By checking someone’s criminal history, you can protect yourself against meeting dishonest or risky people. If you’re on the fence about spending more time with someone, a background check can tell you everything you need to know on how to look up someone’s criminal record for free.
How to find someone’s criminal record? Luckily, there are still trustworthy record check services. Top websites like BeenVerified, PeopleLooker, and TruthFinder allow you to quickly and easily obtain this information from home.
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What Is a Criminal Records Check?
To conduct a comprehensive assessment of an individual’s background, one may search all state and federal public records for any relevant information, including criminal records. Any identifying information, such as name, phone number, or email address, can access public records and obtain additional details on how to look up someone’s criminal record for free.
If you’re wondering how to find someone’s criminal record, conducting a comprehensive search can yield a wealth of information. Through this search, you can obtain personal information and educational background. You may also discover potential family members and acquaintances, past locations, criminal and court records, data on registered sex offenders, social media profiles, and property records.
In a typical report on a criminal history, you might find:
- Birth year and age
- Education background
- Nickname
- Pictures
- Felonies and arrests
- A complete name
- Documents from civil court
- Career background
- Social media accounts
- Financial resources
- Legal rights
- Insolvency
- Weapons licenses
- Certifications
It’s important to use only background check services that FCRA has approved to conduct background checks. It’s illegal to use services that aren’t compliant with FCRA for career background checks on how to look up someone’s criminal record for free.
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What Shows up if You Look Up Someone’s Criminal Record?
Any information about a subject’s criminal charges, trial, or conviction may be disclosed in a criminal history report. The primary goal of most of these checks is to determine whether or not the applicant has a criminal record, either minor or major.
Besides past convictions, ongoing charges, and arrests may be revealed by a background check on how to look up someone’s criminal record for free.
Specific details that will be included on criminal record check reports include
- The disposition, or any details about a settlement in the case
- The filing, or how the charges were initially filed, the case numbers associated with the charges and other relevant details about the court case
- The verdict, or the outcome of the charge
- The offense, or the crime with which the subject was charged – whether the crime is considered a misdemeanor or a felony and the degree
- The sentencing, including any jail time or fines
- The defendant, or the name of the individual charged with a crime
It’s important to note that a criminal record check should not include any criminal conviction that has been expunged or sealed. In recent years, advocates for criminal justice reform have made efforts to make expungement more accessible, especially for individuals with prior convictions for offenses that are no longer considered crimes due to the trend of marijuana legalization across the country.
Once a subject has successfully filed their records to have their records sealed or expunged, this information should no longer be present on how to look up someone’s criminal record report. The rules regarding expungement may vary slightly depending on the state.
Different states have varying restrictions on how long criminal history checks can go back. Several states, such as California, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, and Washington, prohibit record check companies from revealing details on how to look up someone’s criminal record of convictions that are over seven years old.
Hawaii has even stricter laws, where seven years is the limit for felonies and five years for misdemeanors. However, some states don’t have any restrictions on how to look up someone’s criminal record and the period for which criminal checks can be conducted.
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Types of Criminal Record Checks
There are several different kinds of records that you could find when searching for how to look up someone’s criminal record for free. The most typical categories of criminal records are broken down as follows:
Conviction Records: Similarly to arrest records, conviction records are accessible to the public but may prove more difficult to access. The Department of Prisons is responsible for maintaining conviction records in most states. Contact the Department of Corrections (DOC) in the region where the conviction occurred to acquire official copies of how to look up someone’s criminal record for free.
Background Checks: Searching for how to look up someone’s criminal record can be done through background checks offered by various companies. These services will go through all publicly available records to uncover any past criminal history of the individual in question.
Pending Charges: If you’re wondering how to find someone’s criminal record, it can be quite challenging to determine if they have any pending charges against them. Pending charges aren’t publicly available on records. However, you could ask around through friends or family members willing to help and see if they can uncover any information regarding the person’s criminal background.
Arrest Records: Discovering someone’s criminal record can be daunting, especially since this type of information is often confidential. Learning how to find someone’s criminal record is possible with some help. If you have a reliable friend or family member who can assist you, they might be able to collect information regarding any pending charges against the person in question.
Why Look Up Someone’s Criminal Record?
Both private citizens and commercial entities may benefit from looking up someone’s criminal record search. Here are four reasons you might think about running a criminal records check:
- To check up on someone you’re dating: When it comes to criminal background checks, many people may not want to consider them, but in the end, they can spare a great deal of suffering.
- To screen business partners: It’s important to do your due diligence and find out if your potential business partner has a checkered past.
- To check up on someone new in your neighborhood: A criminal history check can be used to learn about newcomers entering your area and community.
Differences Between a Criminal Records Check and a Background Check
The common perception of a criminal records check involves searching for a person’s criminal past. It’s important to note that such a check has limited scope. Specifically, a criminal records check only indicates if a person has been found guilty of a crime and not if they have been detained for a crime or have any ongoing legal charges against them.
