What the Public Can and Cannot Access

Searchers who obtain criminal histories through the Minnesota Department of Public Safety will want to click on the tab for the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. The public is privy to criminal record information that includes conviction, sentencing, and incarceration details as well as the location of the offender's correctional facility. Data that is considered private, or that is not available for public viewing, incudes arrest details, juvenile histories, and criminal record information that is over fifteen years old.

How the Records are Managed

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety manages the activities of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension or BCA, which compiles the criminal records information for the Computerized Criminal History (CCH) database of the Minnesota Justice Information Services division. The BCA also maintains the sex offender registry for the state as well.

Who Specifically can View Private Information?

Records can be viewed at the BCA office in St. Paul using the facility's computer or by filling out the application available online. Private information can be requested by individuals who want to view their own history, criminal justice agencies, authorized entities, or by individuals who have a notarized consent form from the subject of the search. Records requested by individuals contain conviction information and details regarding sentencing.

In-person and Mail-in Searches: Contact Information

You can go online and obtain the information you need by accessing the state's Criminal History search portal and entering the subject's name and birth date. Or, again, you can also perform a search by visiting one of the offices of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension yourself and retrieve the data from the agency's terminal. The BCA has two offices in Minnesota. The main office is located in St. Paul at 1430 Maryland Avenue East (zip code 55106-2802) and a regional office can be found at 3700 N. Norris Court NW in Bemidji (zip code 56601). Mail-in requests for criminal histories can also be directed to one of the two offices.

Charges for Record Searches and Related Fees

While you can search for records at agency terminals for free, a charge of $8.00 is assessed for any records that you print. A payment of $15.00 must accompany any mail-in requests. The public can access either limited or complete criminal histories. Again, if you need a complete record of another person, a notarized consent form must be included with the paperwork.

Accessing Inmate Records

In order to retrieve inmate records, you'll need to go through the Minnesota Department of Corrections (MDOC). The MDOC is responsible for the administration of eight adult correctional facilities and two juvenile centers. To look up an inmate, you'll need to access the MDOC's database online. You can obtain the needed data by inserting the OID (offender identification) number of the inmate or by entering his name and other identifiers, such as race, gender, or age.

What Information is Included

Inmate records are available to the public and therefore provide useful information for the victims of crimes as well as the offender's family and friends. Information in the record includes biographical details, a physical description, photo, and data regarding convictions, housing, and tentative release date as well.