Idaho Criminal Records

Obtain Criminal Records through the Bureau of Criminal Identification in the State of Idaho
The Bureau of Criminal Identification or BCI is part of the Idaho State Police and is the designated repository for criminal records in the state of Idaho. The histories in these files are made up of finger print-based arrests. Therefore, any records search conducted through the BCI will not contain criminal record data unless it is tied to a set of prints. Records that do not contain prints are automatically removed from the system. Histories are made available to individuals, law enforcement agencies, and employers that are permitted access.

What the Records Include
Records are only included for adult offenders and therefore cannot be obtained for juveniles who are serving time for their offenses. Records contain the offender's name, reason for his or her arrest, disposition, and court proceedings. If the charges were dismissed, they will still continue to appear in the subject's history.

Begin your Search at the Idaho State Police Website
To begin a criminal records search, individuals must first go through the Idaho State Police. The sex offender registry is also available for viewing through this agency. Records in the registry provide details about sex offenders who are incarcerated, on parole or on probation. Both name-based and fingerprint searches can be performed by going through the BCI.

Conducting a Name-based Search
In order to obtain a name-based criminal history background, you'll need to submit a name-based form and pay a $10 application fee for each name. Payment can be made by check, cash or debit or credit card. An additional transaction fee of $1.00 plus a three percent charge for the transaction is added if you submit payment by debit or credit card.

Police advise that, because criminals may use aliases at the time of an arrest or provide false personal information, searching by name is not always reliable. Name-based requests can be either submitted to the bureau in person or mailed. The address for the BCI is 700 S. Stratford Drive, Suite 120, Meridian, ID 83642. Processing takes some time as the results are not faxed or phoned to the applicant.

Performing a Fingerprint-based Search
To search for records based on a subject's fingerprints, the fingerprints must be submitted on a fingerprint card along with the applicable form and payment authorization document. The fingerprint cards should include the subject of the search's name, any aliases, address, identifying information, birth date, birthplace, signature, and date.

Again, you will have to wait a while to hear back from the BCI as the results are not provided by fax or phone. Therefore, whether you request criminal history information by name or fingerprints, it will take some time as the records cannot be quickly retrieved online. However, you can still download the appropriate forms from the BCI website.

Searching Inmate Records
Searches for inmate records in Idaho are conducted through the Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC). The online database is available for public viewing 24 hours per day. Searches can be performed using the name of the offender or by inserting the inmate number.

The Records Bureau of the IDOC is the central repository for inmate histories, all which are compiled to include the inmate's correctional facility, the amount of time he has served, his status, and reasons for his arrests. Records also provide parole and probation data as well. Conviction information is not supplied for inmates who have served their sentences.