How Criminal Records Are Created

Criminal records refer to the criminal history of an individual. When an individual commits a crime, he or she is arrested and then court proceedings take place. The creation of the criminal record depends on certain factors. In some countries, a criminal record is created only when the person pleads guilty or is found guilty in a court of law. In others, a criminal record also includes records of arrests, dismissals, pending charges and acquittals as well. However the information included in criminal records vary from one country to another and in some cases from one state to another, like in the U.S.

Why Create Criminal Records?

So what is the purpose of preserving and maintaining the criminal record of a person? There are a number of reasons behind this. In the U.S., the criminal records help in conducting background checks done by potential employers, financial institutes and such others before associating with a certain individual. It is also necessary for identification, adoption, security clearance, immigration, licensing, international travel or visa requirements. These also help in zeroing in on suspects depending on the similarity in the pattern of the crime committed.

Criminal Records Databases: Who Maintains Them?

The law enforcement agencies of the U.S. compile and update all criminal records on local, state and federal levels. At the local level, maintaining the criminal records is the responsibility of the local police departments, office of the sheriff, and the specialty police agencies. It is the task of the state police, highway patrol, correctional agencies, troopers, and such others to keep the state criminal records in proper order. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) maintains the criminal records in different databases on the national level. It is the responsibility of the local and state law enforcement agencies to submit the records to FBI.

How Can You Access a Criminal Record?

The FBI databases like the National Crime Information Center, Combined DNA Index System, National Instant Criminal Background Check System and such others are not accessible to the public. The U.S. state criminal records databases are available to the public; however the accessibility varies from one state to another. For example, you can conduct an Ohio background check from any of the following WebCheck Locations listed at http://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Services/Business/WebCheck/Webcheck-Community-Listing or a Sex Offender Search at http://www.esorn.ag.state.oh.us/Secured/p21_2.aspx. But in Louisiana, an individual may search for his or her own criminal record but not someone else's. However there is an offender locator system; the contact number is 225-383-4580.

Criminal Records: What Information is Available?

In most of the U.S. states, adult criminal records are accessible for public view, downloading and printing. All you need to do is search for a criminal record check along with the state name on a search engine and it would direct you to the state repository of criminal records. The juvenile criminal records and the records which are sealed or expunged are mostly inaccessible.

These criminal records are available for free in some states; however a processing fee may be charged for the same in others. The amount of the processing fee varies from one state to another and depends on a number of factors like the information you want to access, whether you want a printed copy or not and so on. The time for processing a request also varies.