When you run a background check, one of the most valuable pieces of information you’re looking for is criminal history — often referred to as a “rap sheet.” This record provides details of any crimes an individual has been involved in, including arrests and convictions.
If your search target has been tried and convicted as an adult, you should see that record in your report. If something seems off — like missing records you expected to find — don’t worry. Contact us directly. There are several reasons records may not appear, and we’ll help you sort it out.
What’s Included in a Criminal Record Report?
- Arrest Records — Even if the individual wasn’t convicted, any arrest on file should be included.
- Convictions — All adult criminal convictions, from misdemeanors to felonies.
- Pending Charges — In some cases, pending charges may also appear.
What’s Not Typically Included?
- Juvenile Records — Crimes committed under the age of 18 are often sealed or expunged, making them difficult (if not impossible) to access.
- Sealed or Expunged Adult Records — Once sealed, these records are no longer available to the public.
How Our Data Works
At Truthed, our search engine accesses over 67 billion public records to deliver detailed, accurate reports — fast.
While U.S. law grants the public the right to access most adult criminal records, not all data comes from one centralized location. For example:
- The National Crime Information Center (NCIC) is a federal database, but it’s not publicly accessible.
- We gather information directly from local and state jurisdictions — where your search target currently lives or has lived in the past.
Why You Might See an Incomplete Criminal History
If your search target committed crimes in multiple states or jurisdictions, sometimes a report may return partial results. For instance:
- You might see records from one state but not another.
- Records could be missing if the case didn’t filter through the jurisdiction we accessed.
This is rare but possible. If it happens, reach out to us — we’ll walk you through additional steps to track down missing records, including contacting courthouses or correctional facilities directly.
Pro Tip: Address History Matters
Knowing where your search target has lived helps us search the right databases. That’s why we provide a complete address history with every report — it’s your roadmap for digging deeper when needed.
Sex Offender Reporting
Federal law requires that certain offenders, like sex offenders, be reported — but even these records are managed at the state level. We pull from those databases to ensure your report is as complete as possible.
