Information Found in Free North Carolina Criminal Records

The North Carolina Department of Justice http://ncdoj.gov/Home.aspx?lang=en-US maintains the criminal records database in the state. The Criminal History Record Information or CHRI data is maintained on the basis of fingerprint records. The information and investigation wing of the North Carolina Department of Justice is known as the State Bureau of Investigation and operates from its headquarters in Raleigh. The prisons and law enforcement agencies in the state forward the fingerprints of the inmates and the suspects to the North Carolina Department of Justice which are processed and stored for future reference. After the cases have been adjudicated by the court of law, the final verdict is linked to the existing entry and the account updated.

Where to Find North Carolina Criminal Records

As per North Carolina laws, the records of the offenders are not to be revealed publicly. Only a portion of the records have been made available for public viewing through the Public Access Information system available at http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/offendersearch.do?method=view . You need to fill in the required fields to acquire information about an offender. If you are looking for prison inmate records, then the best place to find them is the Department of Corrections Combined Records Office. You can reach them at 919-716-3200. The responsibility of maintaining the probation records lies with the Division of Community Corrections and you can contact them at 919-716-3100.

A background check is very important when you are looking to recruit someone.  A background check in North Carolina is possible through the records available with the Department of Justice or the North Carolina Courts. For a certified copy of an individual’s background information and a resident of a particular county, you can get in touch with the office of the Clerk of Superior Court. The request for the background information can be made through the Form AOC-CR-314, available at http://www.nccourts.org/Forms/FormSearch.asp. The processing fee for this is $25. You can even check your own background information by visiting the State Bureau of Investigation website. 

Information on court cases in North Carolina is accessible to the public and can be obtained from the clerk of court of the county in which the case is based. Though the records are free, they are subject to processing charges. There are companies that acquire the information from the court and then offer it to the public for a nominal fee.

A request for a background check can be made with the SBI Criminal Information and Identification Section, but only on the condition that an executive order, a North Carolina General Statute, or a local ordinance authorizes the request.

The SBI has the power to investigate cases relating to arsons, drug peddling, child sexual abuse, cyber crimes, election law violations and thefts. The information is not only confined to people who have been arrested on criminal charges but also includes the details regarding their acquittal, if they were found to be innocent. The records are mostly maintained through a centralized agency and therefore it calls for the submission of all relevant data by the lower law enforcement agencies to the concerned authority. You can also come across specific information about prison inmates through http://www.doc.state.nc.us/ . 

How North Carolina Criminal Records are Maintained

The criminal records are maintained on the basis of the fingerprints. A team of fingerprint experts make an analysis of the data collected and then evaluate, compare and verify it. The Statewide Automated Fingerprint Identification System or SAFIS maintains the record of the fingerprint submissions.

There are various methods for conducting a criminal record check. These include the State Name Check, the State Fingerprint Check and the National Fingerprint Check. As the name suggests, the first identification method is a simple search through the database on the basis of the names of the offenders. The second method is a more reliable source of information as the results are based on fingerprints. This method is resorted in case two people have similar names. The National Fingerprint Check option is not meant for the public and its access is subject to an executive order, a North Carolina General Statute or a federal mandate.

Reviewing Your Own Background Information

As a resident of North Carolina, the Right to Review empowers you to access a copy of your personal criminal history, if any, from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. It is a comprehensive account of any former arrest or any other incident for which a record of your fingerprint was forwarded to the SBI from the arresting authorities. 

It may happen that though your records are ordered to be expunged, they may still continue to be featured in the records of the Department of Correction. In this case, you can send an email to info@doc.state.nc.us or call 1-800-368-1985 (the Public Affairs Office) for a correction to the online database. 

Relevance North Carolina Criminal Records

The criminal records in North Carolina are maintained as part of the North Carolina Uniform Crime Reporting Program. It is an extension of the statistical data maintained by the FBI. Not only has it turned out to be a reliable source of information for the crime investigating agencies and the law enforcement authorities, but is also an index of the crime scene in the state.  According to the report, available at the State Bureau of Investigation website, the number of criminal cases reported in 2008 witnessed a 2.2% decrease in comparison to the 2007 figures. Violent crimes such as robbery, murder, aggravated assault and rape also went down by 1.3% throughout the state. As far as property crimes were concerned, the figures witnessed a 2.3% decrease throughout the state. These crimes include incidents of motor vehicle theft, burglary and larceny. 
 
Criminal records also include information about sex offenders. It is important to know whether such a criminal has just moved into your neighborhood. You can sign up at http://signup.ncdoj.gov/default.aspx  to receive regular alerts in the form of e-mails. You can also keep track of offenders by marking their location on a map within a distance of five miles from your home. The records are updated on a regular basis.

Sex offenders were included in the criminal records following the implementation of Article 27A of Ch-14, NCGS14-208.5 of the North Carolina General Statutes, since January 1996 as part of the North Carolina Sex Offender and Public Protection Registry. This statute calls for the registration of an offender with the office of the county sheriff. Following the registration, a list is prepared indicating the number of registered sex offenders in the county. 

Accessing North Carolina Criminal Records

There are several commercial websites that offer criminal records free. These are, however, unofficial entries. The authenticity of the records is not guaranteed as these are not certified by any authoritative agencies. Also the state laws do not permit the availability of all records. So if you are conducting an online search, be very careful about the data that you are accessing.

You may also sign up for regular updates related to criminal cases and offenders by registering with the NCAOC Remote Public Access team through email at rpa@ncccourts.org or by calling 919-890-2220.