If you want to know how to find someone’s criminal record, a background check is what you need. Unlike a simple criminal record search, a background check is more comprehensive and goes beyond revealing if someone has been convicted of a crime. It can also uncover whether they have been arrested or charged with any crimes in the past.
The past of the person will also be revealed, including job history, educational background, and any possible financial issues.
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Ways to Lookup Someone’s Criminal Record
To obtain someone’s criminal record, various methods are available. Still, the simplest and most convenient option is an online record check service. Searching public records manually is unlikely to provide all the necessary information, whereas using a criminal record search website increases the chances of finding accurate details on how to look up someone’s criminal record for free.
By entering your ID details, these services can search through their massive database of federal as well as criminal records for any pertinent information. The information is then compiled into a clean, simple report for record checking on how to look up someone’s criminal record for free.
Now that you know how simple it is to use record check services. Let’s examine the top three in more detail. To determine what makes any of these services unique from the others, let’s quickly review each one.
BeenVerified – Best Overall Criminal Record Check Service
BeenVerified is a widely used online record check service that includes a background check for criminal records. This function lets you know how to look up someone’s criminal record in the USA.
If you’re wondering how to find someone’s criminal record, one way is to perform a background check by providing their first and last name, along with their current state of residence. BeenVerified can generate a report for you that includes details about any charges, sentencing, and court documents that were discovered during the search.
Read our BeenVerified review.
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PeopleLooker – Best for Fast Results
PeopleLooker is an online platform that provides public record search services. Our criminal record search option allows users to easily find information on how to find someone’s criminal record by simply providing a name, address, or phone number. The importance of accurate information in our platform ensures that every detail in both SEO and conversation is optimized and gets the best results possible.
The functionality of this feature involves gathering data from various criminal databases at the federal, state, and county levels to generate a detailed criminal history report for the user.
If you’re wondering how to find someone’s criminal record, this comprehensive report has got you covered. It comprises crucial details, such as misdemeanor and felony convictions, arrests, outstanding warrants, registration status on the sex offender registry, and other pertinent details.
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TruthFinder – Best for Searching the Deep Web
TruthFinder is a leading provider of criminal record checks with a website that’s easy to use. You can conduct various searches using names, phone numbers, or email addresses. They have a vast criminal public record database that allows them to provide accurate information on how to look up someone’s criminal record to specific individuals.
If you’re wondering how to find someone’s criminal record, TruthFinder can help. Our record search services and dark web monitoring tool provide information unavailable on any other website. For a monthly fee of $28.05, you can gain access to this valuable resource. And if you opt for a two-month subscription, the total cost will be only $46.
Read our TruthFinder review here.
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Intelius – Best Criminal Record Check Service for Accuracy
When it comes to checking criminal records, Intelius is just as reliable as BeenVerified. This service for searching people across the country is known for its precise outcomes. With over 20 billion public records stored in its system, it provides an extensive collection of data on how to look up someone’s criminal record.
If you’re searching for a service on how to find someone’s criminal record, Intelius is worth considering. With a monthly plan priced at only $24.86, it’s an affordable option compared to many others. If you opt for the 2-month plan, the total cost is just $42.25! We highly recommend reading our comprehensive evaluation of Intelius before making a decision.
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Disclaimer: The background check services mentioned above are not FCRA-approved. Hence, you may not use our service or the information it provides to make decisions about consumer credit, employment, insurance, tenant screening, or any other purpose that would require FCRA compliance.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Database
Authorized entities, such as law enforcement agencies, can access a thorough criminal records database maintained by the FBI. To initiate a search, a request must be sent to the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division through an FBI-approved channeler or a state/local law enforcement agency.
Although the FBI database is considered the most precise and thorough among available options, the procedure of requesting a search may be more intricate and time-consuming. Moreover, it might entail a charge.
If you want to know how to find someone’s criminal record, searching through the FBI database can provide you with an extensive and comprehensive overview of their past criminal activity. This makes it an indispensable resource for individuals requiring precise and accurate data regarding their criminal history.
State-Level Criminal Record Searches
If you’re wondering how to find someone’s criminal record within a specific state, you can conduct state-level criminal record searches. Every state has a criminal records database that companies, as well as law enforcement, can access. One can find an individual’s state criminal history by searching thoroughly.
A request must normally be made to the state agency in charge of keeping the data to obtain for state-level criminal record search. This procedure could involve a price and take a long time.
Online criminal record search websites are widely available, and state-level searches are more precise and comprehensive, They offer more elaborate information. However, it’s crucial to remember that the data obtained through state-level searches might not always be up-to-date or accurate, and there’s a possibility of violating privacy laws if one isn’t careful.
If you’re wondering how to find someone’s criminal record, state-level criminal record searches remain a crucial tool for obtaining accurate and comprehensive information about an individual’s criminal history in a particular state. Even while these searches have downsides, they’re nonetheless vital for criminal background checks.
