The bureaucrats in charge of compiling those lists look more impressive when the lists are longer. And they can make a case for expanded budgets with more staff when the lists are longer.
The folks tasked with enforcement actions like the shorter lists better. They don't have the staff to handle the workload anyway, and all the expansion goes to the headquarters departments that are making the lists. It pays better to brown-nose back at the central office. The enforcers are never going to catch up. They just pick a few cases at random from near the top of the list and work them as best they can.
BTW, the "short list" people with no past - are low-budget covert Government agents or people in the witness protection program.
You are on a list, guaranteed. You are in position 5,298,714. It may take them a while to get around to you.
Given that I've been posting here for more than a few years (and a member of gun owners' groups, plus a former FFL), I'm likely farther up the list - maybe in position 529,871 or 52,987...
;>)