Providence County, Rhode Island

Providence County, the most populous in Rhode Island, contains the state capital and about 638,000 residents. Nearby counties include Bristol, Kent, and Windham counties, plus Bristol, Norfolk, and Worcester counties in Massachusetts. Major area employers include Brown University, Verizon, and Walmart. 

Home to one of the most densely populated cities in the region after Boston, Providence County is a destination for many people seeking a thriving place to live. Frequent new arrivals means consistent demand for open positions—however, employers face unique challenges when handling these applications. 

What can employers do to take full advantage of the diverse population and growth taking place in Providence without unnecessary risks? A resume doesn’t indicate if an applicant was ever convicted of a relevant crime, and an interview might not reveal all that you need to know to hire safely. Today’s businesses must use every resource at their disposal, including thorough criminal history vetting tools. 

What does a thorough process for using background checks look like? Employers should look for criminal records in the area near their business, then go farther afield. Providence County records will reveal if an applicant has a local criminal record, which may not prove suitable for your business. If you don’t find anything locally, it is no guarantee your applicant doesn’t have a record somewhere else. Looking at criminal data held state-wide, and regionally may turn up critical information. 

Criminal history reports are highly useful tools, but it is crucial to use them within the boundaries of the law to avoid exposure to liability or claims of discrimination. Rhode Island uses a state-wide “ban the box” law that prohibits private employers from asking about convictions on an initial application. Employers must delay these inquiries until the first interview.  

Federal law lays out additional guidelines, establishing what constitutes discrimination in the Civil Rights Act. The FCRA requires employers to gain an applicant’s consent before checking their background. 

With a clear legal understanding and framework, it’s time for your business to start processing applicants. Explore their local history first with the backgroundchecks.com county-level criminal record search. To see results from other Rhode Island counties and New England states, switch to the US OneSEARCH. Scaling easily to suit small nonprofits and growing SMBs, our reports are always easy to read and filled with details that make hiring simpler.  

These tools source information from state and local authorities with no affiliation to backgroundchecks.com. Data is subject to change. When necessary, we provide on-site courthouse record searches by request. Results within three business days.

Our tools use information from the: 

• Rhode Island Admin Office of the Courts – Felony and misdemeanor records from 1980-present, updated monthly
• Rhode Island Department of Corrections – Felony records from 1990-present, updated monthly
• Rhode Island Sex Offender Registry – Updated bi-weekly

These reports may contain a subject’s: 

• Name
• Offense
• Sentence

Take full control of the hiring process and determine who among your Providence County applicants fits your business the best with trusted employee vetting tools.

Learn more about our county background check options