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Criminal records in the United States

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listed in the database and the actual date, location, and agency who made the arrest. The Interstate Information Index may also contain incarceration information as well, listing each time an inmate is transferred from one correctional institution to another as a separate "arrest." The Interstate Information Index is only as accurate as the information reported to it by individual agencies, and frequently lacks comprehensive information on the dispositions of the various arrests it lists. It is best used as a guide on where to find more comprehensive information on the individual.
24: 302:, or "Triple-I" for short. This is basically the FBI's rap sheet (Record of Arrest and Prosecution). It contains information voluntarily reported by law enforcement agencies across the country, as well as information provided by other federal agencies. It contains information on felonies and misdemeanors, and may also contain municipal and traffic offenses if reported by the individual agencies. 516:, though laws vary by state. Many types of offenses may be expunged, ranging from parking fines to felonies. In general, once sealed or expunged, all records of an arrest and/or subsequent court case are removed from the public record, and the individual may legally deny or fail to acknowledge ever having been arrested for or charged with any crime which has been expunged. 173:, criminal research or background check company, may go to a county courthouse and search an index of criminal records by name and date of birth or have a county clerk search for records on an individual. Such a search may produce information about criminal and non-criminal charges that do not otherwise appear on a state criminal history abstract. 185:
departments of correction, in relation to offenders who have been sentenced to prison or a similar disposition that falls under their jurisdiction. Law enforcement agencies often share criminal history information with other enforcement agencies, and criminal history information is normally also available to the public.
390:, maintains information on drivers regarding suspended licenses. The NDR maintains a database of information posted by individual states as mandated by federal law. All drivers who have had their licenses suspended for any reason (including suspensions resulting from several successive minor traffic violations: 519:
However, when applicants for a state professional license or job that is considered a public office or high security (such as security guard, law enforcement, or related to national security) must confess if they have an expunged conviction or else be denied clearance by the DOJ. With few exceptions,
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Most states have a statewide agency that acts as a clearinghouse for all statewide arrest information. These so-called "state rap sheets" are usually much more detailed than the Interstate Identification Index; usually listing not only the arrest information, but the subsequent court action following
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Criminal history information is generally available to the public, and criminal history information for a specific state can typically be obtained from the state agency that maintains the record. States normally charge a fee for a copy of a person's criminal history. Private individuals can typically
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All states have official "statewide repositories" that contain criminal history information contributed by the various county and municipal courts within the state. In some states, minor criminal offenses are not included in the statewide record, or are included only if voluntarily reported by the
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It is important to note that the information provided by the Interstate Information Index may come from the agency who "booked" the individual and not necessarily the agency who arrested the individual. Therefore, there may be discrepancies between the arrest date, location, and arresting agency
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State criminal histories are maintained by government agencies, most often by law enforcement agencies. In addition to statewide records, local police departments, sheriffs' offices, and specialty police agencies may maintain their own internal databases. Records are also maintained by state
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buyers. Citizens who are currently ineligible to own a firearm under current laws may have the opportunity to have their firearms rights restored. Eligibility largely depends on state laws. In addition to searching the NCIC databases, NICS maintains its own index to search for additional
363:(CODIS) stores DNA profiles for both convicted felons in the Offender Index as well as unidentified DNA found at crime scenes in the Forensic Index. CODIS was originally piloted in 1990 as a project among 14 states. Currently, all 50 states, 197:
Most states provide some level of protection to juvenile criminal proceedings, and records of adjudication that result from the prosecution of a minor. The extent to which juvenile records are protected varies significantly by state.
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Each individual who has an entry in the Interstate Identification Index has a unique "FBI number" that is used to identify a specific individual. It compensates for the fact that an individual may provide several false names, or
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in one state could search for someone's criminal and driver records in another state. NLETS potentially serves as a better tool to search for minor misdemeanors and traffic violations that would not be in the NCIC.
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contain records of arrests, criminal charges and the disposition of those charges. Criminal records are compiled and updated on local, state, and federal levels by government agencies, most often
1173: 856: 351:(IAFIS). Criminal submissions from arrests and civil submissions from authorized background checks are stored in IAFIS. Currently, IAFIS has more than 47 million submissions in its repository. 176:
For employment screening purposes, unless state law provides otherwise, criminal convictions may be reported to a potential employer within a 7-year time range from the date of conviction.
1228: 1223: 533: 1233: 1203: 1113: 1063: 1023: 1198: 1193: 1188: 1043: 1178: 452:(CAPPS) & CAPPS II, Secure Flight does not scan passengers for outstanding warrants nor does Secure Flight use computer algorithms to search for links to flagged terrorists. 1183: 1098: 1073: 1148: 1083: 1053: 1028: 667: 1163: 1158: 1088: 1068: 1103: 1093: 1038: 1033: 1153: 1078: 468:. In general, you may only obtain records concerning yourself, deceased individuals, or living individuals who have given you their permission to obtain their records. 1048: 219:
in many states disseminate sex offender to the public, through media such as the Internet. The U.S. Department of Justice maintains a national sex offender database.
489:(NLETS) is an interface to search each state's criminal and driver records as well as the License Plate Reader (LPR) records going back one year maintained by the 348: 41: 394:
suspends for three separate speeding tickets over a six-month period) have that information posted by state Registry of Motor Vehicles offices to the NDR.
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The federal government maintains extensive criminal histories and acts as a central repository for all agencies to report their own data.
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The FBI's compilation of an individual's criminal identification, arrest, conviction, and incarceration information is known as the
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disqualifiers from gun ownership. Private companies are not allowed access to this system for background checks.
