criminal records
Documented legal transgressions
Criminal records are official documentation of a person's history with the criminal justice system—arrests, charges, convictions, and sentences.
A background check typically includes criminal records.
The phrase often appears in discussions of employment, housing, or civil rights: Many states now limit how employers can use criminal records in hiring decisions.
Someone with no prior offenses has no criminal record or a clean record.
Firmly held belief
- arrestSeize by law
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
- chargeCost or accusation
- felonySerious criminal offense
misdemeanor · warrant · plea · sentence · verdict · acquittal · expungement · sealing
Upholding legal codes
- police databaseLaw enforcement information system
- sex offender registryPublic list of convicted abusers
- probationSupervised trial period
- paroleConditional early release
recidivism · supervision · monitoring · compliance · violation · revocation · registration · surveillance
Official record removal
- second chanceRenewed opportunity after failure
- reintegrationRestoration to a group
- pardonOfficial release from punishment
- clemencyMerciful treatment of offenders
clean slate · reentry program · vocational training · petition · waiting period · eligibility · diversion program
Investigation of someone's history
- fingerprintingRecording unique digit patterns
- database searchRetrieving stored records
- disclosureAct of revealing information
- verificationProving something accurate
clearance · screening · FBI check · consent form · turnaround time · accuracy · dispute · correction
Unjust differential treatment
- stigmaMark of dishonor
- exclusionBeing barred from participation
- voting rightsEntitlement to elect officials
- loan denialRefusal to lend money
conviction
Firmly held belief
- arrestSeize by law
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
- chargeCost or accusation
felony · misdemeanor · warrant · plea · sentence · verdict · acquittal · expungement · sealing · pardon
law enforcement
Upholding legal codes
- police databaseLaw enforcement information system
- sex offender registryPublic list of convicted abusers
- probationSupervised trial period
parole · recidivism · supervision · monitoring · compliance · violation · revocation · registration · surveillance · tracking
expungement
Official record removal
- second chanceRenewed opportunity after failure
- reintegrationRestoration to a group
- pardonOfficial release from punishment
clemency · clean slate · reentry program · vocational training · petition · waiting period · eligibility · diversion program
background check
Investigation of someone's history
- fingerprintingRecording unique digit patterns
- database searchRetrieving stored records
- disclosureAct of revealing information
verification · clearance · screening · FBI check · consent form · turnaround time · accuracy · dispute · correction · update
discrimination
Unjust differential treatment
- stigmaMark of dishonor
- exclusionBeing barred from participation
- voting rightsEntitlement to elect officials
- penologypenology, prisons, incarceration, parole board, prison
- court recordscourt documents, court transcripts, court cases, case files, court orders
- crime databasesAFIS, DNA database, FBI database, rap sheet, sex offender registry
- crime recordscase files, police reports, court cases, mugshots, rap sheets
- criminal recordsrap sheet, rap sheets, convictions, felonies, misdemeanors
- police recordsarrest report, police reports, incident report, case files, police report
criminal recordsclean record
Absence of prior offenses
clean slate · spotless record · sealed record · exoneration · acquittal
criminal recordsgood standing
Favorable status or reputation
good character · commendations · civic virtue · letters of recommendation · character references
crime, record, criminal, recording, records, recorded, crimes, criminals, unrecorded