District of Columbia Criminal Records

DC criminal records are official documents that contain details of an individual's interaction with law enforcement and the District's judicial system. These documents provide a summary of an individual's criminal involvement for offenses that occurred within the borders of Washington, DC. Criminal records are created and updated whenever their subject is arrested, imprisoned, prosecuted, indicted, or sentenced for a criminal offense.

Criminal records in the District of Columbia are generated by law enforcement agencies, courts, probation/parole departments, district attorney's offices, and correctional facilities. These records are submitted to the District of Columbia metropolitan police, which serves as the central repository for the records and processes record requests for law enforcement agencies, individuals, and other institutions.

Are Criminal Records Public in the District of Columbia?

Yes, District of Columbia criminal records are considered public records per the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Unless exempt from public disclosure per DC Code § 2-534, these records are made available to interested persons upon request. Law enforcement agencies and court record custodians in charge of these criminal records are required by law to locate existing records for requesters.

District of Columbia Crime Records by County

Statistics, reports, and incidents of criminal behavior are all part of DC crime records and are kept up to date by local or state government organizations to track, evaluate, and assess criminal conduct in the District.

Interested persons can find county crime records in DC by contacting the metropolitan police in person or online. The Metropolitan Police in DC maintains an up-to-date online criminal records management system that displays the crime data from all regions within the District of Columbia. The system can also compare crime statistics from one year to another.

The Department of Justice also maintains a national crime information system that can be used to check crime records in the District of Columbia.

District of Columbia Criminal Record Check

Individuals can perform a criminal record check, otherwise known as a criminal background check, in the District of Columbia by contacting the Metropolitan Police Arrest and Criminal History section. The criminal history department allows inquirers to request criminal history checks in person or through mail. To request a DC criminal record check, the requesting party must fill out PD Form 70, Criminal History Request. This form can be obtained at Police Headquarters' first floor Arrest and Criminal History Section. The majority of requests will be processed in about a day. To request a check in person, requestors will be required to provide a driver's license, Original Birth Certificate, Social Security Card, and any government-issued Identification card. Those who are unable to visit the office in person or who reside outside of the District may write a NOTARIZED letter seeking a background check to:

Metropolitan Police Department

Criminal History Section

441 4th Street, NW, Room 550 South

Washington, DC 20001

The following details need to be included in the request:

• Complete Name
• Date of Birth
• Number for Social Security
• Self-sufficient Authenticated Envelope
• $7 Money Order payable to the DC treasures

Criminal record checks in the District of Columbia cost a flat fee of $7.

Find Criminal Records Online in the District of Columbia

Interested members of the public can find criminal records online in DC by making online requests to the Metropolitan Police or by looking through online court dockets. Court dockets can be used to perform criminal case searches and find criminal records from court documents. These dockets are typically hosted on the websites of respective court clerks. Thus, the inquirer will need to confirm the court where the criminal case was heard and then proceed to search for the Clerk's official site or online repository.

Free Criminal Record Search in the District of Columbia

A free criminal record search in the District of Columbia can be performed through several third-party aggregate websites. These platforms allow anyone to find criminal records using a subject's full name, birth date, and personal/identifying information. Interested persons can also find related documents such as arrest records, arrest reports, and an individual's criminal history using these sites. Most of these websites are free. However, several of them provide these services for a monthly subscription fee or a one-time fee.

What Does it Mean to Have a Criminal Record in the District of Columbia?

In the District of Columbia, a criminal record can also adversely affect a person's quality of life even years after an arrest or a sentence has been served. To mitigate the negative effects of a criminal record, the District of Columbia offers several relief measures. The Fair Criminal Record Screening Act is one example; it prohibits employers from inquiring about an applicant's criminal convictions before making an employment offer and entirely prohibits them from asking about an arrest that resulted in no conviction.

Other effects that a criminal record might have on a person includes:

• Driving and Firearms Privileges: Persons with a criminal record may lose their driver's license or ability to own a firearm following a criminal charge.
• Difficulty Finding Housing: Individuals with criminal records may be unable to rent from certain landlords depending on the nature of their criminal offense or conviction
• Child custody: In Washington, DC, a divorced person's eligibility to have custody of their children with a previous spouse will be impacted by their criminal history. This is particularly true for those with a criminal history of domestic abuse convictions.

Does Your Criminal Record Clear After 7 Years in the District of Columbia?

No, unlike some states in the US, criminal records are not cleared after 7 years in the District of Columbia because they are considered permanent records. However, individuals can apply to have their criminal records expunged or sealed after a wait-period of 2 to 3 years, depending on the circumstances surrounding their arrest and conviction.

Expungement is the complete removal of information regarding an individual's arrest and conviction. Per DC Law 24-284 (Second Chance Amendment Act), individuals can file to have their records automatically expunged from every criminal history database if their arrest and conviction meet specific eligibility criteria.

Sealing criminal records in the District of Columbia is the removal of these records from public access; while not as far-reaching as expungement, sealing records ensures that they cannot be accessed unless by the authorization of a court order. The District of Columbia City Council passed the Criminal Record Sealing Act of 2006. If a person meets the eligibility requirements, this statute allows them to have their criminal record sealed.

Arrest Record Vs Criminal Record

In the District of Columbia, the terms "arrest records and "criminal records" are used interchangeably to mean the same thing. However, 'arrest records' usually describe a document containing information about the apprehension and detention of an individual. Arrest records include information on an arrest, including a police report and a warrant for an arrest. DC arrest records also show the date of an arrest, a police report detailing the arrest, a signed warrant, and information about possible charges. On the other hand, a criminal record is an official document that provides a complete outline of an individual's interaction with law enforcement and criminal justice agencies. Depending on the individual and their involvement in illegal activity, it features all offenses, arrests, warrants, convictions, penalties, and paroles.

The DC criminal justice system offers inquirers a means to obtain criminal and arrest records at the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) or DC Superior Court.

District of Columbia Police Records

District of Columbia police records are files, documents, audio and video recordings that show details of police work carried out within the state. Police records in DC include arrest reports, accident/incident reports, offense reports, warrant complaints, and other relevant documents revealing police intervention in a crime or incident.

Police records are generally considered public records per § 16–2333 (Code of District of Columbia). However, certain police records are exempt from public disclosure, such as records containing information about a child. Whereas criminal records concentrate on a person's involvement in illegal activity and the associated legal procedures, police records cover a more comprehensive range of interactions between the public and law enforcement.