Obtaining a Copy of Your Criminal Record

Do you have a criminal record?  Do you know if the criminal record is even accurate?  Arizona law requires that a person’s criminal record, misdemeanors and felonies, is maintained until he or she reaches the age of 99 or until one year after that person dies. A person can obtain a copy of their own criminal record in the State of Arizona. It is common for a person to want to obtain a copy of their own criminal record, because he or she is concerned about what the records states.  The person may be looking for a new job.  Nowadays, employers of all kinds perform thorough background checks before hiring. The employer will obtain your criminal history. The State of Arizona maintains the criminal history in the Criminal History Records Section of the Central State Repository for Arizona crimes only.  If the Arizona record may contain inaccurate information, there is a way to correct it.  A person may contact the Arizona Department of Public Safety and request for a Record Review Packet. Any corrections may be completed by completing and submitting a form included in the Record Review Packet called “Review and Challenge of Arizona Criminal History Information.” The packet will include a fingerprint card.  The person must also provide a set of his or her fingerprints.  There is no cost for this process. If the Central State Repository agrees that an error exists on the criminal history record, the record will be corrected. Additionally, the Criminal History Records Section at the Central State Repository will notify the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the error so they can update their records. Keep in mind, the error might originate with the court or arresting agency in Arizona. In such cases, the Criminal History Records Section will not correct the error until that court or arresting agency corrects the error. In such a case, a person needs to be proactive and seriously consider hiring an attorney with experience in dealing with this type of issue. An attorney can  assist you in correcting this problem or error associated with the criminal history record. Robert A. Dodell Attorney    

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