Conducting a New Jersey Background Check

The process of investigating the background of an individual on the basis of his/her criminal records and credit is what normally constitutes a background check. This is an important tool for most employers, especially when it involves a relatively high position of trust and authority.

A NJ background check involves all of the above, allowing the public to view educational, criminal and driving records. Going through the sex offender registry may also help a prospective employer to retrieve vital information while conducting a New Jersey background check.

Criminal Background Checks

The police department of the state of New Jersey often receives requests from the government as well as businesses to access the criminal history records of individuals as part of their background check procedure. The entire process is described in detail at http://www.state.nj.us/njsp/about/serv_http://www.peoplepublicrecords.org/chrc.html.

Criminal history record information can be accessed by all government agencies, including those belonging to the federal government as well as other state governments. The background check is usually required to be conducted by various government organizations for the purpose of employment or to authorize licenses and permits for individuals.

Security clearance is also another significant reason for accessing the criminal records of an individual. An individual or a company that is non-governmental in nature is permitted to access the personal history of an individual for employment purposes only.

Attorneys as well as private detectives who hold a license from the New Jersey Police department are allowed to access the criminal records of an individual for investigation purposes pertaining to a background check. Although an individual is free to gain access to his/her own records, checking out the criminal records of another person is illegal under the New Jersey state law.

All requests for obtaining criminal history records are required to be made on prescribed forms with the payment submitted to the division of the state police of New Jersey.

The procedure for obtaining your own personal record involves submitting an approved fingerprint card. More information can be found at http://www.state.nj.us/dobi/insliced/livescan.htm.

The required form for your request can be downloaded from http://www.state.nj.us/njsp/info/pdf/092509_universforma.pdf and is required to be submitted along with your complete address. The results are sent to your mailing address after a proper search is conducted by the department.

The fee charged for this service is $41 and $11 may be forfeited from your advance payment if you fail to arrive for your fingerprinting appointment without canceling it beforehand.

Form B, on the other hand, is used by individuals who need to access their own records for the purpose of international adoptions and foreign business - both of which require notarization. The specified form is available at http://www.state.nj.us/njsp/info/pdf/092509_universformb.pdf.

Sex Offender Registry-

The state law of New Jersey requires certain sex offenders to register themselves with the local law enforcement. The information can then be obtained by the general public, which helps them to take adequate precautionary measures.

Going through the sex offender registry will also help you to check out the background of a prospective employee. This method is highly beneficial for retrieving crucial information about caregivers or school personnel. An appropriate search can be conducted by visiting http://www.njsp.org/info/reg_http://www.peoplepublicrecords.org/sexoffend.html.

Financial Background Check-

The citizens of New Jersey can now obtain a free credit report once a year in accordance with the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act. Details can be found at http://www.state.nj.us/dobi/division_consumers/finance/creditreport.htm.

Prospective business partners often require a credit rating before finalizing the details of such a business agreement. Companies are also permitted to approach any one of the three prominent national credit agencies for a credit report. In the eventuality of an organization refusing to offer you a job or insurance on the basis of your latest credit report, you have the legal right to request the name of the reporting agency from the concerned company.

Accessing bankruptcy records is yet another way of finding out more about the financial status of an individual or business. The electronic records of all bankruptcy filings are provided by the public access to court electronic records (PACER). You can also contact the Bankruptcy Court of New Jersey for relevant records.

Information about the bankruptcy court as well as the procedure for obtaining records along with copies of the documents can be found at http://www.njb.uscourts.gov/.

Patriot Act Search-

The relatively recent Patriot Act was signed into law in the year 2001, and provides a comprehensive tool for identifying terrorists who pose a risk to the security of the nation. The list maintained by the Office of Foreign Asset Control, SDN or Specially Designated Nationals, contains a number of terrorists, people aiding terrorist activities and citizens who have a history of drug trafficking. All companies with business interests in the United States of America are required to screen their employees on basis of the SDN list.

Driving Records-

It is possible to obtain your own driving record from the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission by writing to: Abstract Division 225,  East State St., P.O. Box 142, Trenton, NJ 08666-0142. Instances of traffic violations, accidents as well as drunk driving cases are included in the driving record which make it an important part of any background check. Having an MVC account will also enable you to order your own report online from http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/Licenses/driver_history_page.htm .