A background check service is a great thing to have on hand. It is widely believed that one must contact law enforcement in order to obtain an online background check. But in reality, these same services are available to the general public. It is quite easy to access a background check service online and find the information you need, be it for business or personal use. No special permission or qualifications are necessary. The first step is to shop for a background check service that suits your needs. Check out a few background check reviews to see what the experience of previous customers has been. A background check review will also clue you in as to the value of the service you are buying.

Police often use a criminal background check right from the squad car. This allows them to run the licence plate numbers of a vehicle to determine the owner. It will also alert them if the vehicle is stolen. In addition, knowing who exactly they are dealing with allows police officers to exercise the necessary caution. They could be dealing with an escaped convict on the run who will turn violent, and knowing this ahead of time helps officers use the necessary amount of force to get this dangerous person off the streets and back to prison. A quick online background check helps the police do their jobs most effectively.

But did you know that citizens can make use of similar criminal background check tools? The exact same network of records that the police use is not available to the public, but in general, a citizen can obtain complete criminal records and much more. Most background check services include addresses, employment, credit history, and almost any other item of information necessary. Why would an ordinary citizen need to use such a background check service? Read on to find out:

- Parents who hire a babysitter need to make sure that it is safe to leave their children with this person. Not everyone has trusted friends or neighbors who can watch over their children, and hiring some outside help is often necessary.

- Employers need to screen job applicants before hiring them. Hiring people with no criminal background check could lead to increased rates of theft, vandalism, and violence in the workplace. Some employers balk at the fee for even a cheap background check and forego it, but they end up paying for it in the long run, as a bad hire costs the company greatly in lost time and money. Damage to company property, stolen property, and even negligent hiring lawsuits after a violent incident are all risks that an employer takes when they hire employees with no criminal background check.

- Homeowners who hire independent contractors to perform work inside the home need some assurance that this person is not a criminal seeking to victimize them. It is not unheard of for career criminals to take up a job such as a locksmith in order to gain access to someone's home, scope it out for valuables, and tip off their partners in crime about the location of the valuables.