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.

Even though criminal records fall into the category of public records, you cannot just access them online like a database with people’s landline numbers. Get more information on what information you can access and how. This will certainly be of great help to you when running checks on people.
Your Status Matters
Members of the public can access a limited amount of the information available in criminal records. While each state has its own laws governing this aspect, you can expect to find details on conviction for felonies and on misdemeanor convictions. You can also discover if the person who you are checking is currently in prison or is on probation or parole. Information on sex offences is found on special registries which you can check directly online without having to place any special requests.
Overall, the information which you can obtain from criminal records as a general member of the public is sufficient for forming an opinion on that particular individual. Just keep in mind that detailed on convictions from many years ago may be sealed. You should check what information could possibly be sealed in advance.
Employers, landlords, real estate agencies, government licensing agencies and some other organizations can access more details found in criminal records. The score is determined by the criminal law in the respective state. Usually, the people and organizations in this special group can get details on previous arrests of the people that they are checking, even if these arrests have not led to any charged. Information on current pending, dismissed and acquitted charges may also be available.
Placing a Request
There are two ways in which a person or organization can obtain details on the criminal history of an individual. The first option is to place a direct request at the local courthouse or do it via mail or directly on their website, if such options are available. It is also possible to obtain criminal records from the county sheriff’s department in some cases. The process isn’t long and you will get the details which you need fast, provided that your request is approved, of course. Approval is easily granted in most cases.
The other option for searching criminal records is to do it via specialized service which is authorized to perform background checks. Such services are usually used by employers and landlords as they include education and previous employment verifications too. Still, in most cases, it is possible to request a criminal background check only.
You are now better prepared to access the criminal records which you need to check.