Looking For New York Criminal Records Online

By Christopher Evans


The New York State stands at number 3 on the top ten most populated states of U.S. with an estimate population of 19.4 million people based on the 2013 U.S. Census records. It is perhaps the most well-known state in the whole world as it is a center for worldwide trade and economy. It is also the place where dreams come true. With that, meeting new people can be a chore. It can be interesting and fun though. Finding new friends or even possible lifetime partners can be relatively probable too. Nevertheless, it is really important to carefully know who you're engaging with and who you are going to let in to your life. Hence, doing a background check on an individual you wish to establish rapport with is a good idea. In the state, New York criminal records are kept in the Division of Justice Criminal Services.

The New York State is an open records state which means that anyone can access vital records of people as it is highly emphasized in the state's law that these records, including criminal records, are accessible by any member of the public in need. The chief source of the state's criminal records is the Division of Justice Criminal Services which contains all the state's criminal history fingerprint files used to offer police departments and other accredited agencies throughout the state with criminal records of people who have been arrested, and applicants for employment or licensure purposes.

Moreover, the Criminal Identification Unit, which is a part of the said Division, maintains criminal records for the state plus all fingerprints associated with misdemeanor and felony arrests. All requests for criminal records are fingerprint-based searches to guarantee accurate results. A fee of $61.50 is required which consists of the Division of Criminal Justice Services fee of $50 plus a processing fee of $11.50. Another agency which provides criminal records in the state is the New York State Office of Court Administration which offers a state-wide criminal history record search for a fee of $65.00.

In doing background checks, you can refer to the New York State Unified Court System which oversees the Office of Court Administration. The latter is responsible for fulfilling requests for criminal background checks. These two agencies help facilitate the promotion of law and justice within the state. New York is an open records state which means that any member of the public may request for criminal background checks on any individual, although searches are name-based only. Since December 2009, the state of New York has started employing an outside firm called L-1 Identity Solutions to conduct these criminal background checks.

If you want to request for your own criminal records, having an appointment with the L-1 Identity Solutions is a must in order for you to have your fingerprints taken since searches are fingerprint-based. You also have to fill out the request form in its entirety and provide your full name, address, and phone number. If you hope to request for another individual's criminal record, then you have to input in the request form such person's complete name and date of birth. Any sobriquets should be included on your application in case sealed records not linked to your fingerprints may be traced with your request. If your application form has vague and omitted information, it will be rejected. Each sobriquet and each date of birth is reckoned an additional search. When you have already submitted all the requirements, you are to wait seven to ten business days for the processing of your request. The results can be mailed, emailed or picked up.

If you want a more efficient and a more practical way of acquiring criminal records, instead of going through the traditional method, you can actually do it online. Simply look for independent online record providers and hire their services. You don't have to worry as they have an online database accessible anytime you need to. What's nice about this online method compared to the traditional one is that, you can obtain the records you want in a matter of minutes in lieu of the usual seven to ten business days. Best of all, you don't need to pay for every request you make. A minimal fee will be required and with that, you can already have unlimited access to their database. In the New York State where the number of denizens mounts to over 19.4 million making it the 3rd most populous state in the U.S., it is really hard to pinpoint anyone with a shady past. Therefore, checking and reviewing criminal records in the state are really very crucial as these can be a guaranteed way of not only protecting yourself but the people dear to you as well. Moreover, background checks are also very useful in the field business. The most important factor to build good relationships between employers and employees is establishing a foundation of trust and this is where background checks help both parties by substantiating the facts and creating the level of trust required for the employers to confidently make hiring decisions.




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