System, method and computer readable medium for acquiring and analyzing personal history information

• US 7,346,541 B1
• Filed: 08/14/2000
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ellen B. Cuttler, Michael J. Cuttler
• Original Assignee: Law Enforcement Services, Inc.
• Inventors: Cuttler, Michael J., Cuttler, Ellen B., Seddon, Thomas A. II
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith; Jeffrey A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GLASS, RUSSELL S
• Application Number:
  US09/638,650
• Time in Patent Office: 2,773 Days
• Field of Search: 705/4, 705 10- 11, 434/236, 434/238
• US Class Current: 705/7.14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A computer based method for acquiring life history information from an applicant for employment to minimize positive response bias and enhance the veracity of the acquired life history information. A question collection related to at least one life event is presented to the applicant. The question collection is comprised of a revealed stem question and at least one hidden branch question, the hidden branch question being related to the stem question. Based on the stem question response, the method automatically determines whether to present at least one hidden branch question to the applicant. If a hidden branch question is presented to the applicant, the applicant'"'"'s response is received and stored in the computer database. The response to the stem question and the response to the hidden branch question are predictive of a predefined negative outcome for the applicant.

Claims

1. A computer based method for acquiring life history information from an applicant for employment to minimize positive response bias and enhance the veracity of the acquired life history information, comprised of:

presenting to the applicant a collection of questions related to life history information, the life history information comprising information about more than one life event, the question collection being comprised of a revealed stem question relating to a first life event that occurred at a first time and a hidden branch question relating to a second life event that occurred at a second time;

receiving from the applicant a response to the revealed stem question and storing the revealed stem question response in a computer database;

based on the revealed stem question response, automatically determining whether to present the hidden branch question to the applicant;

if, after the automatic determination, the hidden branch question is to be presented to the applicant, revealing the hidden branch question to the applicant, receiving from the applicant a response to the hidden branch question and storing the hidden branch question response in the computer database; and

determining a critical item, the determination identifying a chronological inconsistency, based on the response to the revealed stem question compared to the response to the hidden branch question, and wherein the critical item has been empirically related to a predefined negative outcome.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the applicant is an applicant for a law enforcement, criminal justice or public safety employment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined negative outcome is an objective outcome.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the predefined objective, negative outcome is failure to complete training.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the predefined objective, negative outcome is receipt of a predefined disciplinary action.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the predefined objective, negative outcome is notification of a performance deficiency.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the responses to the revealed stem question and the hidden branch question are comprised of descriptive information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the revealed stem question response cannot be altered by the applicant after the revealed stem question response is received from the applicant.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined negative outcome is selected from the group consisting of an employment event, a criminal event and a substance event.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein the revealed stem question response cannot be altered by the applicant after the hidden branch question is revealed to the applicant.

9. A computer readable medium comprising software for acquiring life history information from an applicant for employment to minimize positive response bias and enhance the veracity of the acquired life history information, wherein the software instructs a computer to:

present to the applicant a collection of questions related to life history information, the life history information comprising information about more than one life event, the question collection being comprised of a revealed stem question relating to a first life event that occurred at a first time and a hidden branch question relating to a second life event that occurred at a second time;

receive from the applicant a response to the revealed stem question and storing the revealed stem question response in a computer database;

based on the revealed stem question response, automatically determining whether to present the hidden branch question to the applicant;

if, after the automatic determination, the hidden branch question is to be presented to the applicant, revealing the hidden branch question to the applicant, receiving from the applicant a response to the hidden branch question and storing the hidden branch question response in the computer database; and

determine a critical item, the determination identifying a chronological inconsistency, based on the response to the revealed stem question compared to the response to the hidden branch question, and wherein the critical item has been empirically related to a predefined negative outcome.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the applicant is an applicant for law enforcement, criminal justice or public safety employment.

11. The computer-readable medium method of claim 9, wherein the predefined outcome is an objective outcome.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the predefined outcome is a negative outcome.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the predefined negative outcome is an objective outcome.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the predefined objective, negative outcome is the applicant'"'"'s failure to complete training.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the predefined objective, negative outcome is the applicant'"'"'s receipt of a predefined disciplinary action.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the predefined objective, negative outcome is notification of a performance deficiency.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the responses to the revealed stem question and the hidden branch question are comprised of descriptive information.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the revealed stem question response cannot be altered by the applicant after the revealed stem question response is received from the applicant.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the predefined negative outcome is selected from the group consisting of an employment event, a criminal event and a substance event.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the revealed stem question response cannot be altered by the applicant after the hidden branch question is revealed to the applicant.

19. A computer-based system for acquiring life history information from an applicant for employment to minimize positive response bias and enhance the veracity of the acquired life history information, comprising:

a user interface for;

presenting to the applicant a collection of questions related to life history information, the life history information comprising information about more than one life event, the question collection being comprised of a revealed stem question relating to a first life event that occurred at a first time and a hidden branch question relating to a second life event that occurred at a second time; and

receiving from the applicant a response to the revealed stem question and storing

the revealed stem question response in a computer database; and

a computer processor that;

automatically determines whether to present the hidden branch question to the applicant based on the revealed stem question response;

if, after the automatic determination, the hidden branch question is to be presented to the applicant, reveals the hidden branch question to the applicant, receives from the applicant a response to the hidden branch question and stores the hidden branch question response in the computer database; and

determines a critical item, the determination identifying a chronological inconsistency, based on the response to the revealed stem question compared to the response to the hidden branch question, and wherein the critical item has been empirically related to a predefined negative outcome.

20. The computer-based system of claim 19, wherein the applicant is an applicant for law enforcement, criminal justice or public safety employment.

21. The computer-based system of claim 19, wherein the predefined outcome is an objective outcome.

22. The computer-based system of claim 19, wherein the predefined outcome is a negative outcome.

23. The computer-based system of claim 22, wherein the predefined negative outcome is an objective outcome.

24. The computer-based system of claim 23, wherein the predefined objective, negative outcome is the applicant'"'"'s failure to complete training.

25. The computer-based system of claim 23, wherein the predefined objective, negative outcome is the applicant'"'"'s receipt of a predefined disciplinary action.

26. The computer-based system of claim 23, wherein the predefined objective, negative outcome is notification of a performance deficiency.

27. The computer-based system of claim 19, wherein the predefined negative outcome is selected from the group consisting of an employment event, a criminal event and a substance event.

28. The computer-based system of claim 19, wherein the responses to the revealed stem question and the hidden branch question are comprised of descriptive information.

29. The computer-based system of claim 19, wherein the revealed stem question response cannot be altered by the applicant after the revealed stem question response is received from the applicant.

34. The computer-based system of claim 19, wherein the revealed stem question response cannot be altered by the applicant after the hidden branch question is revealed to the applicant.