How to Find and Access Nevada Criminal Records

A Nevada criminal record is normally used to perform background checks. These checks are applicable to many who are hired for jobs, or have been issued a license related to an occupation. Access to accurate information is one of the many ways you can protect yourself from being harmed. A quick Nevada criminal record search tells you about a person’s criminal background or lack thereof, and this information can serve as a warning or reassure you.

Before you decide to get married or hire a childcare worker, it may be a good idea to consider conducting a Nevada criminal record search on involved parties. Most people interested in these records first conduct a free public search online, and then if they find a match will request a comprehensive report. Nevada maintains both corrections records and records of sex offenders, and these records are well kept and updated frequently.

Information in a Criminal Record

Criminal records include offender fingerprints identification, notations of arrest and following dispositions. Complete and accurate criminal history record information enables the state to identify persons who are ineligible to hold responsible positions involving the elderly, children or disabled. They also include data from all components of the criminal justice system; prosecution, law enforcement, protection orders, sex offender registries, etc.

The information included in a criminal record may vary between counties and even between jurisdictions within a county. In most cases it will list all non-expunged criminal offenses and may include traffic offenses such as speeding and drunk-driving. Criminal records are developed for statistical information to classify each criminal activity and include data on characteristics of the offender, impact of the offense and offender-victim relationships. This data is extracted from operational records using standard criteria for classification and collection.

The Nevada criminal record repository maintains identification data and criminal records, and is responsible for responding to law enforcement inquiries and inquiries related to background checks and national security. These records include data provided by all components of the criminal justice system: courts, corrections, law enforcement and prosecution.

Where to Find Criminal Records in Nevada

There are two primary approaches to search for direct criminal records- the state repository, available online at

http://nvrepository.state.nv.us/

, and the local courthouse. A diligent researcher will search the record file using the exact name and a date of birth of the subject. This gives the record requester a higher likelihood that the record found is that of the actual subject.

The public can also access courts, jails or prisons for criminal records which are generally open to all. Records at the state repository may be open but with restricted access. Public access is restricted for the state's FBI records unless it is mandated by statute to be accessed by a regulatory licensing body.

Many state licensing boards and employers depend on state criminal record repositories as their main resource when performing a background check. The federal regulations which govern the use of criminal records by employers are found in the FCRA, or Fair Credit Reporting Act. The criminal records that are found in the state repositories are also much more accurate than the records found at local enforcement agencies.