Utah Criminal Records

Utah Criminal Records are documents that detail an individual's criminal history, including their arrest history, charges, and convictions. These records are made publicly available to everyone unless restricted by law.

The content of Utah criminal records typically includes:

• The subject's full name
• Last known address and contact details
• Description of physical attributes (height, weight, body markings, eye color, hair, etc.)
• Details of arrests
• Charges and outcome
• Sentence and sentencing terms
• Parole information
• Facilities of incarceration

Are Criminal Records Public in Utah?

Yes, criminal records are public in Utah. According to the Government Records Access and Management (GRAMA), official records are open to the public upon request. Criminal records are classified as public records since they are created and maintained by government bodies.

The Bureau of Criminal Identification under the Utah Department of Public Safety (DPS) is Utah's custodian of criminal records. The Bureau collates the records and makes them available upon request unless they are restricted from public view.

Examples of criminal records that are restricted from public view include:

• Juvenile records
• Sealed and expunged records
• Records containing personal information
• Records containing mental health or other health information
• Records with ongoing investigation
• Records containing witness information or information on law enforcement officers.

Utah Crime Records by County

Crime data and records in Utah are collected and maintained by the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI). The agency maintains a platform that users can use to track historical crime statistics by county. The Federal Bureau for Investigation (FBI) also collects national crime data through the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program for its Crime Data Explorer. The crime data for Utah counties is also available through this program.

Utah Criminal Record Check

Interested persons can perform a legal criminal background check by contacting the Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI). This criminal record check can be requested via mail or in person at the BCI office using the contact information below.

Department of Public Safety

Bureau of Criminal Identification

4315 South 2700 West

Suite 1300

Taylorsville, Utah 84129

Phone: (801) 965-4445

Fax: (801) 969-7065.

Individuals who physically go to the BCI office to obtain their criminal records must pay a fee of $15 and come with a government-issued ID. Background search services go back as far as seven years.

Similarly, the FBI offers fingerprint-based criminal records checks and can make copies of the records available upon request. However, criminal record checks from the FBI are only available to the record subjects. The FBI does not process requests from third parties. Persons who wish to perform a criminal record check on a third party may search databases maintained by independent aggregate websites.

Find Criminal Records Online in Utah

Some online resources to find criminal records in Utah include the following

• Xchange public case search: It is a subscription-based platform maintained by Utah State Courts that gives subscribers access to court records including criminal records.
• Offender search tool: It is a platform maintained by the Utah Department of Corrections for finding information on criminal offenders. A search can be carried out by name or identification number on this platform.
• Sex offender registry: This registry helps members of the public access criminal records of sex offenders in Utah.
• Utah County Sheriff's Office: Individuals can search their website by name or arrest date and view the arrest records of inmates in county jails.
• Third-party databases: These databases offer free search tools for obtaining public records, including criminal records. Inquirers must have the necessary details to facilitate a search, including the offender's name and general location.

Free Criminal Record Search in Utah

The BCI charges $15 per request for criminal records. However, it is possible to obtain criminal records for free by requesting a fee waiver from the Bureau. Concerned persons must contact the BCI directly by phone or email to request this waiver. Alternatively, searchers may use independent records repositories that facilitate criminal record searches. Many of these websites offer their services for free. However, because these sources are not affiliated with the government, the authenticity of the record obtained is not guaranteed.

What Does it Mean if You Have a Criminal Record in Utah?

Unless they are sealed or expunged, criminal records stay on an individual's record permanently. The public nature of these records means they are accessible to anyone who requests them. Generally, the existence of this record may negatively affect a person's socioeconomic prospects. For instance, persons with criminal records may be restricted from roles where they may access sensitive information or work with vulnerable people.

Does Your Criminal Record Clear After 7 Years in Utah?

It depends. Offenses on criminal records qualify for automatic expungement under the Utah Clean Slate Law provided the individual is eligible. An expungement is the removal of a criminal record from public sources (Utah Code 77-40a-201). To be eligible for expungement, individuals must have completed their sentences, paid necessary fines or charges, and completed the statutory waiting period. The waiting period is how long the individual is required to be crime-free and differs according to the class of case.

• Seven years for Class A drug possession
• Six years for Class B misdemeanors
• Five years for Class C misdemeanors
• 60 days for acquittals
• 180 days for cases dismissed with prejudice.

Arrest Record Vs Criminal Record

Arrest records contain information that indicates that a person has been taken into custody, detained, or is under investigation because they have allegedly committed a crime. It does not indicate whether they were acquitted or charged for the crime.

Criminal records, also called rap sheets, are documents that contain a person's criminal history (arrests, detentions, convictions, etc) and interactions with criminal justice agencies. It differs from arrest records by containing the verdict of the court concerning the case (conviction or acquittal).

Both criminal and arrest records impact an individual because they are both public records and can be requested by anyone as long as they are not sealed or expunged. These records (especially in cases of convictions) can affect a person's access to socioeconomic opportunities in Utah.

Utah Police Records

Utah police records are documentation of law enforcement activities. They are often referred to as incident reports. These records contain information about incidents, particularly the circumstances that led to an incident and the persons involved. Police records are publicly available information under the Utah GRAMA (Utah Code Section 63G-2-201(1)).