Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Ways To Find Free Arrest Records

By Jed Elaine

Our society is based on a model of open access and accountability and these are much more then just expressions. Its probably best summed up in the way we uphold access to Public Records. Public Records are protected and regulated by law, the same laws that allow public access to these records, including public access to criminal records. Criminal records include records of arrest warrants, prison sentences, sex offences, court records and police arrest records.

Not surprisingly, Free Arrest Records are the most frequently searched of these criminal records. The difference between Public Arrest Records and other public records is in the scope of information maintained in these Public Arrest Reports. These records are updated for a variety of reasons, such as detentions and actual arrests by law enforcement agencies, including military authorities, and can result from actual offences or simply from the suspicion of committing an offence. Records are added to even if no prison sentences result from these offences.

Public Arrest Records are open to the public and can be freely accessed, providing of course all relevant regulations are adhered to. Free Arrest Records are maintained by a number of government agencies, including Police departments and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Public Arrest Records can be obtained via mail, over the telephone or by a personal visit to the relevant authorities. More and more popular is accessing records online. Commercial information services are also able to provide Public Arrest Records.

Different states have different laws governing the use of Public Arrest Records and the information held in these records. Accordingly there are various levels of access permitted, particularly where the information in the records might be deemed sensitive or of special public interest. Records concerning juveniles or celebrities for example might be subject to access restrictions. The same would apply for records on politicians and other high profile individuals. Matters falling under National Security issues or other classifications would also have access limitations. Apart from these exceptions, access to other records is more or less unrestricted.

Transparency goes hand in hand with the right to privacy. The law forbids use of Public Arrest Records during job interviews for example. For other uses, access to Public Arrest Records might be little more than an inconvenience. Public Arrest Records are a wealth of information and are widely, albeit discreetly used, for various purposes, such as background checks on employees, prospective tenants, babysitters, care providers, prospective spouses, in-laws or simply individuals we have reasons to be suspicious of.

Free Public Arrest Records are extensive and include detailed information concerning the individual in question, such as physical characteristics, personal details and all arrest particulars including arresting agency, offence, warrant details and the location and date of the arrest. Other information contained in related records might include financial history such as liens or bankruptcies for example, tax offences or civil judgments.

There are two main versions of Public Arrest Records available. Free of charge and fee based. Free of charge records are mainly available from government agencies. Standard practice for commercial providers is to offer free searches, with payment for downloads or reports. Free of charge record searches are often complex and sometimes incomplete. Paid searches offer more extensive information and are the best option for any serious or legal requirements. - 15437

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