The authors define specific problems with private sector criminal records: mismatched data that create false negatives; missing case dispositions that create incomplete and misleading criminal records; and incorrect data that create false positives. Accompanying qualitative interviews show how errors in background checks limit access to social opportunities ranging from employment to education to housing and violate basic principles of fairness in the legal system. (Published Abstract Provided)
      
  
          Additional Details
Grant Number(s)
        2017-IJ-CX-0036


  
  
        
  Agencies
        NIJ-Sponsored


  
  
        
  Publication Type
        Research (Applied/Empirical)


  
  
        
  Award
        Multi-level Analyses of Accuracy and Error in Digital Criminal Record Data
    
  
  
Date Published: February 1, 2024
    
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