How many people that were "kettled" during the G20 protests, despite not actually participating in the protests, nor ever being charged with anything, now have a police record?
If it goes to court, in most jurisdictions the disposition of the case will be available in a standard background check. For example, if you were charged with resisting arrest and found not guilty, it would still show up but also show "not guilty". Good luck explaining that to an employer, even if you did nothing wrong (and the courts confirmed it).
A "not guilty" verdict means that there was enough evidence to go to trial, but not enough to convince a jury beyond a reasonable doubt. It's far from a confirmation that you did nothing wrong.
I've never had that experience, but I've been turned down on a couple of home rental applications when past arrests have turned up when running a background check. I'd assume the type of business that cared enough to run background checks would certainly catch any arrest on someone's record.
Given that they're often published in newspapers, you can often find that information in a few seconds on Google. I think it's dreadful that police forces do perp walks and publish mugshots of arresstees who may not even end up getting charged.
All sorts of other things show up. I'm named in an eviction lawsuit from the 1990s, which might make someone think I was a deadbeat who didn't pay rent. As it happened the house I was renting a room in was sold and the new owner wanted everyone to leave so he could move in, but nuances like that aren't obvious from the summary records at the court.
I have never been convicted of a crime, but I do have felony arrests on my record that have prevented me from getting an apartment, and hindered me from getting into a university.
