Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Grab A Free California Criminal Records

By Ben Kingsley


In California, background screening is quickly becoming a standard practice in many workplaces and even businesses across the world. Organizations perform background checks as they are always on the lookout to mitigate their risks. Performing background checks is an effective and easy way for them to do so. In background screening, the records heavily relied on are criminal records as such records indicate any felonies or misdemeanour done by an individual thereby helping employers do the decision-making fast and with assurance. California criminal records can be acquired through the Department of Justice or California Attorney General.

In the State of California, any Californian can request access to public records. This is in accordance with the Public Records Law which stresses out that all state agencies and institutions are held responsible for the citizenry. However, unlike any other states in the US, California does restrict access to some records to certain entities only. Criminal and arrest records, for example, can only be accessed by the legitimate law enforcement agencies and authorized applicant agencies. Individuals named on the criminal history information, however, have the right to access their personal record for the purpose of reviewing such for accuracy and completeness. Hence, third party requests will not be processed.

In case of background checks or genealogy research, the Department of Justice cannot issue a certified copy of the criminal record requested. Instead, such agency will provide an informational copy only. Such copy indicates the same information with that of a certified copy. What only differs is that an informational copy cannot establish identity as it is not a valid document.

Like any other record demands, an application form must be secured first and completed for the request to be processed. When appealing for a criminal record, you have to get a Live Scan form and fill it out with your significant personal information. Such form can be downloaded online or directly from the Department of Justice's website. Once the form is completed, it should be submitted to such agency together with an image of your Live Scan fingerprints. Fingerprint images are required since criminal record searches are fingerprint-based. Payment for the criminal record request must be through check or money order made payable to the Department of Justice. The processing fee is $25. The estimated processing time takes weeks to months. Unfortunately, such office cannot accommodate rush requests.

In the State of California, only those with a valid reason such as employment can obtain access to such records either through the agencies stated above or through courts. Since California has implemented many rules in obtaining criminal records, doing background checks can be quite an arduous task. In this case, you may have to settle for an informational copy. However, if such copy does not seem to be adequate for your research or background check, you can actually try to pull a quick record review online.

Today, with Internet as the trend, procuring records can already be done in the comfort of your own home. With a computer and an Internet connection handy, you can already get the criminal and arrest records public you need in an expedited and convenient manner. Simply search for record providers online, do a quick background check on the record provider you're eyeing on, and start your record search. Instead of the usual processing time that takes weeks to months, these independent online service providers can give you the records you need in just a matter of minutes. Truly, utilizing this method will save you money, time, and effort.




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