ACCESS YOUR STATE'S CRIMINAL RECORDS

ACCESS YOUR STATE'S CRIMINAL RECORDS

Once upon a time, gaining access to state records was challenging. The historically primitive
research methods took you through a grueling process through bureaucratic red tape. Requesters
were required to contact state officials in advance. From there, a custodian would be appointed
to handle the request. While calling ahead was always more time efficient, the overall process
was normally a lengthy one.

With paperwork, a registered citizen had to request to simply view records or obtain a copy.
When approved, you would receive a huge stack of documents, including all the driving and
criminal records you did not need. From there, state custodians would have to help you determine
which agency held the piecemeal records.

Thankfully, accessing state records these days is a much easier task. States have made their
procedures more streamlined, largely due to the increased demand of background checks; most
employers require employee checks in order to carefully screen probable candidates for the job.
They search criminal records for prior felonies and patterns of behavioral crimes. Many
companies pay a great amount of money to researching agencies that can access criminal records.
These researchers also have other methods of finding criminal information, which makes their
services very valuable.

Accessing national and state records

Accessible criminal records can divided into four categories. These public records include
arrest and court records, correction records, and repository records. Though an arrest record
may eventually lead to a felony conviction, it can be accessed through the sentencing. Anything
exceeding that may result in penalty of the search.

A very small number of databases hold complete background information on a nationwide scale, and
most of them are not publicly accessible. As is stands now, the FBI holds rank as the only
entity capable of legally containing these criminal records. The public can access some parts of
the FBI database, but mostly the records for the high profiled criminals, including information
on convictions and high-risk felons.

However, the public can access state public records, which are a very useful tool for the
individual and employer. Although these public records are limited, they can still provide
illuminating information for a potential employer. However, the limited scope may be a drawback
for a company looking to pry deep within the criminal records of a prospective employee.

The procedures to access state records vary between each state. Some states have an online
system that provides you with almost instantaneous access to state records, while others have
paperwork that you must complete and mail.

By accessing state records, a person can obtain the following information, depending upon each
state government:

* Criminal history records
* Pending court charges
* Pending arrests
* Conviction information
* Sex offender registries
* Inmate searches
* Child abuser registries

Most states have free access to sexual offender databases. It is shocking to learn how many sex
offenders live in each city, in every state throughout our country. These sex offenders look
like "normal" people, casually strolling through the neighborhood and grocery story. With the
increased access children have to the internet, combined with the rise in sex offender rates,
accessing state records can help parents protect their children and neighborhood.

Having the ability to access state records is very important in today's society. Whether it is
finding the right candidate for the job or combing your neighborhood for predators, this is a
method of safety that should certainly be routinely performed.