For
criminal defenders an acquittal usually means a job well done. However, some acquitted defendants can still
suffer from their interactions with the criminal justice system, due to the
increasing reliance of potentially inaccurate FBI background checks. These individuals can see their future job opportunities limited because an arrest can remain on their criminal record
without an explanation. An incomplete or incorrect background check
can drastically impair a person’s ability to find or hold a job, especially
when FBI background checks often fail to report the final outcome of an arrest. Therefore, those who have been arrested, but
have not been charged with a crime, suffer merely for their brief interaction with
the criminal justice system. For these reasons, when faced with a client who is
acquitted or arrested and not charged, criminal defense attorneys must
aggressively move to expunge arrest records to prevent a future detriment to a
client from an inaccurate background check.
