Accessing Criminal Records

There are pieces of information about other people’s past that can affect your lives at present or in the near future.  And one of these is criminal records.

Criminal records (or also called rap sheets) are compiled information about crimes that has been allegedly or actually committed by a certain person. This can be accessed through the database, lists of arrests, prosecutions/ convictions that are kept by the Federal authorities at a definite or indefinite period.

Since it is not easy to trust somebody these days, having access to criminal records can serve to protect the general public’s security and welfare. Here are some advantages that can be derived from having access to criminal records:

- Avoidance of untoward incidents caused by interactions of children and susceptible adults with other persons with criminal offenses.
- In case of employment purposes, denial of the position to dishonest applicants
- Non-issuance of hand gun licenses to applicants who have criminal offenses.

With the advantages mentioned above, as well as other legal advantages that criminal records can serve, it is advisable to know where to access these criminal records.

1. The National Crime Information Center

The National Crime Information Center or (NCIC) provides the national crime history database with the supervision of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Arrests, felony and misdemeanor cases can be seen in NCIC. For this purpose, the Triple I (or the Interstate Identification Index), together with the wanted person index, forms the NCIC database.

2. The National Instant Criminal Background Check System

The Brady Bill mandated the functioning of NICS in aiding the Federal Bureau of Investigation in screening firearms purchasers. This is also used with the NCIC database for a thorough screening process.

3. Combined DNA Index System

Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) was initially launched in the year 1990 and it included 14 US States. After 16 years, it expanded to 50 states and Puerto Rico. Because the information from the Offender Index and the Forensics Index are merged, all DNA profiles (identified or otherwise), are stored in this system.

4. National Driver Register

If you are looking for records regarding traffic violations and road incidents, then the right place to check for these is the National Driver Register. NDR, being operated by the Department of Transportation, stores information about driving under the influence of liquor and controlled substances, reckless driving, perjury and falsifying documents regarding road law compliance, as well as death and injuries inflicted through road collisions.

5. The National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System

The National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System or NLETS interface allows police officers to track License Plate Reader records and criminal records of drivers from all the states. The information is stored for one year in this system operated by the US Customs and Borders Protection.

6. Integrated Automatic Fingerprint Identification System

The Integrated Automatic Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) collects criminal submissions (from arrests) and civil submissions (from legal background check services) and stores it in the world’s biggest biometric database operated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Aside from these databases provided by the Federal Government, people can also consider getting services from private companies, some of which are offering online services at very low rates.

With all these resources available, there would be no excuse for you not to check on someone’s criminal records if it is you and your family’s safety and welfare that are at risk.