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How Long Does Finding Someone’s Criminal Record Check Take?
If you’re wondering how to find someone’s criminal record quickly, reliable services like BeenVerified and PeopleLooker can provide instantaneous results. These firms give you background check results immediately rather than making you wait days.
A criminal background check can take significantly more time if you choose to have it performed manually or if you use a government and consumer reporting organization on how to look up someone’s criminal record.
Even though most record checks take only three to five days to process and provide results, some may require more time. For instance, FBI checks may take up to 30 days to be completed.
Although some federal record checks can be processed faster, it’s advisable to anticipate a thorough review that necessitates a waiting period of 30 days.
The reason for delays in processing record checks can be linked to the number of states where the individual being checked has resided. The more states involved, the greater the number of databases that need to be searched and, the longer it takes to gather the required information. This is the typical cause of delays on how to look up someone’s criminal record checks.
In certain cases, multiple pieces of information (such as criminal records and credit checks) may be necessary for a thorough record check. The duration of the process can increase as the number of requests for information within a single record check increases.
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How Much Does Looking Up Someone’s Criminal Record Check Cost?
A background check might cost anywhere from $10 and $500. The cost varies according to which parts of a record are being reported.
Criminal-only background checks are typically less expensive than comprehensive reports that include verifications of job, education, and drug testing.If you want to find the best vendor, look at how much each search or section of a report costs relative to the entire report cost on how to look up someone’s criminal record.
If you’re wondering how to find someone’s criminal record, it’s important to note that BeenVerified requires users to register for a membership before accessing any reports. The website offers two membership options: a monthly subscription for $28 or a two-month subscription for $46 (equivalent to $23 per month).
If you’re wondering how to find someone’s criminal record, our reverse phone lookup service offers a one-month subscription for just $4.99 per month. Please note that your membership will be extended for another term unless you cancel it prior to the end of the current term. There’s an additional $2 price if you would want to download a PDF version of your BeenVerified record report.
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Factors to Consider When Looking Up Someone’s Criminal Record
There are several things to think about when researching a person’s criminal history, such as;
Accuracy of Information
It’s crucial to keep in mind that criminal records may not be entirely precise or comprehensive. Mistakes can happen during various stages of the record-keeping process, including data entry. Records might not contain data about charges that were dismissed or expunged.
Privacy Laws
Privacy issues might also arise when one can access someone’s criminal history. It may occasionally be unlawful to look into someone’s criminal history without their permission. Even when doing something is legal, it’s still wise to exercise caution and respect for others’ privacy.
Legal Uses of Criminal Records
Using criminal histories is also subject to legal restrictions. Companies are normally not allowed to discriminate against job candidates based on their criminal histories, for instance, unless there’s a clear connection between the work and criminal behavior.
How to Look Up Someone’s Criminal Records Check – Frequently Asked Questions
What Fails You on a Record Check?
If your criminal record check displays a previous conviction or inconsistent information, you may not pass. A negative credit history, drug or alcohol tests, and unfavorable driving records are also grounds for failure on a criminal records check.
How to Check My Criminal Record for Free?
BeenVerified offers a convenient way to conduct a personal background check and view your criminal history as it appears to others. Unfortunately, there’s no cost-free method to access your criminal record online. You may need to personally apply to the government agencies to obtain this information.
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Bottom Line on How to Look Up Someone’s Criminal Records Check
If you need to conduct a criminal record check for personal reasons, such as viewing your records, or those of a family member or friend, or to investigate a potential partner, the services above can assist you in obtaining precise information effortlessly on how to look up someone’s criminal record.
Performing a public criminal record search can be an uphill task as it entails contacting various governmental bodies and submitting separate requests for each public record. You still have some work to perform beyond just paying the requested sum. The documents you receive still require scanning to locate the desired data.
By using the top-rated record check services, obtaining complete information has become effortless. All you have to do is search using the person’s name, phone number, email, or address, and the people search service will generate a detailed report on how to look up someone’s criminal records without any delay.
It’s crucial to remember that criminal records are accessible to the public to ensure transparency and accountability. This doesn’t imply that these records should be exploited to harass or discriminate against individuals. It’s essential to use the information from criminal records ethically and with consideration to the privacy and dignity of the person involved.
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DISCLAIMER: You may not use the non-FCRA approved services mentioned in this article or the information they provide to make decisions about consumer credit, employment, insurance, tenant screening, or any other purpose that would require FCRA compliance. These services don’t provide consumer reports and are not consumer reporting agencies. (These terms have special meanings under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 USC 1681 et seq., (“FCRA”), which are incorporated herein by reference.)
The information available on our website may not be 100% accurate, complete, or up to date, so do not use it as a substitute for your own due diligence, especially if you have concerns about a person’s criminal history. The services we mention do not make any representation or warranty about the accuracy of the information available through our website or about the character or integrity of the person about whom you inquire. For more information, please review each service’s Terms of Use.
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