The primary purpose of criminal background checks is to seek for records of felony and misdemeanor criminal convictions, as well as any pending criminal cases that may be in the courts or histories of incarceration as an adult.
Criminal background checks may also include information such as arrests pending prosecution, as well as arrests that did not lead to convictions. All of this information can be useful to law enforcement agencies attempting to establish a criminal background of a suspect, or for employers making hiring or promotion decisions.