Background checks: the theories behind the process

Abstract

The use of background checks has become more prevalent and is perceived as having crucial importance in hiring in the private sector, given the extent of employee crimes. In examining this phenomenon, security and administration scholars have promoted the general security necessity of such checks but have only focused on the application of legal and constitutional provisions relevant to the background check process. As a result, the security field has overlooked the theoretical bases for background checks and the theories addressing how background checks should be conducted. To address this gap, this article presents a qualitative meta-analysis of the theoretical literature from a variety of academic fields and identifies four overarching themes important for understanding background checks as a tool for hiring. Then, as an illustration, the article examines how well the regulation of background checks in the U.S. financial sector reflects theoretical findings, exposing critical gaps between research and practice. Thus, this analysis provides security practitioners with important guidance in how to effectively use background checks as a crime prevention tool.