Begin a Criminal History Search at the Rhode Island Attorney
General's Office
Retrieving criminal histories in Rhode Island begins at the Bureau
of Criminal Identification or BCI, which acts as the main repository
for criminal data and histories. The BCI, which is a section of the
Attorney
General's office, also provides sex offender registry
information. If you are interested in retrieving your own criminal
history, you may do so by either visiting the BCI office yourself or
by mailing in the request.
Mailing in your Request
If you do submit the information by mail, you must send in a
release form that has been notarized, your picture I.D. and an
SASE with the assessed $5.00 fee. The mailing and street address
for the Attorney General's office is 150 South Main Street,
Providence, Rhode Island 02903.
Submitting Requests in Person or for Third Parties
When applying at the BCI office, you'll also need to support your
request with a government-issued I.D. featuring your image and the
$5.00 charge. Third-party requests must be submitted with the
subject of the request's signature and the seal of a notary. If
you have any questions, give the BCI section a call at 401-274-4400.
Response Time: When to Expect the Results
The BCI actively serves over 250 people Monday through Friday
during the week and handles over 200,000 criminal history requests
yearly from individuals, employers, and agencies submitting
inquiries by mail, phone and fax. Typically, the requested
information is returned in a period of seven days.
Information is Considered Private until it is Requested by
Mail or In-Person and the Appropriate Fees are Paid
While criminal histories in Rhode Island are deemed to be private,
the public can access the information if they follow the
guidelines as described above. Criminal histories that are
released for review contain such data as arrest information and
conviction details.
National Background Details
Requestors seeking national background check information must
submit a release that has been nortarized and signed and attach
identification in the form of a state I.D. card, passport or
driver's license. The fingerprint-based search should be paid by
money order or check, made payable to the BCI. The charge for
these results is $35.00. Applicants are required to include a
fingerprint card and a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) for
the return of the data.
Inmate Information can be Obtained from the Rhode Island
Department of Corrections (RIDOC)
Should you seek inmate information, then you'll have to direct
your browser to the RIDOC website. The agency, which has
full jurisdiction over the prison populations in the state,
manages each facet of an offender's processing, including
sentencing and parole.
How to Access Inmate Information through the Department of
Corrections' System Online
You can access offender information in the state of Rhode Island
through the RIDOC's online database. Insert the subject's inmate
identification number, their name or other details, such as sex,
age, race and last known address.
Supporting Data
The RIDOC provides the public with such inmate data as sentencing
information, personal details, case number, dispositions,
offenses, and convictions. The information is supported by the
inmate's name, gender, race, and age as well as the prison
facility in which they are housed and type of security.