10 Pioneers of the Background Check Industry

Though its recent popularity is greater than ever before, the background check industry has roots that extend farther back than one might think. Many developments came together to create the industry as we know it today. Here are ten of the pioneering people and organizations in background screening.

1. Henry Fielding – The creator of the forerunner to the modern police records system, Henry Fielding’s contributions to law enforcement and modern private investigation is undeniable. His Bow Street Runners, the first professional police force, were responsible for several advancements in criminal justice.
2. J. Edgar Hoover – His creation of the first fingerprint database and obsession with data collection left an indelible mark on the methods investigators use to collect information.
3. Eugene Francois Vidocq – One of the most important and controversial aspects of a full background check is the ability to access sensitive consumer report information; this is due in part to the work of French convict-turned-lawman Eugene Francois Vidocq who created the world’s first credit reporting agency.
4. Allan Pinkerton – America’s first private investigator, the legendary Scottish-born Allan Pinkerton was responsible for many advancement in law enforcement and investigative techniques in both the public and private sectors.
5. Jim and Sarah Brady – After being injured in the assassination attempt on President Reagan, Jim Brady suffered permanent paralysis and some brain damage. In response to this, he and his wife Sarah became crusaders for more stringent gun control laws, which spawned the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act. This law requires that all people attempting to purchase a firearm must first submit to a background check.

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