候选人问我们的一些最常见的问题与公共记录搜索（更具体地说是犯罪和犯罪历史搜索）有关，我们明白了。风险很高，当过程似乎不清楚时，很自然会担心。我们已经为您提供了保障。以下是我们关于此类搜索的一些最常见问题，当您完成阅读时，您将更好地了解其中一项搜索的内容，并希望减少对背景调查的焦虑。毕竟，进行这些搜索并不是要破坏某人的前景，而是要为您和您的同事提供一个更安全的工作环境。
背景调查公司如何进行犯罪记录搜索？
像 观火背调 这样的背景调查公司通常会搜索各种可用的来源，例如当地、县、全州和联邦的信息来源。虽然可能有许多可能的来源，但实际使用的来源将取决于您的潜在雇主订购的特定搜索。
县法院记录是刑事和犯罪历史搜索的最常见来源之一。虽然一些县法院可能会将他们的记录提供给在线搜索，但大约 30% 的美国法院需要亲自直接访问。因此，背景调查公司——例如执行实时犯罪记录搜索的 观火背调——维护了一个法院运行网络，以促进在这些司法管辖区的亲自法院记录搜索。可以想象，进行这种面对面的搜索需要时间，但可以让筛选公司从法院获得最准确和最新的信息
他们往回走多远？
这可能会变得有点复杂。首先，观火背调 的客户可以指定他们希望搜索回溯多长时间，最常见的选择是 7 年，但其他选项包括 10 年以及“无限”——搜索所有合理可用的记录。
执行搜索后，报告中显示的实际记录将取决于搜索的回溯时间以及可能的任何适用法律限制。在大多数州，背景调查公司可以无限期地报告犯罪定罪；然而，有几个国家将定罪报告限制在七年以内。确定记录是否在七年期限内会考虑许多因素，包括定罪、释放或假释的日期。许多筛选公司在确定是否报告可以合法无限期报告的定罪记录时也会考虑这些相同的因素——加上缓刑期——但客户要求特定（例如，七年）的时间框架。
对于非定罪，通常背景调查公司不能报告任何超过七年的事情（例如非待决的逮捕记录、刑事案件驳回等）。然而，在一些州，根本无法报告无罪。
Tl; dr：这在很大程度上取决于您住在哪里，您的罪行发生在哪里，以及您申请的公司具体希望看到什么，但通常规则是七年前的非定罪规则，以及定罪所需的时间.
我小时候拿到的那张超速罚单会出现吗？
这极不可能出现在犯罪历史搜索中。您的典型超速罚单通常被视为轻微的交通违法行为。这些记录通常存放在较低级别的法院，放映公司通常不会搜索这些记录，并且不会出现在您的犯罪记录中，无论您在收到罚单时多大年纪。这张罚单的性质是否如此恶劣，以至于刑事法官决定将您作为成年人指控刑事犯罪？如果没有，请不要出汗。
也就是说，一些公司确实运行 MVR（机动车记录）检查，在这种情况下，在报告的时间范围内（3-10 年，取决于您所在的州）发生的超速罚单可能会出现在 MVR 报告中。
如果最坏的情况发生并且公司报告了我没有犯下的罪行怎么办？
首先，重要的是要注意，有专门的法律来最大限度地减少这种可能性，而且大多数背景调查公司（如 观火背调 ）通常都有详细的程序来帮助将记录与他们正在筛选的个人准确匹配。
但如果真的发生了呢？这是任何背景调查公司面临的最严重的问题之一，因为候选人的风险非常高。好消息是，即使发生这种情况，您也有权对信息提出异议，以便进行重新调查并纠正不准确的信息。
《联邦公平信用报告法》(FCRA) 规定，背景调查公司必须在 30 天内（在某些情况下为 45 天）完成重新调查并更正不准确报告的信息。
我们知道，当您的工作受到威胁时，背景调查可能会让人感觉像是披着斗篷和匕首的神秘面纱，但是像 观火背调 这样的公司可以帮助消除迷雾。
How do background check companies do criminal history searches?
Background check companies like HireRight usually search a variety of sources, such as local, county, statewide and federal sources of information, as available. While there may be many possible sources, the actual ones used will depend on the specific searches that your prospective employer has ordered.
County court records are one of the most common sources for criminal and offense history searches. While some county courts may make their records available for online searches, approximately 30% of U.S. courthouses require in-person direct access. So background check companies— such as HireRight, which performs real-time criminal records searches— maintain a network of court runners to facilitate in-person courthouse record searches in these jurisdictions. As you can imagine, conducting such in-person searches takes time, but allows screening companies to obtain the most accurate and up-to-date information available from the court
How far back do they go?
This can get a little complicated. First, HireRight’s customers can specify how far back they want the search to go, with seven years being the most common choice, but other options include 10 years as well as “unlimited” – which searches for all records that are reasonably available.
Once the search is performed, the actual records that appear on the report will depend on both how far back the search went and any applicable legal restrictions that may. In most states, background check companies can report convictions of crimes indefinitely; however, there are several states that limit the reporting of convictions to seven years. The determination of whether a record is within the seven year period looks at a number of factors, including the date of conviction, release or parole. These same factors— plus periods of probation— are also considered by many screening companies when determining whether to report a conviction record that may legally reported indefinitely, but the client has requested a specific (e.g., seven year) time frame.
With respect to non-convictions, generally background check companies can’t report anything that is more than seven years old (such as non-pending records of arrest, criminal case dismissals, etc.). In a few states, however, non-convictions can’t be reported at all.
Tl;dr: It depends a lot on where you live, where your offenses occurred, and what specifically the company you applied for wants to see, but generally the rule is seven years back for non-convictions and as far back as necessary for convictions.
Will that speeding ticket I got when I was a minor show up?
This is extremely unlikely to show up on a criminal history search. Your typical speeding ticket is generally considered a minor traffic offense. These records are typically housed in lower level courts that are not typically searched by screening companies and will not show up on your criminal record, regardless of how old you were when the ticket was incurred. Was the nature of this ticket so egregious that a criminal judge decided to have you charged as an adult for criminal offenses? If not, don’t sweat it.
That said, some companies do run MVR (motor vehicle record) checks, in which case a speeding ticket that was incurred during the time frame reported (anywhere from 3-10 years, depending on your state) might show up on the MVR report.
What if the worst happens and a company reports crimes that I didn’t commit?
First off, it’s important to note that there are laws in place specifically to minimize this possibility, and most background check companies like HireRight typically have detailed procedures in place to help accurately match records to the individuals they are screening.
But what if it does happen? This is one of the most serious issues that any background check company faces because the stakes for candidates are so very high. The good news is that, even if this does happen, you have the right to dispute the information so that a reinvestigation is conducted and inaccurate information is corrected.
The Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) states that background check companies must complete reinvestigations within thirty days (45 days in some situations) and correct information that was reported inaccurately.
We understand that when your job is at stake, background checks can feel like a cloak-and-dagger mystery, but with a little transparency companies like HireRight can help lift the fog.
