The difficulties of the law enforcement field are a mystery to most people. For example, many do not realize the sheer amount of work that goes into something as simple as running a set of plates. All of the license plates in the country must be maintained in a central database in order to be accessible from the onboard computer of any squad car in the country. What is even more mind-blowing is the vast network of information required to allow a background check to be run with the same expediency. This data is gathered from government sources on every level from local all the way to federal. It is then entered into a central database and made available in an instant for law enforcement. This is crucial for allowing police to know who they are dealing with: this person they have pulled over may very well be a dangerous fugitive from a few states away. This system stops crime and saves lives.
It may amaze you to learn that this same information is available to the general public. Citizens have just as much use for background checks as police officers do. Parents hiring a babysitter, employers conducting pre-employment screening of applicants, and investors double-checking the references of their business partners are just a few examples of ordinary people using the same technology utilized by law enforcement. Using a background check service does not require any investigative skill, either. You simply submit the name of your subject, and they do the rest. Any other information you have will be helpful for avoiding confusion with someone of the same name, but it is not necessary. More often than not, the professional investigators will be able to narrow it down themselves.
It might seem frightening that this information is open to the public even in the age of identity theft. But safeguards are in place to make sure that the information is not abused. Items such as the social security number and bank account numbers are still restricted to all but law enforcement. This ensures that no identity thief can get very far even with an expensive background check (which they are unlikely to spring for to begin with). On the contrary, background checks can actually be a tool to prevent identity theft. Some conscious consumers occasionally run a background check on their own name. This will not only alert them to any errors, but also to any discrepancies which would suggest someone abusing their identity. There is no cause for concern in the area of background check availability. For every identity thief who finds use in information from a criminal background check, several dozen more criminals are rooted out by a citizen checking up on their history.
Who knows? You may find yourself in need of a background check service someday, and now you know that you can find one and find out what you need to know. It doesn't have to be a complicated and expensive ordeal.