To ensure safety for in-person communities, visitor management systems (VMS) use a variety of tools. These can include pre-visit registration, identity verification, criminal data checks, visitor badges, internal notifications, and more. How exactly does criminal data fit into all of this? In this blog, we’ll be breaking down what criminal data entails, why it’s a critical component of on-site safety, and how to implement it effectively to protect communities. 

Why to use criminal data for visitor management 

A variety of organizations rely on a VMS to increase facility security, protect on-site communities, and help meet complex compliance requirements in regulated industries. While background checks are thorough, they are costly, time-intensive, and impractical when considering the high volume of visitors some establishments (such as hospitals or universities) may see on a daily basis.

A far more streamlined Trust & Safety solution is criminal data checks. Screening visitors against a criminal database is both cost-effective and enables instant identification of any relevant criminal records. With more visibility into visitor data, organizations can feel empowered to make better informed decisions about who should have access to their facilities.

Key benefits of criminal data for visitor management systems

With criminal data, your VMS becomes a solution that is both trustworthy and scalable. More than ever, communities and businesses are requiring first-rate safety solutions to keep people safe.Give your customers the confidence that your visitor management system can protect vulnerable populations (schools, healthcare facilities, senior living facilities), safeguard valuable assets (corporate offices, financial institutions), or reduce risk in high-density areas (event venues, apartment complexes).

Let’s dive into what exactly criminal data can do for visitor management systems.

1. Offer diverse data sources for deeper insights and wider customer reach

Often, the only type of criminal data VMS providers use (if any) is sex offender data. While sex offender data is a good baseline, it is not a one-size-fits-all solution. By tapping into multiple sources, visitor management systems can provide more holistic information about individuals. In fact, 62% of respondents to a 2020 Visitor Management Report are leveraging or intending to leverage internal or external watchlists in visitor management systems. Below are additional sources that can strengthen a platform’s overall trust and safety:

• Arrest Records
• Warrant Records
• Security Watchlists
• Court Records
• Department of Corrections Records

Furthermore, because a variety of organizations use visitor management systems, more data streams enable VMS providers to serve a wider range of customers. And offering multiple data sources increases the likelihood that clients will find what they are looking for. It’s a win-win.

2. Allow filtering for relevant criminal data to make informed Trust & Safety decisions

Criminal data provides a fuller picture with which to assess the risk someone brings to a facility. However, discerning what data is actually relevant to a community’s on-site safety may require further consideration. For example, someone with a record for trespassing may pose a high risk in an apartment complex but a lower risk at a sporting event. A technology company would likely not allow someone convicted of computer crimes onto their premises, but a gym probably would. It’s important to keep in mind that using criminal data comes with more nuance than indiscriminately restricting access for anyone with a record. Rather, criminal data equips organizations with the information necessary to make decisions that improve Trust & Safety for their communities.

3. Gain a competitive edge and set the standard for the future of visitor management safety

Get ahead of the competition with robust and thoughtful safety measures that go above and beyond average. Be first in class by implementing diverse data sources and filtering options to help organizations quickly identify bad actors and mitigate safety and security risks.

Provide comprehensive data needed to protect all kinds of communities. Adding the ability to screen visitors against criminal data, sex offender registries, external security watchlists, and more will establish your VMS as a trusted industry leader.

How Checkr Trust Enhances Safety for Visitor Management 

Through solutions such as Checkr Trust’s Safety Screening, VMS providers can leverage criminal data to maintain high standards for Trust & Safety measures on their platforms. Visitor management systems protect some of our most vulnerable populations, so it is of paramount importance that you have the right data to work with. Whether for a large enterprise or a small business, VMS providers can benefit from leveraging criminal data to safeguard employees, customers, brand reputation, intellectual property, physical assets, and revenue.

We want to partner with you to build safer communities. With Checkr Trust, you’ll:

• Gain access to one of the largest criminal databases available in the United States,
• Be able to search criminal data that covers 99% of the US population
• Work with a leading people data provider
• Receive fast data delivery via API directly to your VMS

Together, we can make a difference. Contact us to learn how to get started using criminal data for visitor management systems.