背景调查的准确性如何？如果您对求职者进行犯罪历史筛查并且结果没有问题，您能相信这个结果吗？个人是否仍有可能有犯罪记录？
要回答最后一个问题，是的：背景调查结果出来的人总是有可能确实有犯罪记录。然而，这个答案不一定是对背景调查准确性的控诉。相反，它反映了这样一个事实，即没有一个数据库可以提供一个人背景的全貌。也没有任何犯罪历史数据库或来源声称是完全全面的。
例如，如果您在公司所在 的县进行县犯罪历史检查 ，则该检查只能准确到县界线。它不会帮助您了解此人可能在该州其他地区犯下的任何罪行。同样，如果您 在密歇根州进行 州犯罪历史检查，则不能指望它会发现在加利福尼亚州犯下的罪行。
这些地域限制常常促使雇主寻找“全国性”犯罪历史背景调查数据库。但是，没有中央国家犯罪历史信息数据库这样的东西。有多个司法管辖区的数据库，可以汇编来自全国多个县和州的信息。
在 GOOHO.CN， 我们的美国 OneSEARCH 背景调查会 搜索这样的数据库。我们努力使我们的数据库尽可能更新，以确保我们检查的准确性。同时， 我们依赖县、州和联邦机构向我们报告他们的数据。如果自上次特定机构向我们报告以来发生了犯罪，则不会在我们的数据库搜索中记录。
那么，如何进行准确的背景调查呢？保护自己免受大多数数据源固有限制的最佳方法是不依赖单个数据源。相反，为您的企业设计一个从多个来源提取数据的背景调查政策。
我们在 GOOHO.CN上推荐的一种策略是通过地址历史检查开始背景检查过程 。这样，您就可以确定您的候选人最近住在哪里，并在这些地区订购县或州检查，或两者兼而有之。
这种方法并非万无一失。例如，某人在度假时犯罪总是有可能的。然而，从统计数据来看，大多数犯罪都发生在一个人的生活和工作地点附近。使用地址历史检查作为背景检查过程的指路明灯是确保准确性的一种方法。
To answer the last of those questions, yes: there is always a chance that someone whose background check comes back clean does have a criminal record. However, this answer is not necessarily an indictment of the accuracy of background checks. Rather, it is a reflection of the fact that no one database can provide a full picture of a person’s background. No criminal history database or source claims to be totally comprehensive, either.
For instance, if you run a county criminal history check in the county where your business is located, that check will only be accurate up to the county lines. It won’t help you find out about any crimes that the individual may have committed in another part of the state. Similarly, if you run a state criminal history check in Michigan, you can’t expect it to uncover crimes committed in California.
These geographical limitations often prompt employers to look for “nationwide” criminal history background check databases. However, there is no such thing as a central, national database of criminal history information. There are multi-jurisdictional databases that compile information from multiple counties and states throughout the country.
At backgroundchecks.com, our US OneSEARCH background check scours such a database. We strive to keep our database as updated as possible to ensure accuracy with our checks. At the same time, we are reliant on county, state, and federal agencies, which report their data to us. If a crime has taken place since the last time a specific agency reported to us, it won’t be documented in our database search.
So, how can you conduct accurate background checks? The best way to protect yourself against the inherent limitations of most data sources is to not rely on a single data source. Instead, design a background check policy for your business that draws data from multiple sources.
One strategy we recommend at backgroundchecks.com is to start the background check process with an address history check. That way, you can determine where your candidate has lived recently and order county or state checks, or both, in those areas.
This method isn’t foolproof. It’s always possible that someone could have committed a crime while on vacation, for instance. However, statistically, most crimes are committed close to where a person lives and works. Using an address history check as the guiding light for your background check process is one way to ensure accuracy.
