But the bigger question that begs to be asked is what constitutes a hacker vs. a security expert. There is a difference between a Hacker and a Cracker. To answer the question, certainly, but like all of my employees a background check is made. I think your all out of wack if you perform a background check on a hacker other than for purposes listed below. Unix is evil.
Daemons run wild.
Zombies roam and children are killed. Sometimes, you just gotta take a chance. Criminals come in all flavors. You might never know you've hired a hacker until it's too late. You have to use judgement and ask the right questions during the interview.