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Sunday, September 2, 2007
Where to Search for Criminal Records
What surprises most people when it comes to doing a criminal records search is that these things are usually done on a state level, and that can make things more complicated. If you are searching for someone within your own state, nothing may come up, but that doesn’t mean nothing is out there. Someone could have a record in another state, and unless you know their history, you wouldn’t know where to look.
Knowing where a person has lived in the past can greatly enhance the speed of a criminal background check. This gives you specific states to search, and that means that nothing will be overlooked. However, someone living near state lines may have records in a neighboring state when they never lived there. The search is even more difficult if you are dealing with someone who has lived in another country.
There are, of course, federal criminal records. However, many are recorded by the state. Starting with the current state of residence is a good idea, but it is only a start. There are reasons why these are not always accurate as well. For one thing, some states do not allow anyone to search statewide records. Even when they do, they can be incomplete for many reasons. Each state decides which information they record and which they do not. Some only record convictions, while others record arrests as well.
Some states have information online, making a criminal background check much easier. Others require extensive paperwork. Both generally require a fee. Some require specific reasons and authorization for such a search, and may require a bit more information like name, date of birth, social security number, and other things used for distinct identification.
So where then, does someone begin? Probably the fastest and easiest way to begin a criminal background search is online. Search for your state and see what they can offer you, how much it might cost you, and what you can expect from the search. Most states have a site online geared towards this subject. These sites often have links to other informational sites where you can run a criminal search as well.
The state of New York, for example, has a website for ‘offender search.’ When you go to this page, you will see a form for information. You can enter the information that you know on the person (name, date of birth, etc.) and see what comes up. To see how it works and what information is offered, you can try entering in your own personal information.
What will come up will be anyone that fits in the specified description. You will see names, sex, birth date, status (released or in custody), where they were or are incarcerated, and their race. This information will help you decide if you have the right person, and/or if more investigation is needed.
If you find a name, you can click on it for even more information. In most cases, you can find the offenses, where they were held, and for how long. In many instances, if you are looking for someone, chances are good they are no longer incarcerated, but they could be on parole or probation. You will also see the nature of their crime, the nature of their conviction, and when it happened.
As with the case of New York, the amount of results will depend on the size of the population, and the common nature of the name. If you are searching for Mary Smith in New York or California, you are going to come up with a lot of results to wade though. If you have an uncommon name in a state with lower population, your results should be much smaller in number.
Other states do not have the same information online. If you live in states that do not have this type of search online, you may find a form there that you can fill out and mail in to the proper place, usually located in the state’s capital city. Many states warn on their websites that incomplete forms and improper forms of payment can greatly delay the response. Double check everything before sending your request.
Remember that what each state gives you will vary. Not all report the same things, and you should be aware that a clean report might not mean there is nothing to find. It just means you don’t have access to it at this time..
While some states, like New York, offer free information online, you may not have the same luck in other states, like South Carolina. According to their web site, they prefer to do a criminal search by way of fingerprint, but they do realize that this is something that is not often possible. Each person has a unique fingerprint, and that means there is very little chance of a mistake being made when searching for criminal records.
What you might find if you are searching for sex offender records is that they are generally free, though there may be a few exceptions. This is because this information is public, and it is something that all people should have access to in order to protect their children and others in their immediate area. While this differs from state to state, in many cases, all you have to do is to provide your own information to gain access to those living near you who have been convicted of a crime against children or a crime that is sexual in nature.
If you aren’t sure where to start with any of this, you can start by searching for criminal searches and the name of your state. You can also call your state government for more information. They can tell you how you can get the information you desire, and what it will cost you (if anything). You may also be told how long it might take, and what you can expect to find and not find.
If you aren’t sure which number to call, look in your local yellow pages for government numbers. Find the government agency or representative that seems to be the most promising and give them a call. If they can’t help, they can probably tell you who can.
If you are not satisfied by what you are getting on a state level, you can always search by county as well. As with states, some will give this information for free, or for a fee that is very reasonable. If you are sure of county of origin and current residence, you may not have to call the state. This will depend on the county of course, but it can also be a good starting point, especially if you live in a state with a high population and you know the person in question has always lived within the same county.
