Criminal Records

The implementation of the Freedom of Information Act in 1968 has mandated the government of New York to allow its residents to access the criminal records. The office of the Department f Criminal Justice Services manages New York Criminal records.

Criminal records in New York are used in a number of reasons. It is primarily accessed and used by the residents of the state to conduct a background check on a certain individual. People would check out the criminal history of the people they work with such as their neighbors, tutors, caretakers and even babysitters. By doing so they can be cautious about who they interact with daily. It is one of the documents used by authorities when conducting a criminal investigation. Sometimes it is the missing evidence that can help in resolve the criminal investigation.

A lot of information can be found on a criminal record. In New York, the state indicates the information of the convicted individual such as the complete name, address and date of birth. One can also find the physical description of the individual such as body markings like tattoo and scars. Relevant information such as details about the conviction, arrest, sentence and dispositions can also be found on the document. It also indicates other misdemeanors that the individual has done along with the names of the people who are involved with the incident.

The state of New York does not allow just about anybody to access criminal record of a certain individual. Only the individual whose name is on the document itself can request for his own file. Authorized individuals such as enforcing agencies are given the permission to access a certain file to aid them in their investigation. One has to remember to pay the $61.50 as the processing fee in order to obtain the requested document. Mail or phone order can also be done when requesting for the record but it will take a longer period of time in order to get the record.

The office of the Criminal Information Unit of the Department of Criminal Justice Services houses the New York criminal records. It is also where the fingerprint records of the individual are archived. The state police department is another place to obtain the document. The Internet is now the newest medium in order to know about the criminal history of a certain individual.