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What Are Criminal Records?
Criminal records are listings of criminal charges and convictions against individuals in the state of Colorado. The records include misdemeanor and felony charges and any convictions arising from them. The records include copies of any fingerprints, photos or other data regarding the individual for whom the record is compiled. The records also provide detailed arrest records that are supported by fingerprints to specifically match the record to the individual.
Records that do not include fingerprints are not available through the database. Neither are records regarding information regarding any warrants that might have been issued, records that are sealed or records regarding juveniles. The records must pertain to individuals who are over age 18 and that are supported by fingerprints.
How Are Criminal Records Used?
Criminal records mostly are used for background checks done by potential employers, residential communities and law enforcement. The records help to determine whether or not someone might be a liability to an employer or otherwise is lying on a job application. Criminal records also help residential communities to identify possible threats, such as a sexual predator or someone with a history of dealing drugs and related violent activities, who might pose a threat to the local community. When a person or organization has a legitimate reason to obtain someone’s criminal record, the CBI makes it happen for a modest fee.
How Can Someone Access Your Records?
The CBI’s Internet Criminal History Check System enables account holders and individuals to search the database of criminal records of people who have been charged and convicted of crimes in Colorado. The computerized criminal history database provides detailed information contained with respective and accessible records.
Sex Crimes
The Colorado Convicted Sex Offender Search provides users with criminal records of convictions for sex offenses. The online search tool enables people to obtain records regarding:
- Sexually violent predators, who are considered to pose the greatest potential risk of criminal sexual violence within a community and are the only sex offenders required to notify the local community upon moving into it.
- Multiple offenders who have two or more felony convictions for criminal sexual behavior and at least one conviction for criminal sexual violence.
- Felony convictions for any sex offense.
- Failed to Register reports on sex offenders who did not register or who have a history of not registering with local law enforcement as required.
The sex crimes records do not include information on misdemeanor criminal sex offenses or juveniles who are adjudicated for committing sex crimes.
How Can You Request a Criminal Record?
There are two ways in which the public may obtain criminal records. One is to create an account and obtain records with the account covering the administrative costs. An account enables an organization to establish an account through which it can obtain regularly needed criminal records while performing criminal background checks.
Individuals also can obtain criminal records but must pay a $5 fee for each record search performed. If a record search turns up more than one result due to similar names or other identifying information, the $5 fee applies to each record that the individual chooses to access. Prior to conducting a criminal record search, any individual must sign a form affirming the information obtained will not be used to solicit business or donations.