Knowing where a person has lived in the past can greatly enhance the speed of a criminal background check. This gives you specific states to search, and that means that nothing will be overlooked. However, someone living near state lines may have records in a neighboring state when they never lived there. The search is even more difficult if you are dealing with someone who has lived in another country.
There are, of course, federal criminal records. However, many are recorded by the state. Starting with the current state of residence is a good idea, but it is only a start. There are reasons why these are not always accurate as well. For one thing, some states do not allow anyone to search statewide records. Even when they do, they can be incomplete for many reasons. Each state decides which information they record and which they do not. Some only record convictions, while others record arrests as well.
Some states have information online, making a criminal background check much easier. Others require extensive paperwork. Both generally require a fee. Some require specific reasons and authorization for such a search, and may require a bit more information like name, date of birth, social security number, and other things used for distinct identification.
So where then, does someone begin? Probably the fastest and easiest way to begin a criminal background search is online. Search for your state and see what they can offer you, how much it might cost you, and what you can expect from the search. Most states have a site online geared towards this subject. These sites often have links to other informational sites where you can run a criminal search as well.
The state of New York, for example, has a website for ‘offender search.’ When you go to this page, you will see a form for information. You can enter the information that you know on the person (name, date of birth, etc.) and see what comes up. To see how it works and what information is offered, you can try entering in your own personal information.
What will come up will be anyone that fits in the specified description. You will see names, sex, birth date, status (released or in custody), where they were or are incarcerated, and their race. This information will help you decide if you have the right person, and/or if more investigation is needed.
If you find a name, you can click on it for even more information. In most cases, you can find the offenses, where they were held, and for how long. In many instances, if you are looking for someone, chances are good they are no longer incarcerated, but they could be on parole or probation. You will also see the nature of their crime, the nature of their conviction, and when it happened.
As with the case of New York, the amount of results will depend on the size of the population, and the common nature of the name. If you are searching for Mary Smith in New York or California, you are going to come up with a lot of results to wade though. If you have an uncommon name in a state with lower population, your results should be much smaller in number.
Other states do not have the same information online. If you live in states that do not have this type of search online, you may find a form there that you can fill out and mail in to the proper place, usually located in the state’s capital city. Many states warn on their websites that incomplete forms and improper forms of payment can greatly delay the response. Double check everything before sending your request.
Remember that what each state gives you will vary. Not all report the same things, and you should be aware that a clean report might not mean there is nothing to find. It just means you don’t have access to it at this time..
While some states, like New York, offer free information online, you may not have the same luck in other states, like South Carolina. According to their web site, they prefer to do a criminal search by way of fingerprint, but they do realize that this is something that is not often possible. Each person has a unique fingerprint, and that means there is very little chance of a mistake being made when searching for criminal records.
What you might find if you are searching for sex offender records is that they are generally free, though there may be a few exceptions. This is because this information is public, and it is something that all people should have access to in order to protect their children and others in their immediate area. While this differs from state to state, in many cases, all you have to do is to provide your own information to gain access to those living near you who have been convicted of a crime against children or a crime that is sexual in nature.
If you aren’t sure where to start with any of this, you can start by searching for criminal searches and the name of your state. You can also call your state government for more information. They can tell you how you can get the information you desire, and what it will cost you (if anything). You may also be told how long it might take, and what you can expect to find and not find.
If you aren’t sure which number to call, look in your local yellow pages for government numbers. Find the government agency or representative that seems to be the most promising and give them a call. If they can’t help, they can probably tell you who can.
If you are not satisfied by what you are getting on a state level, you can always search by county as well. As with states, some will give this information for free, or for a fee that is very reasonable. If you are sure of county of origin and current residence, you may not have to call the state. This will depend on the county of course, but it can also be a good starting point, especially if you live in a state with a high population and you know the person in question has always lived within the same county.
# posted by gopi @ 9:26 PM 
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