Alabama’s Open Records Act allows people to look at and copy records from state agencies, but criminal records, such as details on warrants and court files, aren’t part of it. You need to be an employer in the specified categories on their website to access this information through Alabama’s background check system.
Also, you will need the consent of the subject of your inquiry. However, depending on the details you need, there are several other official sources that can offer limited access to criminal and court records in the state. Needless to say, the search process can be made simpler and will be quicker if you know where to look for information.
Employee background check: If you run a non-farming corporation or intend to take on domestic staff or are a government owned or funded agency or an agriculture employer, you have the right to request a background check on prospective employees from https://www.alabamainteractive.org/acjic_background_check/. Apart from these employer categories, establishments that offer care services for children and disabled/vulnerable adults can also get this data from the agency. However, you will need to get a consent form signed from the prospective employee before a search is conducted for you.
Personal background checks:For people interested in employment opportunities that call for the submission of an official background check, the best source for information is the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center. It is highly advisable to vist the head office of the agency at 201 South Union Street, Suite 300, Montgomery, AL 36104. You can also get information on how to get background verification documents notarized from the agency.
Generic public records: There are several online agencies and some state departments that provide online databases of generic public records from the state of Alabama such as marriage, death and divorce records. While, you may not always be able to get crime history information from these sources, if you seek other details about an individual, these free sources can certainly help.
Inmate information: The Alabama Department of Corrections offers all information needed on inmates serving time in the state’s prison system along with data on escapees and parole violators etc. Because, the tool on the website of the DOC can be used to locate inmates who are currently incarcerated in correctional facilities across the state as well as those who have served time in the system in the past but have now been released, the web page at http://www.doc.state.al.us/ can be used as a rudimentary source of information on crime history.
The DOC also offers information on registered sex offenders in the state of Alabama; while level 1 offenders are not listed in the part of the database that is available for public viewing, you can get details on high risk offenders from the site at http://www.communitynotification.com/cap_main.php?office=54247.
Driving Records:The Department of Motor Vehicles can be requested to access driving history for up to 5 years. Through these records, it is possible to find information on all driving related infractions committed by an individual including rash driving, criminal speeding and DUI. Even if such information has been expunged from the database of the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center, the department still maintains these records and will offer them to the public.
All sources mentioned above, entertain name based search requests, but it also possible to get a finger print verification done for a personal crime history check. Some agencies like the Alabama Background Check System may also ask you to furnish additional identifiers like the social security number of the subject along with information on physical attributed like race, gender etc.