Equifax-powered criminal screening
In partnership with Equifax®, 3rd Degree Screening offers Smart Screen™ — a suite of background screening solutions that leverages a robust proprietary incarceration data network and sex offender registry network to deliver faster, more reliable criminal background checks, helping reduce manual reviews, reduce errors, and speed up your hiring decisions.
Instant result
Equifax-powered
PBSA Accredited
Background Screening Association
FCRA Certified Staff
Fair Credit Reporting Act
100% US-Based
Support and Operations
Licensed Private Investigative Agency
State-Licensed & Bonded
Two powerful Smart Screen™ solutions
For screeners and employers seeking to simplify and expedite their workflow, TalentCheck instantly checks a robust incarceration data network and sex offender registry network using just a social security number — delivering a "no records found" result when applicable and helping reduce manual research from the start.
When a more comprehensive search is required, CourtCheck takes screening further by also performing automated court research in covered jurisdictions when an instant result is not available — with digital retrieval where possible and detailed court record outputs delivered in 24 hours or less.
Smart Screen™ leverages two comprehensive data networks — a national incarceration database and a sex offender registry network — providing more reliable information than standard court-only searches.
Smart Screen™ operates within the strict guidelines of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, helping ensure legal and ethical data usage at every step of the screening process.
Smart Screen™ is fully integrated within the 3rd Degree Screening software platform — available in the same workflow as your other background check orders with no separate login, process, or vendor relationship required.
Smart Screen cut our criminal check turnaround by more than half. Getting instant results on most checks means our hiring managers are not waiting days for answers they need in hours.
Sarah M.
HR Operations Director
The automated court research in CourtCheck eliminated the majority of our manual review work. Our team now spends their time on genuine exceptions — not routine follow-up on every check.
James K.
Background Screening Manager
Equifax-powered means we trust the data. Smart Screen gives us the speed our hiring pipeline demands without sacrificing the accuracy our compliance team requires.
Patricia R.
Talent Acquisition Lead
Instant
Incarceration database results
No wait for most checks
24 Hours
Court record outputs
Where available
Automated
Court research
In covered jurisdictions
Equifax®
Powered by Equifax
Proprietary data network
How It Works
Smart Screen™ runs a two-stage process — instant proprietary database checks first, automated court research second — delivering the fastest possible results without manual steps, all within your existing 3rd Degree Screening workflow.
Order Smart Screen™ — TalentCheck or CourtCheck — through the 3rd Degree platform in the same workflow as any other background check. No separate process required.
Smart Screen™ immediately queries the proprietary incarceration data network and sex offender registry. If "no records found" is confirmed, results are returned instantly without court access.
When an instant "no records" result is not available, CourtCheck automatically initiates court research in covered jurisdictions — reducing multi-step processes and enabling digital retrieval where possible.
Detailed court record outputs are delivered within 24 hours where available. A consumer report is generated confirming the scope of jurisdictions searched and results found.
Comprehensive coverage
Speed
Traditional criminal background checks wait for manual court research that can take days. Smart Screen™ eliminates that delay — instant database results for most checks, automated court research when needed — helping you get talent in the door faster without compromising accuracy.
Equifax® partnership
Smart Screen™ is built on Equifax's proprietary incarceration and sex offender data infrastructure — one of the most comprehensive criminal data networks available. That means more accurate instant results and broader coverage than standard database providers can offer.
Reduced manual review
Manual criminal check follow-up is time-consuming and error-prone. Smart Screen™'s automated processes handle routine cases automatically — so your team focuses on genuine exceptions that require human judgment, not routine checks that don't.
Get a Demo
Skip the sales pitch. We'll walk you through a live Smart Screen™ order, show you how instant database results and automated court research work together in our platform, and answer every question — no commitment required.
Fill out the form and we'll reach out within one business day.
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