Pennsylvania Criminal Records

What does a Pennsylvania background check show?

There are minor differences in what a background check will show depending on where it was retrieved, however, most of them provide a criminal record, personal information, and any related photos or fingerprints. This can include traffic violations, misdemeanors, mugshots, date of arrest, and a description of what happened in the crime. In terms of basic personal information, background checks can provide but are not limited to a full legal name, birthday, ethnicity, height and weight, and eye color.

How do I look up someone’s criminal record in Pennsylvania?

To look up a criminal record in Pennsylvania, go to the court where the case was heard and file a request to see the record or request an online search at the court’s website. Additionally, the Pennsylvania State Police contains criminal records. Finally, third party websites can provide a full background check, such as the criminal search service on this website. These searches are typically much more time-efficient than reaching out to the state police.

Are criminal records public in Pennsylvania?

Due to the “Pennsylvania Right to Know Act”, all citizens can view public records in Pennsylvania, which include criminal records. The Right to Know Act is also known as the Pennsylvania Sunshine Law, and in addition to allowing the public to access information about citizens in government agencies, it protects and provides specific means of accessing these records. Expunged crimes will not show up on a criminal record. However, the expungement process takes time and may not be removed off of third party criminal database companies immediately.

How long do sex offenders have to register in Pennsylvania?

In the state of Pennsylvania, tier 1 sex offenders must register for 15 years, tier 2 requires 25 years, and tier 3 is for life. To find which sex offense corresponds to which tier, visit the Megan’s Law website. Megan’s Law came into being to monitor sex offenders more closely for the safety of the public, especially children. It states that information about sex offenders should be public and that they must notify neighbors that they are registered. The information about sex offenders that is public is their basic information, such as name, date of birth, address, and description of the offense. Being registered as a sex offender has a large negative impact on someone’s life and cause many years of shame and frustration when trying to get a job or a loan. It is important to seek removal off the registry if it is possible given the scenario.

How can I get my record expunged in Pennsylvania?

To get your record expunged in Pennsylvania, you must gather all required documents, such as an ID and an official arrest record, and then file a petition for expungement. An attorney is highly recommended for this process, as a small mistake can prevent you from expungement and cause a restart in the process. However, before taking any of these steps, it’s best to see if the crime is eligible for expungement. In Pennsylvania, 2nd and 3rd-degree misdemeanors that don’t involve violence can seek expungement after 10 years, assuming no other crimes were committed since then, and only if the individual was under 25. There has been an expansion of drug and marijuana-related crimes that are available for expungement as well, given certain requirements.

Philadelphia County criminal records

To find criminal records in Philadelphia county, visit the Philadelphia County court website, or a local court in the area. The county court system is divided into two courts: The Court of Common Pleas and the Municipal court. These courts hold and maintain case records, that can be requested for a fee by filling out an application. Additionally, the Philadelphia Prison System contains inmate records that can be accessed by contacting them.

How do I find an inmate in Pennsylvania?

Inmate records in Pennsylvania contain information about the particular inmate, such as mugshots, location of the prison, their sentence, offense, and type of custody. The Department of Corrections holds inmate records and provide an Inmate Locator.