When you get a background check on someone, how deep does it go? If I go to hire someone, I can get a release of their police records. Does it only include convictions, all arrests, things for which they weren’t arrested but under suspicion for, complaints, traffic tickets?
Got enough $ and time and you can get anything.
IANOPO, but I imagine that any such records wouldn’t include things that they were suspected of but not arrested for. I think it’s basically just stuff like whatever you’ve been convicted of, traffic citations, that sort of thing. This wouldn’t include anything that had been purged from your record, such as juvenile convictions.
You can get information on arrests without convictions, but not with a centralized computer search.
You would have to actually contact each police department in question and ask. If you’re calling from the federal government and asking about someone you’re trying to determine a security clearance for, the PDs are supposedly fairly helpful.
I don’t know if a private detective would have the same luck.
This whole thing presupposes you KNOW where your subject of investigation has lived and visited.
I regularly do criminal history checks on job applicants at my place of work (required by state law since this is a nursing home). The records are spotty and depend on the efficiency of the reporting courts. I have seen juvenile records included even though they are not supposed to be and I also know that some criminal convictions have never been reported to the state. We often use the criminal history background check just to see if the applicant is truthful or not. Lie on your application and you don’t have a chance of being hired.
OK. That’s cool.
If I actually hire someone someday, I probably won’t bother. Well, I might get a look for violent crimes or fraud. It’s interesting to know I could potentially pull up someone’s juvie record, though. 
Thanks for the info.
In Texas, you must have the full name; birth date and SS number before searching the TDPS criminal history records. They will show only convictions, not arrests or accusations. Occasionally, as I mentioned in my previous post, I have seen juvenile convictions included. That is probably a result of careless reporting. Traffic citations are not part of the TDPS record. Theft, assault, DUI, drugs, stuff like that is what I usually see. A one time only conviction doesn’t worry us much but when we see a pattern of small convictions over many years, then we take notice. Not anyone can access criminal history sites; you will have to contact your state to get authorized access. In Texas, the cost is $1.00 per search.