Informed Choices: Criminal Background Screening in today's hiring process

SACRAMENTO, CA, November 20, 2010 (Press-News.org) Crime is an unfortunate constant in society that can occur at a number of levels from a petty theft of a bike to an assault walking on the way home at night. The expected norm of the dark alleyway, the lonely stretch of road or a unfamiliar neighborhood is the typical setting for most people might picture as the usual setting for a victim. But the nature of crime itself is far considerably more traumatic when one considers it occurring the workplace where a living is made everyday.

Work. Waking up to make the commute to work a trade or pursue a professional career is something we are all familiar with, and in most cases, comfortable with. At work, the role and responsibility of the employer is to ensure the working environment remains that way both for their employees as well as their customers. Comfortable, familiar, and without incident...these constants in the workforce are thanks in part to the criminal background check, something that has become a necessary part of today's hiring process.

Everyone needs work. Alongside the average citizen are people with criminal tendencies who exploit workplace for any number of perceived illegal gains. An embezzler could sign on with a large corporation for the purpose of stealing thousands of dollars. A child molester could take on a job as a bus driver to be near potential prey. Perhaps an individual with an active record of violent behavior is placed in charge of a wing in a nursing home for the elderly. These are among thousands of people that have little to no place in the modern workforce that still seek ways to find an ill gotten niche for themselves. For many employers, this the elephant in the room that can't be ignored.

That's where the criminal background check comes in. Much likes a strainer filtering out particles from a volume of liquid, a properly executed background screening for prior criminal history is an employers way of making sure they hire individuals fit for the role they are expected to perform. Simply hiring someone right off the street and setting them into a role within a company, any company, is inviting serious issues ranging from public embarrassment via negative media coverage to lawsuits seeking damages that can bankrupt a company.

Critics of the process state that the checks are unnecessary and that individuals with perfect records can still be capable of illegal behavior. Certainly it is a valid point that needs to be addressed and to that a criminal background check is not meant to be a perfect solution to an imperfect worldwide applicant pool. Any good business owner or manager will know that managing and maintaining employees is a continual process and that a one time background check alone cannot guarantee that there could be the issues down the road.

Criminal checks are out there to aid in turning up employment applicants with enough of a record to warrant more than a quick glance. Executing one is a lot easier than you might think. With a few pieces of information, it seems like anyone using today's online search technology such as Google can gather whatever information they want on someone. But the information employers gather could come from a number of unverifiable sources and likely to be dated or incorrect.

The best option an employer has is to go to an FCRA certified agency that can offer a structured criminal background report compiled by qualified verification specialists. Backgrounds Online is just such an agency that has been in operation since 2000 performing criminal background checks for a diverse pool of clients, each with their own unique screening requirements. This diversity of need is something Backgrounds Online is able to meet through a number of different criminal background checks that can look for a criminal record on a variety of levels.

The criminal background checks conducted by _a href="http://www.backgroundsonline.com" target="_blank"_Backgrounds Online_/a_ are conducted on a national, statewide and county level. A nationwide search draws information from public and private information data bases that offer a very broad look for any criminal record. Results can then be narrowed down to the statewide level where state government criminal records are consulted which draw information from all reporting counties within a state.

But what deserves special note is the county specific criminal search. Of all the searches Backgrounds Online offers, it is the bottom line in determining a record of criminal activity. Unlike national and statewide searches conducted online by Backgrounds Online verification specialists, the county searches employ researchers to visit county courthouses directly to execute hand searches of court documents alongside court clerks. Results are drawn from the source and reflect detailed information on the date and nature of any existing offenses. It's real information coming right from the court to the client via Backgrounds Online.

No one should ever assume outright an applicant has a criminal history. But at the same time, an employer has the right to understand the individual on a number of levels prior to extending an offer employment. To ensure a safe, productive workplace for the present and future, every employer should be sure to have a dedicated criminal background screening procedure in place. This is something that Backgrounds Online is more than capable of helping any company attain.

Regardless of whatever agency you opt to partner with, the ultimate aim you need to have set is the development of an effective criminal background screening process for your new hires. As we have discussed, crime and illegal behavior is by no means confined to the outside world and can find its way into the workplace if given the opportunity. Fortunately, the services of a reputable background check agency can offer you flexible screening options will go a long way to helping prevent negative or counterproductive hires. Conducting a criminal background check will give you the peace of mind that you are hiring safe, hiring smart.

Providing pre-employment screening and criminal record background checks for employers. Backgrounds Online provides the personal care that is needed to ensure that your pre-employment screening services are met. By offering a wide range of screening products we can help you minimize the risk of hiring new employees or promoting current ones. With our quick turn around times and our easy to use report management system you can be assured that our commitment to you the customers is number one.