If you need a free criminal background check on someone, they are very easy to obtain. All you have to do is take a trip down to your local courthouse, get a hold of all the public records on this person, and spend some time reading them over. Public access is a great thing, but many times you do not get everything you are looking for on them. When this happens, you have to take other routes to getting the proper information.

While this is the most common way of getting a free criminal background check, there are places online that can make it more convenient. In the comfort of your own home and the click of the mouse, it can take you straight to the same information people get from the courthouse. However, everything is not as easy as it sounds. Below you will find the pros and cons to the online systems.

The Pros

Accessibility is one of the best features to getting a free criminal background check online. Over the years the government has issued public criminal records for everyone to see. This is due in part to sex offenders and many other people who have been convicted of other crimes living near you. It is basically a way to keep us informed about our surroundings to keep each and every family safe.

Another major benefit is the ability to find out detailed information about someone you would not be able to find in the local courthouse. It does not matter if it is a recent or outdated arrest, felonies, misdemeanors, driving violations, police records, or parole violations. Even a DUI will come up on the results if there is one issued by an officer of the law. This is a great benefit for individuals or companies looking to hire new employees.

The Cons

While all the benefits are great and we have not even given you all the details, there are some hiccups along the way. A free criminal background check on the Internet is not the same as driving down to the public records department. When a site says, “free” they really mean you will receive minimal information unless you pay for more.

The usual amount is the person’s name you are searching for, their age, and location. When you want to review the results, you are taken to a separate page that will want to charge you for the rest. So if you really want the information provided by a free criminal background check, it is really not free at all. This leaves some people frustrated with the results, which in turn leads them right back to the courthouse.

Weighing the Options

Even though the information in the last couple paragraphs may turn you away from using a free criminal background check, wait a minute. No matter what you are thinking right now, the price it costs to utilize this tool is extremely low. Seriously, we are talking only pennies a day. Just weigh your options because for what it costs you to go to the courthouse and spend time searching, it probably costs less doing everything online.