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.

The public has the right to know when someone has committed a crime and has paid for it as well. That is why each country has public criminal records which can be accessed freely by any person or organization. The information in them can be used for all sorts of purposes from making hiring decisions to protecting children from potentially dangerous neighbors. Learn more about the type and amount of information which is included in these public records to get a better idea of how you can make the most out of it.
Basic Information
Practically all criminal records which are available to the public contain the types of offenses committed and the time when this has happened. Only the legal term which describes the offense is typically used. Details may not always be included. That is why you may have to check the meaning of the term. This can be easily done online. You can expect to find the day, month and year of the offense as well. All offenses committed by the person will be present in the record unless they have been removed for legal reasons.
In many cases, the traffic offenses are also included in the criminal history records. These include drunk driving and speeding among others. These are equally important for the performance of any background check as they also reveal a lot about the trustworthiness of the checked person.
Additional Details
It is possible for the criminal records to be much more thorough. It all depends on the laws which govern the access to information which are in place in the respective jurisdiction. Details on convictions can also be present in the records. These include the type and length of sentence which a person has got and where and how it has been served. Sometimes, it is stated directly whether the individual is currently serving a sentence or not.
Information on arrests can be made accessible to the public as well. In most cases, the include details are the time and date of the event and the reason for it. The charges pressed against the person can be provided as well. Details on both pending and dismissed charges can be included.
Finally, you have to keep in mind that even though criminal records are updated on a regular basis, this is not done every day. That is why you have to check specifically the period of time which is covered. More recent information can be obtained directly from the authorities which compile it and keep it.