| For the past few years, almost all state and country | | | | capability to pay the charges. |
| governments have started making criminal records | | | | While the majority of jurisdictions have computerized |
| available to the public online via the Internet. Now, | | | | their criminal records, most of them now do not allow |
| the Internet has become an open source of | | | | off-site access of criminal records. However, in many |
| information that offers manifold avenues for | | | | online criminal records the only information available is |
| searching information. So any private citizen or any | | | | the name of defendant, case number, and date. |
| organization can avail of the criminal records online | | | | Sometimes the penal code violations and disposition |
| whatever they want, usually within two to ten | | | | may not be listed in the online records for the |
| business days. | | | | purpose of providing privacy and protection to the |
| The Pacific Information Resources site has a list of | | | | witnesses involved. When compared to other off-line |
| online criminal records. Some of these sites like the | | | | sources of retrieving information about criminal |
| Oklahoma site provide information about criminal | | | | records, online search is the somewhat a least cost |
| records free of charge. However some of these | | | | effective way. However, these results can be |
| sites charge for providing the accessibility of the | | | | retrieved more quickly than those of other sources. |
| records. Most government agencies now make their | | | | There is some risk involving in the online accessibility |
| records available online as they think that they can | | | | of criminal records. Almost all types of people are |
| make money by selling the records. The charges of | | | | using Internet for browsing information. In such a |
| websites vary from one another depending on the | | | | context, if any errors are there in the online criminal |
| level and amount of information and the kind of | | | | records, they will seriously effect the reputation of |
| information. So one has to shop around for deciding | | | | the person involved. |
| the best site that suits ones requirements and | | | | |