I tell people over the phone that I don't charge an application fee, but that I do prescreen (evictions, criminal background, income, number of occupants, smoking, pets) over the phone before I will show it. 

Make a specific criteria for renting your property (Credit score, DIR, No evictions, Criminal convictions etc) and stick with it. 

I'm pretty sure other tactics like saying "I only accept 11 month leases" because section 8 requires 12, are also asking for a discrimination lawsuit.My understanding on this (from lots of reading but no direct experience)  is that you can apply the same rental qualification criteria to a section 8 applicant as any other - credit score, prior landlord reference, criminal background check (except in seattle) and so on,  however when it comes to income you are only allowed to verify the tenants portion of the rent responsibility.   

They also allow you to choose from several screening options, such as - credit, criminal and eviction; based on your preferences. 

YES / NO No Smoking PolicyCREDIT / CRIMINAL>>We perform a credit check, criminal background check, employment verification and rental history verification on every applicant.

One is a criminal action, the other civil.  

You can also limit based on credit score and criminal activity if you have a consistent written set of criteria.

I rely on the background checks to check for criminal activity and to see if they have had any evictions in their past, credit screening just tells me a bit about their spending habits.  

I just received my first applications back along with their credit/criminal history.

Then, you fail to check his criminal history, and he then wrecks your neighbor's windows in the property next door to the tenant.