There are many different public records that can be accessed by anyone. Arrest records are one type of record that is publicly available. The information contained in this can be accessed by anyone, whether they have a criminal record or not. When someone is arrested, it means that they have been apprehended and that their liberty has been deprived for a period of time. Often, the arrest record is linked to a police record, which will highlight the reasons why someone was arrested.
Unfortunately, it is quite common for mistakes to be listed on the arrest or police record. That is why it is so important that you look into those details, particularly if you have ever been arrested. More and more people look these records up, including potential employers, colleges and universities, and dates, so it is important that the information they see is actually accurate. Hence, your starting point should be to look up your own arrest record and go from there.
How to Look up an Arrest Record
There are numerous ways to look up these records. The police department that arrested you will still have the records, as will the courts that dealt with your case. However, there are also methods to do this online. Companies have been launched that search all the public records for you, for a fee of course. This fee shouldn’t exceed $50 and is possibly the easiest way to get hold of everything you need to know. In the past, people would hire a private detective to search for these records, but they are hugely expensive and may not be able to search through all of your records. The online option, therefore, is definitely best. Do make sure, however, that you provide them with all the relevant information you have, particularly if you have a very common name.
How to Correct Mistakes
Once you have received all the information, you will be able to check it for mistakes. If you see any, you need to make sure that you have the information available to prove that it is wrong, after which you can petition the police station or courts to change it. You may have to hire a lawyer to help you with this. Unfortunately, being able to prove a record is wrong can be quite difficult. Hence, professional help can be very important.
Most lawyers and attorneys offer free initial consultations. If you do not have the finances to pay for legal representation, you could use the consultation to at least get an idea of what your rights are, and what you need to do in order to change the mistakes on your record. Unfortunately, if you feel you have already been unfairly judged by the information on your record, there is nothing that can be done about it. This is because anyone accessing these records must agree to not use them to influence their decision. However, to which degree this can be enforced is a whole other question.