Criminal Records in Connecticut

All Criminal Record Requests must be Made by Mail in Connecticut
In the state of Connecticut, the State Police Bureau of Identification is responsible for maintaining the records database for criminal histories. Operating under the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP), the Bureau requires that record requests be made by mail.

Completing the Request
Therefore, in order to access a criminal history, you must complete a request form and include the subject's name. A fee of $50 per name must be sent with the form. If you need to have fingerprints taken for a fingerprint search, you'll be assessed an extra $15. The request form can be downloaded from the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) website, and can be used for both name-based and fingerprint searches.

Accident Information can also be Accessed through the DESPP
The DESPP has been maintaining criminal histories since 1935, when records contained fingerprints and mug shots of arrestees. The agency works with the judicial branch to keep the public updated about legal and criminal happenings. In addition, the DESPP oversees fingerprinting services as well. Along with criminal histories, accident or incident information is also available through the agency.

Criminal Records in Connecticut can be Obtained by the Public and Employers
Because criminal records in Connecticut are viewed as public information, both employers and individuals can access the data. Criminal histories contain information that includes arrests and court information, including dispositions and convictions. If a conviction is made, then the subject will generally be incarcerated in a facility, such as a jail, unless he is a repeat offender.

In those instances, he typically will be housed in a state prison facility. Information cannot be accessed if the charges for a case were dismissed or the record is sealed.

The Connecticut Department of Corrections Maintains Inmate Records in the State
Inmate records fall under the jurisdiction of the Connecticut Department of Corrections or the CDOC, which operates seventeen correctional facilities in the state. Fifteen of the institutions hold male adult prisoners while each one of the other two facilities house male juveniles and inmates.

You can search inmate records by looking online at the CDOC website or by contacting the CDOC by phone if you can't find the information by searching on the site. The contact number of the CDOC office is 860-692-7780.

What Inmate Records Contain
You can search for an inmate online by inserting his inmate number, date of birth, and/or name. The records, which are comprised by way of the state's public information office, are viewable by the public. Records of offenders contain the inmate's number, his or her date of birth, arrests, dispositions, and convictions, and the name of the correctional facility where the prisoner is currently housed.

Some Exceptions to Note when Searching for Inmates
In Connecticut, not all inmates are considered guilty as incarcerated individuals who are awaiting trial are also regarded as inmates. As a result, their status has not yet been established. In addition, information that is related to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests is not part of the CDOC database. Therefore, inquiries about ICE inmates should be made by calling the regional office of the ICE at 617-565-4956.