Alabama Criminal History

You Can Access Criminal Records in Alabama from One of Two Resources
All state criminal histories begin at governmental offices or facilities. In Alabama, criminal records can be accessed from one of two governmental departments. These resources include:

• The Alabama Department of Public Safety; and
• The Alabama Department of Corrections.

The Alabama Criminal Justice Center -- Where Criminal Records are Maintained and Processed
To access criminal records, you will need to go through the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center (AJIC), where the data is maintained and processed. You can look up your own criminal history but cannot request the criminal record of another person unless you are affiliated with a law enforcement agency that needs the information for investigatory or criminal justice reasons.

Employers, too, may obtain access to the information if they meet the guidelines for acquiring the data. If you are an employer and wish to subscribe to the system, you can obtain further details by visiting the Alabama Background Check website.


What Data is Included
Usually, criminal arrest records will contain such data as:

• The number of arrests;
• The dispositions or findings by the court;
• Any convictions or indictments; and
• Judgments or sentences.
  

You Must Obtain your Fingerprints before you Access your History
Criminal records in Alabama cannot be obtained without fingerprints. Therefore, if you are trying to secure your own criminal history, you'll need to complete and submit a criminal history request with your fingerprints included on the document. Fingerprints can generally be taken at any law enforcement agency in the state. Once you obtain the prints, you can submit the request along with a money order or check for $25.00. Make the remittance payable to the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center. You'll need to wait five to ten business days for the processing of the request.

Location and Hours for the ACJIC
The Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center, where the Criminal History checks are performed, is located at: 201 South Union Street, Suite 300 in Montgomery, Alabama (zip code 36104).

The Center, which is open from 8:00 to 5:00 p.m during the week for record retrieval, is unable to address any specific questions about arrests. Those inquiries should be directed to the chief of police or sheriff in the jurisdiction where the arrest took place.

Obtaining Information about Inmates
You can obtain incarceration records from the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC). Data can be accessed through the ADOC's "Inmate Search" tab. To obtain the information, you will need the Alabama Institutional Serial (AIS) number of the inmate and his name in order to begin. If you don't know the number, then you can also search by the just the inmate's name instead.

This information can be obtained by the general public and provides information about where the inmate is housed, his tentative release date and the facility for his release. You won't be able to access any information if the inmate is not presently incarcerated at a facility or if he is a juvenile. Information for juvenile inmates cannot be retrieved by the general public.