South Carolina to start charging $25 for each criminal background check
The South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division is going to start charging the media $25 for each time they want a routine criminal background history on suspects, according to a story in The Post and Courier. Before, the press got two checks per day for free, provided to them quickly via e-mail, but budget cuts are forcing them to start charging for all checks (except if you are a charitable group - then it's only $8 per check). Also, the agency will provide free reports to the media when it involves news releases and news conferences. In other words, they will readily provide information for free when it suits their purposes, but charge folks $25 a pop when it doesn't.
This is just wrong. The state Freedom of Information act allows agencies to charge reasonable fees that reflect the actual cost of researching and copying records. Clearly, it does not cost $25 to plunk out a background report on someone electronically and send it via e-mail. That agency is using the fee to boost its coffers - as a profit-generating mechanism. When questioned, the agency did not know how much the background requests cost the agency or how much the agency expects to get by charging for background checks. Even more evidence that they are simply winging it and hoping to raise money beyond the actual cost of researching and copying records. I hope the state press challenge this arbitrary fee and expose it for what it is: a chance to gouge the public and press for subsidizing other law enforcement services.