Where to Find and Access Mississippi Criminal Records

Mississippi criminal records are maintained by the Mississippi Department of Corrections, the Mississippi State Police, and the state court system. The degree of access to these records varies according to the agency keeping them and the credibility of the person or organization requesting them. You may also get in touch with a local law enforcement or governing agency when you have to search for Mississippi criminal records. However, remember that the veracity and acceptability of these records depend solely on fingerprint identification.

Conducting Background Checks

You can contact the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation office in Jackson for criminal background check information on individuals. Since two individuals may possess the identical name, name-based searches are not considered ideal. So, the Bureau requires fingerprints for all background checks. You will obtain fingerprint cards from your local police station. You can scan the prints and submit them to the Criminal Information Center. The center receives the fingerprint data and compares them with the state and FBI databases.

You can obtain information on who to get in touch with, the district offices dealing with criminal records, and the relevant request forms to fill out at the official website of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, http://www.dps.state.ms.us/dps/dps.nsf/Divisions/ci?OpenDocument. The site also houses a comprehensive list of the authorized state and federal agencies that are empowered to carry out these searches.

Information Found in Mississippi Criminal Records

A Mississippi criminal record search can be reveal the following information: a corrections background search will give you a comprehensive list of past and present felony convictions. The search reports include names of the defendant, the aliases they had adopted, date of birth, a description of their physical characteristics, the case number, charges filed, the verdict date, and status. It is worth mentioning here that these are persons who have served sentences in state institutions, been on probation, or have performed community services. The database dates back to 1975 and apart from the inmates search, the department also offers crime statistics and victim services. 

The Mississippi sex offender search includes information on offenders considered high-risk by the state. The search results contain the name of the guilty party, date of birth, a description of their physical characteristics, address, description of the crime, and the location. This database is also aligned with a central repository containing information on sexual offenders in other states. This database is open for public viewing, as per the laws of the state.

A Mississippi terrorist database helps conduct background checks that are also aligned with the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons list kept by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of Treasury. These records are processed individually and a law enforcement body is notified the moment a match is detected.

The most wanted report search features comprehensive lists from state agencies like the FBI, U.S. DEA, and U.S. Secret Service. These databases are updated regularly. Criminal record reports for these are generated almost instantaneously. The Mississippi county criminal background search on the other hand takes 1-4 working days to generate the search reports on felony and misdemeanor charges. These reports also include information on convictions and deferred judgments in the past seven years.

A Mississippi criminal record is easy to acquire, provided you take the right channels. Before admitting anyone new in your life or in your vicinity, conduct a criminal background check. The right information will help you remain safe.