# Is it legal for me to look up someone’s criminal records? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 25, 2005, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-for-me-to-look-up-someone-s-criminal-records/313974 "2005-07-25T00:24:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2012, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-for-me-to-look-up-someone-s-criminal-records/313974/21 "2012-10-16T11:25:37Z")
> [@Dennisjj](#): > > I don’t think it’s illegal for anyone to check someones background, I mean look at all the websites that allow this such as [http://intelligater.com](http://intelligater.com) I’ve even use them to check backgrounds online. Don’t worry about this because if it were true we’d all be in jail. There’s a difference between it being legal for you to obtain the records and it being legal for me to give you the records that I have access to based on my employment. I can run a criminal history, but I am not permitted to do it for personal reasons even off the clock. This is at least in part because the criminal histories I obtain include information that would not be included if an employer had a background check done. For example, mine will include arrests that result in acquittals and juvenile cases. It’s also likely that part of the reason is because if I do it for you, you avoid a fee. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2012, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-for-me-to-look-up-someone-s-criminal-records/313974/22 "2012-10-16T11:52:11Z")
Three is a site where I can view magisterial court cases for Pennsylvania, knowing a first name, last name, and county. I looked up my name and saw some speeding tickets from a few years ago. Playing around, I entered my neighbors info and found out she has been nabbed shoplifting several times. Changed how I look at her a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2012, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-for-me-to-look-up-someone-s-criminal-records/313974/23 "2012-10-16T13:50:06Z")
Maybe it’s worth pointing out that ‘criminal records’ can mean a bunch of things, with different degrees of accessibility. It’s hard to believe that convictions (and probably trials and possibly indictments) aren’t generally public records. On the other hand, the notes a detective wrote for the DA, summarizing the pros and cons of the case against you, when you were never (yet) charged for the crime are certainly not public records. So the answer to the OP will certainly depend on what they mean by ‘criminal records’. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2012, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-for-me-to-look-up-someone-s-criminal-records/313974/24 "2012-10-16T13:53:16Z")
> [@MartinL](#): > > Any trial is always “the people” vs. the accused, so “the people” must know about it. From a prosecutor: nope. In my state (Texas), all prosecutions are titled, “State of Texas v. Firstname Lastname”. Prosecutors represent the _state_, not the people, and any defense attorney worth his salt will immediately correct you if you claim to represent the people. ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2012, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-for-me-to-look-up-someone-s-criminal-records/313974/25 "2012-10-16T14:24:07Z")
> [@fortytwo](#): > > The UK is a democracy too and if I understand it correctly only certain designated officials are allowed to access criminal records. Bribing persons with the ability to perform look-ups is one the of charges against News International/News Corp in the currently running Hackgate scandal. > [@fortytwo](#): > > If an individual is required to provide a prospective employer with a copy of his criminal record (if indeed he has one) he can apply himself for it. Nope. No employer has the right to request a copy of your criminal record. You can ask for a copy of your record using a freedom of information request, however, the authorities have the right to redact sensitive information (such as details of ongoing investigations). The only dealing with your criminal record that an employer can ask for is through the CRB check, and they can only request it if they are in a field that requires it. The employer may ask if you have had convictions, and you can’t lie, but they can’t ask you to produce your criminal record documents. > [@fortytwo](#): > > Of course there are some professions eg. working with children that require checks to be carried out by various officials. The Criminal Records Bureau provides a vetting service for people who work with children and vulnerable adults and other positions of trust (e.g. Court officials, prison guards, police personnel). A “CRB check with standard disclosure” is the lower form of check and checks national data only, it will show up any conviction for an offence. A “CRB check with enhanced disclosure” is the same as the standard CRB check, but it also includes locally held information (if you have been arrested and questioned for an offence but not convicted), and in addition to that the police may write confidentially to the prospective employer to disclose an ongoing investigation which the person being checked is not aware of (and must be kept from the person). Enhanced disclosure is required for teachers, nurses, doctors, dentists, basically anyone with a high degree of contact with children or vulnerable adults and judicial/law enforcement posts. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2012, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-for-me-to-look-up-someone-s-criminal-records/313974/26 "2012-10-16T17:04:05Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > Maybe it’s worth pointing out that ‘criminal records’ can mean a bunch of things, with different degrees of accessibility. This is true. Back when I was working I had access to records that were not public records. And they were confidential. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2012, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-for-me-to-look-up-someone-s-criminal-records/313974/27 "2012-10-16T17:46:43Z")
In places where it is legal to access them is there any restriction as to what you do with the information? (I’m pretty sure there are such restrictions on info gleaned from the Sex Offenders’ Register. I wondered about the rest.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-legal-for-me-to-look-up-someone-s-criminal-records/313974.md?page=1)