Existing situations are less likely to be reported because it has been that way for a long time.Jail is pretty extreme for a consequence, but if someone gets harmed, you could be held responsible for criminal negligence.

They allow you to send your applicants a customized application, from where you can have them screened for their credit, criminal and eviction history.

@Mitchell Frisby just go forward with the eviction process and inform them that you will do everything within your power to collect on any damages to the property as well as press criminal charges for vandalism if they intentionally destroy your property (unlikely that will go anywhere unless you have solid proof they did it, and can get the police to do anything about it, but they don’t know that).

lol.With all of these applicants, criminal, credit and landlord references have come back clean/excellent.Applicant 1: First to apply, 3 room mates from out of state.

You know how to get quick credit when you need it and I suspect we're all in the position of knowing some local people who have been in this business longer than us who are mostly in the business of quiet and quick private lending on the downlow these days.Of course, as @Jay Hinrichs points out, you had better be extremely conservative with your debt as well, understand that running cheap properties as a get-rich-quick scheme never works out for anyone but criminals.

Another option is looking to see if Chicago has an Apartment Association (assuming they do).When I started in real estate my local Apartment Association, as a perk for paying around $75 a year membership, not only provided me with a lease created to adhere to local laws (it's a really good lease), along with paperwork for other things as well (notices, eviction paperwork, lease renewals, etc.) but they also provide low-cost credit and criminal checks so when I screen a potential tenant it only costs me $13 for state and $18 for federal. 

Small satisfactions for getting justice. 

That should show criminal activity and eviction history in state.

Just tell him that you are denying him based on his criminal record that you just became aware of. 

You can also go to the city or county websites and search for civil cases and sometimes even criminal cases online.Have fun!