Pennsylvania Criminal Records: Top State Government Websites

Most all Pennsylvania criminal records placed online are offshoots of the CHRI law. CHRI governs the way police and state agents gather criminal history data and make it available to the public. The law expands and innovates on access provided by preexisting state public record online systems.

Pennsylvania criminal records are available through both the state court system and the state police. However, the PA Courts Administrative Office advises that court docket data not replace a background check, which only the PA State Police can furnish. Employers are also cautioned to comply with Criminal History Record Information Act even as they access Pennsylvania criminal records of prospective or current employees.

PA Criminal Records - Where to Go?

1. Unified Judicial System Dockets
The UJS website is the hub of the PA Judiciary's e-services offerings. Through the site, you can view or print docket sheets of criminal cases from the Common Pleas and Appellate Courts. (Note: Civil and other cases are not accessible via the Common Pleas page.)

The UJS portal has the added service of allowing the State's District Attorneys to submit criminal records data through the Internet. In this way, criminal records data are kept fresh and up to date.

2. Pennsylvania Access to the Criminal History System
Known as PATCH, the website is a convenient way to perform a criminal background check.

The site is an offshoot of the Criminal History Record Information Act, which orders the state police to make criminal records available to criminal government agencies and agents upon request.

Requests from the general public are reviewed based on guidelines contained in the law. A fee of $10 per request is charged via major credit cards.

Organizations that regularly use PATCH can register free and request special billing services.

3. Department of Corrections Inmate Locator
The site is a database of inmates currently in the custody of the PA Department of Corrections. Offenders who are on probation or parole, although still under the supervision of the corrections department, will not be found in the database. The search engine can turn up info on the following.

a. The location of an inmate
b. His/her race
c. Birth date
d. Miscellaneous data

The site is another offshoot of the Criminal History Record Information Act. The law limits the kind of data that the public can access.

4. Megan's Law Site
The site was created to comply with Megan's Law, which requires police and state authorities to register known sex offenders and make their Pennsylvania criminal records available to the public. Modes of public notification include websites and special notices disseminated where offenders are likely to be present within the community.

Useful Pennsylvania Criminal Records Links:

Unified Judicial System Portal
Common Pleas
Appellate Court
PATCH - Criminal History Online
Inmate Locator Database
Megan's Law (regarding sex offenders)

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Pennsylvania criminal records can be very powerful tools of information. So if you ever want to conduct a criminal check on someone, do so in the most time-efficient and hassle-free way; check out our unbiased reviews of today's leading online criminal records search service providers!