Information About Criminal Records
Most criminal records are considered to be "public information" that can be accessed by anyone. Although the means and expense can vary state to state. There is NO master database available to the general public, or companies that specialize in providing criminal background checks. Only certain state run agencies, police, and the FBI have access to a uniform and centralized criminal database. It is illegal for unauthorized entities to access these exclusive bits of information.
Most sources of criminal information are provided by the states themselves. There are no stringent or standard procedures for providing public records and information varies from state to state. Some criminal information is a result of submitting courts and other criminal justice agencies. Many criminal records go back to the mid 80's. The further back one goes, the more that the accuracy will deteriorate. This is due to the lack of diligence by some state agencies in submitting and/or updating older records. Some criminal information is provided by State Corrections facilities. These criminal records are limited mostly to felony convictions, since most result in either incarceration, probation, or parole under the jurisdiction of the state prison system (corrections). More severe misdemeanors can sometimes result in state prosecution. Most lower level offenses such as misdemeanors, infractions, and traffic cases are handled at a county level.
County Courthouses typically allow searches to go back seven years and in some cases longer. Although limited in geographic scope, they are most accurate since this is where all filings are originally stored. Many courthouses are continually indexing their records onto an electronic format to be more cost effective. Some counties have criminal records available dating back to the 1980's. Most states will allow public records access to their county courthouses, but this usually requires the requesting party to physically visit the respective courthouse and pay any applicable fees. A County Courthouse search generally covers all levels of offenses, but again will be limited to incidents that have occurred within its own jurisdiction. The county courthouses generally do not trade records from one to another, nor do they submit their records to the state-level searches such as Corrections.