
Tyrae T. and N.R. I needed what every 30-year-old American with no steady income needs: a well-paying job. Both were willing and eager to work, but both were turned down for numerous entry-level positions for which they were qualified. The reason? criminal record. Tyrae and N.R. have never been convicted of a crime, but they face a problem affecting millions of low-income Americans: arrests without a conviction used as a reason to deny them employment.
Criminal job seekers, particularly those of color, face a major obstacle to finding employment. Studies have shown that black men with no criminal records receive interview callbacks at lower rates than white men with criminal records; and for a black man with a criminal record, the recall rate is almost negligible.
A criminal conviction can affect insurance rates
Many types of insurance providers, including life insurance, home insurance, and auto insurance, can and often do conduct background checks. Even a misdemeanor can result in a person’s rates increasing or coverage being denied. The assumption is that the choices made that led to criminal behavior make a person too risky to insure.
Immigrants without citizenship status may face deportation based on a criminal conviction. This is especially true for violent crimes. For undocumented immigrants, however, something as simple as a speeding ticket can put them at risk of deportation.
How can I access public records in New York?
Some registrations are available online while others require a formal application. If a request is required, it can be sent to the Archiving Department by post, email or telephone.
Every department is different, so expect some variation in the rules when accessing records from multiple locations. This can be done by email, post or phone depending on the department where the request is submitted.
If you were convicted as a minor:
Generally, if you were convicted as a minor (between the ages of 7 and 16) and have not been convicted of any other offence, your file will be sealed.
More specifically: If you are convicted of a juvenile delinquency or juvenile delinquency, meaning you committed a crime between the ages of 7 and 16, your file will not be available. everyone, unless you commit an additional offense. If you commit more than JO or JD offenses, the judge deciding your sentence will have access to your record for law enforcement purposes. Once you are 16 years old, you can apply to have your file sealed.
New York Office of Court Administration Criminal Records
The New York Office of Court Administration provides public access to criminal records for convictions and arrests in New York State. For a fee, individuals, agencies, or corporations may prosecute pending/pending criminal cases and convictions originating in the District/Supreme, City, Town, and Village courts of New York’s 62 counties. The only information needed to look up a person’s criminal record using this method is their exact name and date of birth.
A criminal history search by the Office of Court Administration reveals pending indictments, misdemeanor convictions, felony convictions and arrests leading to a conviction. A search of the Office of Court Administration criminal records will never uncover records that have been sealed. Even if a person has only one misdemeanor conviction and nothing else, and the conviction is more than ten (10) years old, the conviction and arrest will not be reported.