Pennsylvania Criminal Records Search
The Pennsylvania State Police maintains the criminal records in Pennsylvania. Commonly known as ‘rap sheets’, criminal records are provided to only those people who have been authorized by the judiciary or the state police to access the criminal records. As they are public records, the majority of the criminal records can be accessed by the public. Pennsylvania criminal records made available to the public include court records, sex offenses, warrants, traffic citations and police records.
A criminal record will not show an offense you haven’t been found guilty of. You may have one or more criminal record depending on where you live. Revealing a person’s arrests and convictions, Pennsylvania criminal records are used for many purposes including identification purposes and locating possible suspects in unsolved cases. Though, the most common reason to request for and obtain Pennsylvania criminal records is performing background checks.
Regardless of the reason, you can obtain a copy of your or another person’s criminal record by making a request to the Pennsylvania State Police. There are two ways of requesting Pennsylvania criminal records. The first way to request for Pennsylvania criminal records is completing and submitting a request for criminal record check form. After completing the form, mail it to:
Pennsylvania State Police Central Repository – RCPU
1800 Elmerton Avenue
Harrisburg, PA 17110-9758
In addition to completing and submitting the aforementioned form, you need to pay the $8 processing fee. The second and more convenient way of making a request for Pennsylvania criminal records is using the online ‘Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History’ (PATCH) system. Using this system, you can perform a criminal background check on any person. Another way for you to obtain the criminal record you need is through online public databases. The online databases will charge a convenience fee but will make the process of obtaining Pennsylvania criminal records easy for you.
Pennsylvania Criminal Records Include
- Basic identifying information such as name, age, DOB, and driver’s license number
- History of your addresses of residence
- Any convicted felonies or misdemeanor
- Any property ownership
- Physical characteristics and distinguishing body markings such as scars, tattoos, or birthmarks
- Current and past arrests
- Federal and state bankruptcies
- Court warrants
Using the aforementioned information, you can save yourself from trouble or make your neighborhood or workplace safer.
