Question: Where can I find out if someone has a criminal record?
Answer: Good question. If you are looking for a juvenile's criminal record, the only way a citizen can get something similar to a history is to look in the minor's file. (Law enforcement personnel have access to this information.) All juvenile legal files are open to the public. One would have to go to the clerk's office in the county where they believe the minor has a history and ask to see the file. Social file information such as psychological evaluations etc., is closed to the public.
If you are trying to find out if an adult has a criminal history; you can always find that information with the person's consent. Or, once again, go to the county where you believe that person has a record and have the clerk try to find you the person's file(s) on the offenses. Law enforcement, as a rule, will not run someone's criminal history unless they have an investigation on that person in progress. An interesting new web site recently developed by the Arizona Supreme Court at www.supreme.state.az.us will allow you to search the files which are public record by name in many of the state's courts. Juvenile files are not available here, however.
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