In the State of Maryland, all law enforcement agencies submit arrest information to two agencies who maintain data banks of all criminal history information. The FBI in Washington, DC., and "CJIS," The Maryland Criminal Justice Information System, located in Pikesville, Maryland. (CJIS is a division of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.)
Information from both agencies is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to police departments and the court system, for the purposes of criminal investigation and sentencing only. The computers which access this information in police stations and courthouses cannot be used to obtain criminal history information for background checks, unless the applicant is applying for a position with a criminal justice agency. (Police Department, Corrections, Court System, etc.)
Persons who wish to obtain a copy of their own Criminal History Background Report for employment or personal reasons, must obtain it directly from the Criminal Justice Information System, (CJIS) by mail, and for a fee. In order to request a criminal history check, the requestor must submit a set of fingerprints on the "CJIS Application for Criminal History Report / Fingerprint Card," (actually a very large orange colored fingerprint card), and the fingerprints must be taken by a police department or other officially-approved fingerprinting facility. The results will then be sent back directly to the person who requested it. Private companies and non-criminal justice government agencies can request a background check on a potential employee if they have been approved to do so by CJIS, however, the potential employee will still need to be fingerprinted by a police department or other official agency. The "orange card" is used for state criminal record information only. If the requestor also needs a nationwide criminal records check performed, then an additional smaller blue colored fingerprint card must also be included with the application to CJIS. CJIS will forward the blue card (officially known as FBI FD-258) to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a nationwide check, however the results of the search will still be returned to the reqestor by CJIS.
The New Carrollton City Police Department provides fingerprinting services on a walk-in basis, provided that an officer is available to perform the service. The cost for fingerprinting is $25.00 per person, for a maximum of two fingerprint cards, and is available Monday-Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Payment must be made in Cash, Credit Card or by Money Order only. Personal checks are not accepted.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The following is a section from the CJIS / DPSCS Website:
Criminal History
How do I check my criminal history?
Criminal history information is collected and maintained by the Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS). Individuals can check their own criminal history by visiting their local sheriff’s office or police barracks to request an individual review. You will be fingerprinted and your fingerprint identification will be sent to the CJIS Central Repository: P.O. Box 32708 Pikesville, Md., 21282-2708. Once received, CJIS will then process the results and mail them back to you. The charge is $18.00 for a state check, and $42.00 for a State & FBI Nationwide check, plus the cost for fingerprint identification. For more information, please call the CJIS Help Desk (888/795-0011).
How do I check the criminal history of someone other than myself?
Individuals cannot check the criminal history of other individuals. Agencies can request the criminal history of an individual who is being considered for a position within that agency by applying for an authorization number. Please keep in mind that authorization numbers are given out for hiring purpose only. For more information, call the CJIS Help Desk (888/795-0011).
Does Maryland have a sex offender registry?
Yes. The Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services and local law enforcement agencies are required to provide a list of certain types of sex offenders maintained by the state to any person who submits a written request. Residents cannot make individual requests to see if their neighbor, for example, is a sex offender. More information can be found on the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services’ Crimes Against Children and Sexual Offender Registry Unit web site or by calling 410/764-5665
For additional information about Fingerprinting and Criminal Records Checks, click here:
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