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Personal History Questionnaire (PHQ) and
PHQ-Required Explanations (PHQ-RE) Pre-Offer Reports The Background Review System / Personal History Questionnaire (PHQ) is designed to help law enforcement and other public safety agencies carry out background investigations more efficiently and cost-effectively. The PHQ questionnaire is available in two versions. The first version (PHQ) is limited to the applicant's responses to 255 multiple choice questions. The second version (PHQ-RE), which is taken online, includes "required explanations," in which applicants whose responses present selection-relevant concerns are required to provide further information (the who, what, when, why, and where) about their responses, in their own words. |
Sample Reports:
Sole Author of the Test and Report
JRA, Inc., is the creator, copyright holder, and sole provider of the Background Review System Personal History Questionnaire and the PHQ Police and Public Safety Selection Report, in both the standard and required explanations versions |
Background investigations conducted for police and public safety positions involve significant costs to the agencies in either investigator time or compensation to outside firms. Administering the JRA PHQ before the background investigation saves time and money, and because the PHQ questions address the same behavioral dimensions as other selection procedures it minimizes the chances that an agency will overlook serious problems in an applicant's background. The JRA PHQ also puts the data collected into a computerized database that can be used to help the agency set fair and valid selection standards.
In many cases, the information provided by the applicant in their responses to the JRA PHQ can enable the agency to eliminate the need for a field background investigation, a polygraph, or a psychological evaluation. Unsatisfactory applicants often provide sufficient information on the PHQ to enable the department to disqualify them without further processing.
The PHQ contains 255 questions covering nine topic areas:
The PHQ questions are worded clearly, in language that is easy for applicants to understand. Each JRA PHQ question contains response options that are specific to the question content. For example, the question "What is the highest level of education you have completed?" is followed by the following response categories:
JRA PHQ Police and Public Safety Selection Report
This report summarizes the information from the PHQ questionnaire in a concise, well-organized format, which is intended to be a guide to the background investigator in conducting the background investigation, interviewing the applicant, and drawing conclusions about the applicant's suitability for the position being applied for.
The Report Begins With the "Problem Profile" Section, which:
Problem Score Level Determination
The determination of item responses categorized as Serious or Critical was originally made by police executives. The problem level, or seriousness for each PHQ response was determined by a panel of veteran police psychologists, who had extensive experience interacting with background investigators as part of the psychological screening process.
The Report has a Comprehensive Section, which:
In many cases, the information provided by the applicant in their responses to the JRA PHQ can enable the agency to eliminate the need for a field background investigation, a polygraph, or a psychological evaluation. Unsatisfactory applicants often provide sufficient information on the PHQ to enable the department to disqualify them without further processing.
The PHQ contains 255 questions covering nine topic areas:
- Education
- Employment
- Military Experience
- Law Enforcement Experience
- Driving Record
- Financial History
- Legal History
- Substance Use
- General Information
The PHQ questions are worded clearly, in language that is easy for applicants to understand. Each JRA PHQ question contains response options that are specific to the question content. For example, the question "What is the highest level of education you have completed?" is followed by the following response categories:
- G.E.D.
- Graduated from high school
- 1-2 years of college (1-59 semester units)
- 3-4 years of college (60+ semester units); no bachelor's degree
- Graduated from a four year college (e.g., B.A., B.S.)
- Postgraduate degree (e.g., M.A., L.L.B., Ph.D.)
JRA PHQ Police and Public Safety Selection Report
This report summarizes the information from the PHQ questionnaire in a concise, well-organized format, which is intended to be a guide to the background investigator in conducting the background investigation, interviewing the applicant, and drawing conclusions about the applicant's suitability for the position being applied for.
The Report Begins With the "Problem Profile" Section, which:
- lists the most problematic applicant responses, assigning each of these responses to one of five levels of increasing importance (two "critical" and three "serious")
- computes an overall problem score, which compares the applicant described in the report -- on a percentile basis -- to a nationwide sample of applicants for the same type of position (police officer, corrections officer, etc.)
Problem Score Level Determination
The determination of item responses categorized as Serious or Critical was originally made by police executives. The problem level, or seriousness for each PHQ response was determined by a panel of veteran police psychologists, who had extensive experience interacting with background investigators as part of the psychological screening process.
The Report has a Comprehensive Section, which:
- lists the applicant's response to each question in the PHQ questionnaire, along with its problem rating and the percentage of applicants who make the same response or one that is more problematic.
- indicates selected responses that the background investigator should verify with the applicant during the interview.
- identifies areas for further investigation during the background interview to supplement the information provided by the questionnaire responses. (For example, if the applicant indicates that he has had personality conflicts with a peer or supervisor at work, the report will suggest that the background investigator prompt for additional details about these conflicts.)