The Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA) has announced in a press release that fingerprint-based background checks are incomplete and should not be solely relied upon.
According to the 2015 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, fingerprint-based checks only reflect data the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) receives from participating state and local jurisdictions. Many do not report complete arrest records or final dispositions. This omission means fingerprint searches can return incomplete or outdated criminal histories, potentially misrepresenting an individual’s background. The PBSA highlighted that relying on such passive collection systems can result in "a large number of incomplete or even inaccurate files."
According to the GAO, in 2012 only 20 states reported submitting final case dispositions for at least 75 percent of their criminal records to the FBI. This means that in the majority of jurisdictions, the FBI database lacks information on case outcomes. This underreporting creates gaps in criminal histories that fingerprint checks access and rely upon. Furthermore, the GAO warned these incomplete records can delay employment or licensing decisions and negatively affect applicants.
The Department of Justice’s 2006 Attorney General’s Report on Criminal History Background Checks noted that the FBI database was never intended as the sole source for work-eligibility screenings. It urged users to verify records through commercial databases and local court searches for more comprehensive, timely information. Former Attorney General Eric Holder also criticized fingerprint checks, stating they include arrest data without reliably indicating convictions or dismissals, potentially unfairly penalizing individuals.
The Professional Background Screening Association is a nonprofit trade association representing background screening firms in the U.S. and globally. PBSA develops standards and best practices for ethical, accurate, and legally compliant background screening.