That does not mean you cannot use criminal history as a screening criteria, but you must have a reasonible reason to deny an applicant based on their charges.  

The most thorough explanation ever and took offense to my offer.

If all looks good credit and criminal-wise and they meet your rental criteria I would 100% rent to them.  

@Avery Goodman no offense to your attorney, but I might talk to someone else a bit more objective, make it clear you will not use their services only their advice and pay them for their time otherwise by the time you get 100 rentals you could be filing 50 different tax returns if each LLC owns only 2 SFRs.

Most of the software out there will provide you with the applicant's comprehensive criminal, credit and eviction history.

Besides doing a criminal background check and credit report, doing things like meeting them in-person, checking to see if their car is clean, and just getting to know them better are some ways to ensure you have a trusting tenant that is a good fit for you and your property.

(no offense).

They both have credit scores around 750, no delinquencies/late payments, great rental references, no evictions, no criminal background, and steady employment.

It's very hard to turn away the first guy that comes to you with up to $10k cash, then tell him he needs to do a criminal, background, employment verification, credit improvement, speak with the broker, etc and they go away, but it must be done or it will make it a lose-lose-lose situation instead of it being a win-win-win.There are PLENTY of tenant buyers out there that do have the cash, but more importantly are willing and able to enter into and execute the credit improvement program.

So when looking at the crime maps you look at violent versus non violent offenses.