When should I use an instant criminal report versus an on-site countywide search?
If you know or have reason to believe that an applicant has committed a crime in a specific county, you will want to perform an on-site county search. These records are actually filled in that court and are checked by a qualified court records researcher. If it is known that a person has committed an offense in a particular state but not sure where, or if the subject has moved regularly throughout the state, it will be best to perform an instant criminal search. This will cover a much wider area, and turn up the best results. SimpleScreening.com suggests that any results returned by the instant criminal searches be followed up with an on-site county search in the county in which the offense occurred. This will ensure the most accurate and verifiable results.