Please Note: The material on this website is provided for informational purposes only. It is not a consumer reporting agency as defined by The Fair Credit Reporting Act and should not be used to determine an individual's eligibility for personal credit or employment, or to assess risk associated with any business transactions such as tenant screening.

Having to search criminal records for one reason or another is a completely new thing for most people. This is the reason why there is often confusion regarding the amount of information which they contain. Clear it as best as possibly with the help of the information shared below.
What’s Included and What’s Not
Criminal records are very detailed in nature. They include a lot more personal information than many types of vital records. In addition to the name of the person and their address and birth date, you can expect to find their race and fingerprints in their individual record. A photograph is typically included too.
Each record has a detailed account of the individual’s criminal history. You will discover all convictions which the person has and not only felony ones. There is a clear account of the instances when the person has been arrested in the past, no matter whether any charges have been pressed against them. After all, it is natural to be suspicious of someone who has been arrested many time even though they have never been sentenced.
Information about current pending, dismissed and acquitted charges is present in criminal records as well. Just like the details on arrests, this information can help you get a clear idea of what sort of person you are dealing with. The same applies to the warrant information which is typically part of the records held by courthouses and police departments.
Although more serious driving offences are typically included in a person’s criminal record, minor ones are not. If you want to check the latter, you will need to look at the person’s driving record which should also be accessible. This is something important to keep in mind, especially if you are hiring an employee whose tasks on the job will involve driving.
Some of the most common types of legal actions which are usually not included in criminal records are restraining orders, reports for child neglect and crimes committed before the person has reached adulthood. Sex offences are usually kept in separate registries which are accessible directly. You should be well aware of these limitations and take measures to dig deeper, if you have to.
Can Information Be Sealed or Deleted?
It is not possible for any details present in criminal records to be deleted. However, it is possible for people to request the sealing of cases without convictions and even convictions under certain circumstances, usually after a certain period of time has passed since the completion of the case or the issuing of the sentence.
Use the information shared here to search criminal records more effectively.