331: 299: 280: 279:) is a repository of criminal history information that has been reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation ( 448:, screens United States airline passengers to see if they are on terrorism watch lists. Unlike the predecessors 756: 45: 226:
from sex offender registries. Adults may be able to petition for exclusion from the registry under state law.
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obtain copies of their own records, but may need a release in order to obtain the record of another person.
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Criminal records may be used for many purposes, including for background checks for purposes of employment,
983: 246:(CCH) and Texas Public Sex Offender Registry. The criteria for inclusion in the CCH is outlined as being 386:
While not officially a criminal history repository, the National Driver Register (NDR), operated by the
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It is possible to obtain copies of criminal records maintained by Federal agencies under the
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Employment discrimination against persons with criminal records in the United States
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there is no post-conviction relief available in the federal system other than a
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have information about their crimes or misdemeanors readily available, and
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The FBI maintains the largest biometric database in the world with the
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Collateral consequences of criminal conviction in the United States
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FBI Identification Record Request/Criminal Background Check
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and the United States Government participate in CODIS.
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Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System
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Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System
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that are "reported to the Department on an offense."
857:"Court rules to keep teen off sex offender registry" 270: 48:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. 880:"Petition to Discontinue Sex Offener Registration" 487:National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System 481:National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System 328:National Instant Criminal Background Check System 318:National Instant Criminal Background Check System 1256: 429:. Additionally, the NDR contains information on 811:"No Easy Answers - Sex Offender Laws in the US" 450:Computer Assisted Passenger Prescreening System 370: 512:In the United States, criminal records may be 283:). The NCIC stores information regarding open 169:In the United States, any person, including a 150:. They may be used for enhanced sentencing in 991: 417:to officials about an activity governed by a 397:Also, the NDR records information concerning 456:Obtaining copies of federal criminal records 433:resulting from a fatal automobile accident. 354: 160: 375: 998: 984: 668:"Criminal History Enhancements Sourcebook" 201: 724: 722: 108:Learn how and when to remove this message 265: 57:"Criminal records in the United States" 1257: 854: 829:"National Sex Offender Public Website" 719: 446:Transportation Security Administration 403:driving under the influence of alcohol 979: 734:Criminal Justice Information Services 730:"State Identification Bureau Listing" 675:Sentencing Guidelines Resource Center 471: 121:Criminal records in the United States 244:Computerized Criminal History System 189:court in which a conviction occurs. 46:adding citations to reliable sources 17: 615:"CJIS Background Check Information" 217:Department of Correctional Services 192: 13: 1006:Criminal records in North America 491:U.S. Customs and Border Protection 257: 14: 1286: 1270:Human rights in the United States 964: 942:Texas Department of Public Safety 912:Texas Department of Public Safety 736:. Federal Bureau of Investigation 544:Human rights in the United States 539:Criminal law of the United States 277:National Crime Information Center 271:National Crime Information Center 1119:Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 508:Expungement in the United States 436: 179: 140:immigration to the United States 22: 930: 900: 871: 847: 821: 803: 648:Federal Bureau of Investigation 644:"Arrest Disposition Submission" 300:Interstate Identification Index 33:needs additional citations for 938:"Criminal History Name Search" 855:Pilger, Lori (1 August 2017). 774: 748: 695: 660: 636: 607: 586: 561: 501: 1: 908:"TxDPS Crime Records Service" 622:Maryland Department of Health 554: 493:(CBP). Thus through NLETS, a 1244:United States Virgin Islands 601:Bureau of Justice Statistics 388:Department of Transportation 371:Department of Transportation 7: 527: 240:Department of Public Safety 10: 1291: 1275:United States criminal law 505: 462:Freedom of Information Act 379: 205: 1219:Saint Pierre and Miquelon 1137: 1011: 761:Massachusetts Legislature 361:Combined DNA Index System 355:Combined DNA Index System 161:Background investigations 1239:Turks and Caicos Islands 703:"Criminal Record Checks" 382:National Driver Register 376:National Driver Register 229: 213:Registered sex offenders 125:law enforcement agencies 835:. Department of Justice 202:Sex offender registries 146:within the course of a 1169:British Virgin Islands 495:law enforcement agency 425:on the operation of a 330:(NICS) is used by the 252:deferred adjudications 148:criminal investigation 1109:Saint Kitts and Nevis 407:controlled substances 266:Department of Justice 208:Sex offender registry 859:. Beatrice Daily Sun 817:. 11 September 2007. 334:to screen potential 222:Some states exclude 171:private investigator 42:improve this article 1124:Trinidad and Tobago 1019:Antigua and Barbuda 948:on 28 November 2020 789:Juvenile Law Center 624:. State of Maryland 522:presidential pardon 1059:Dominican Republic 815:Human Rights Watch 472:Interstate records 444:, operated by the 431:traffic violations 132:security clearance 1252: 1251: 1141:other territories 887:State of Michigan 573:National Archives 118: 117: 110: 92: 1282: 1265:Criminal records 1209:Saint Barthélemy 1139:Dependencies and 1012:Sovereign states 1000: 993: 986: 977: 976: 958: 957: 955: 953: 944:. Archived from 934: 928: 927: 925: 923: 918:on 18 March 2021 914:. 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"Criminal records in the United States"
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law enforcement agencies
security clearance
adoption
immigration to the United States
suspects
criminal investigation
criminal
prosecutions
private investigator
Sex offender registry
Registered sex offenders
Department of Correctional Services
juveniles
Texas
Department of Public Safety
Computerized Criminal History System
convictions
deferred adjudications
National Crime Information Center

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