Conduct a Michigan Background Check

The best way to find out about the past details of a person residing in the state of Michigan is to conduct a Michigan background check. With more than 11M people inhabiting the state along with an additional million or so passing in and out everyday, it becomes impossible to keep tabs on every individual.

Michigan background checks become imperative when substantiating hiring decisions. Landlords as well as creditors are also frequently compelled to verify the facts about individuals. The need for checking for a past criminal background also becomes crucial once you consider the option of hiring a caregiver for your young children.

The process of retrieving information during a Michigan background check differs considerably as the search depends on the actual purpose. A number of databases and state repositories need to be searched for relevant records in order to conduct a satisfactory background check on an individual residing in the state of Michigan.

Michigan Criminal History Records Search

The records of all arrests, convictions and serious offenses can be found within the central repository system of the state. Information that can be obtained from the Criminal Justice Information Center (CJIC) is compiled and stored from the databases of all law enforcement agencies, individual prosecutors as well as the court records.

The best way to conduct a background check by going through the criminal records is to search by name. A fingerprint search is only permissible if the state or federal statute demands it. The results that are returned consist of various personal identifiers like the name, date of birth and address. Misdemeanor and felony details as well as the date of conviction can be retrieved by going through the criminal history of the concerned individual as well.

Almost all criminal conviction records are considered to be public information and can be accessed by any citizen of the country. However, the search facilities are limited to the state of Michigan only and cannot form a means of searching through the national database.

Records of out-of-state convictions are not included in the search facilities either. This service is provided by the Michigan State Police and can be accessed from http://www.michigan.gov/msp/0,1607,7-123-1589_1878_8311-16223--,00.html. You are also free to write to the department headquarters at 714 S. Harrison Road,  East Lansing, Michigan -48823,  Telephone:  (517)  332-2521.

The Internet Criminal History Access Tool, commonly known as ICHAT, enables any member of the general public to conduct a criminal background search on an individual by paying a fee of $10 per request. The fee is waived for non-profitable organizations, including those engaged in providing charitable services. It is possible to use the system over the Internet by accessing the resource from http://apps.michigan.gov/ichat/home.aspx after registration.

Michigan Incarceration Records

The traffic offender information system is maintained by the Michigan Department of Corrections and provides information about the offenders detained on charges of felony as well as misdemeanors. The records obtained by searching through this resource can be verified by cross-checking it with the databases available at the department of corrections, local law enforcement agency as well as the courts of Michigan.

It is also possible to check out the incarceration details along with the details of parole and probation as applicable. Records of offenders and escapees from prison can be retrieved by logging on to the system through http://www.state.mi.us/mdoc/asp/otis2.html.

The system is limited to some extent, as it can only provide details of offenders detained by the MDOC over the last three years. Photographs of past offenders are usually not displayed by the system either.

Sex Offender Registry

Information on previously convicted sex offenders and predators are available to the general public over the Internet at www.mipsor.state.mi.us. This information is given out to the public for reasons of security. The information obtained  also proves to be an invaluable tool for background checks. Finding the details of the offense as well as the addresses and various aliases of a notorious sex offender will help you to screen domestic caregivers adequately as well.

Bankruptcy Filings in Michigan

Retrieving information on bankruptcy court filings is mandatory for finding out the financial status of an individual. The records become pertinent once the financial credibility of an individual needs to be established.

Creditors as well as landlords are particularly interested in bankruptcy filings as the records help them to make crucial decisions. Various insurance companies often access the bankruptcy records along with the credit reports in order to form an idea about the solvency of the person in question.

The records for the Eastern District Bankruptcy Court may be requested at https://ecf.mieb.uscourts.gov/, and the Western District Bankruptcy Court records may be found at  https://ecf.miwb.uscourts.gov/.

Michigan Driving Records

Driving records form an inherent part of a background check, as they contain important information about various traffic violations as well as traffic fine payments. Any special driving skills along with the instances of DUI /DWI are also found within the record itself.

It is possible to obtain your own record as well as the driving record of another person by contacting the Michigan Department of State Record Lookup Unit, 7064 Crowner Drive, Lansing, MI- 48918-1502.