How Is A Criminal Background Check Conducted?

A background check is a necessity for many reasons like safety, assurance, and much more. Many colleges, educational institutions, and offices need to deal with different people on a daily basis. Therefore, they need to ensure the safety and security of their campus as it affects their reputation directly.

Candidates must not worry about a National Police Check and should be mentally prepared to get one. It is very helpful if you know the process beforehand. If you have any issues regarding the procedure, then you must notify the authorities immediately.

Here is a detailed description of the verification procedure:

A. Step One

The first step for any verification is your consent or approval. While taking admission or applying for a job, you will have to give your written permission. Most establishments will ask you to fill out their content forms before sending your documents for verification.

Though verification is a compulsion in most places, it will still require the candidate’s authorization. If you have any objections to it, you can state it before the process takes place.

B. Step Two

A National Police Check will scan your documents and tally them with the central database. The database has a record of all the people whom the police need to know. If a name is on the list, then it requires detailed scrutiny.

The next part of the process is taken care of manually by the police. The police will further verify the documents and check the history of the case. They take into account the charges, tenure, fine, and nature before submitting a detailed analysis.

C. Step Three 

After a detailed analysis of your documents, you will get a clearance certificate. This clearance certificate means that no you have any criminal records in that particular state or region.

Your recruiter or college will keep a copy of the certificate, and you can keep one too. You can reuse the certificate for all your future needs.

D. Step Four

After the verification, you will get your certificate through the post. Both international and national applicants can apply for scrutiny, and they get the certificate after 48 hours.

There are a few other things that you must keep in mind while getting a National Police Check:

A. Validity

Firstly, there is no fixed validity period for the clearance certificate. It depends on the establishment or the hiring company. A particular check will cover the history till the date of issue. So if your company wants an updated certificate, then you need to provide one.

However, many companies may accept an older certificate, too, depending on the company norms and policies. With educational institutes, it is mainly till the date of your admission. Do remember that if the college authorities require a clearance certificate at any point in time, they can ask for it.

B. You Have Say in It

If any organization or establishment says that a National Police Check is mandatory, that does not mean you do not have a say. You can raise an issue and ask for reasons regarding the verification. If you wish to opt out of it, then you may. But it is also possible that without confirmation, they might not accept the application.

There can be several reasons for not agreeing to verification. Always remember that it is a standard rule to submit a clearance certificate. Therefore, it is not specifically for an applicant based on color, caste, gender, or class.

There are no intentions to hurt anybody’s emotions or sentiments. It is purely for safety and security purposes. It benefits the institution and also the candidate to establish a long-term association.

C. Exemptions

It is essential that you never lie about your background because it can raise further doubts regarding your application. It may be possible that there is a police record, but you should not deny it.

There are exemptions for adults and minorities for any questionable behavior in the past. However, paying the fine, serving good behavior, or completing the community service period will not affect the certificate. Even after correcting the behavior, the offense will remain on the certificate.

But they will undergo omission if:

1. There is a gap of three or five years from the last offense to the date of application. It is valid for minors and juveniles.
2. There is a gap of ten years from the last offense to the date of verification for adults.

Conclusion

A National Police Check is quick, hassle-free, and genuine. Applicants should not shy away from a background check. It is cardinal to understand that it will not disrupt your progress but make it smooth.

A clearance certificate and the willingness to get one shows that you are an honest person. It makes way for better, transparent communication between the applicant and the establishment.