The more you know, the safer you are

Betty Carol Graham

Published Wednesday, August 6, 2008

It is an unfortunate aspect of life these days that we need to know if there are people around posing a threat to our family, our homes, or our businesses. We see the “amber alerts,” the stories of abuse and crime, and our concerns about safety rise.

Laws have been responsive to these concerns. For example, we have strict laws for sex offenders to register with local authorities so they can be monitored. People simply want to take every step they can to protect themselves.

State government has been doing everything it can to ensure the safety of our children. Alabama has implemented one of the most comprehensive criminal background checks in the nation for all K-12 education employees. Teachers to bus drivers, and everyone in between, get fingerprinted and have their names run through state and national criminal databases to see if they had any prior offenses.

The fingerprints are required by the FBI in order to run checks through the bureau’s National Crime Information Center, the only national criminal database. Federal authorities say that fingerprinting is essential to a complete background checks because it is the only way to find out if someone is using a false identity.

The education background checks are administered by the Alabama Department of Public Safety, known to us as the State Troopers, and they are widely seen as successful and cost effective. Every education employee has been checked, and every new applicant gets screened, making sure that there are no predators coming to Alabama trying to work in our schools.

Now, a newly launched service by state government will help small businesses to do criminal background checks for the people they hire and employ.

The Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center is the state agency responsible for gathering and providing information for law enforcement and the criminal justice community. They have a state of the art data center that runs around the clock, supplying the courts and the police with accurate criminal records.

A couple of weeks ago, the center launched the Alabama Background Check (ABC) system. The program allows qualified employers access to Alabama felony and misdemeanor arrest and court conviction records. Usually state criminal records are only available to law enforcement, but changes in Alabama law allowed for this program to be developed. The system is web-based and very secure, and companies that qualify for access to this information can simply use an office computer.

Employers must meet certain qualifications to be approved to use the ABC system, and must also have signed permission from the employee or prospective hire. There is a $75 subscription fee, and each search costs $25. However, when it is all said and done, the ABC checks are a great value compared to what many private firms charge. Moreover, private firms do not access state criminal records.

In the event someone disputes the accuracy of the criminal records identified by the ABC system, they can then submit fingerprints at no additional cost. All checks are recorded to make sure the system isn’t abused.

The ABC system was developed in partnership with Public Safety and the Administrative Office of the Courts. Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb said that the system provides business owners with an effective tool to maintain a safer, more profitable workforce while making sure the state’s records are secure and used properly.

Knowledge is power, and having access to the right information can help improve safety. The Alabama Background Check is just another example of how state government is working for everyone, and getting the most out of every taxpayer dollar.