If you've ever applied for a job, chances are someone has run a criminal background check on you. But what exactly does that mean? "There's often a misconception that you can order a one-stop shop of information on a person, but that doesn't exist," says Melissa Sorenson, the executive director of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners. Instead, a background check typically involves pulling records from multiple places, such as state and county courts.

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