Criminal Records
A criminal record is documentation of someone's contact or involvement with the criminal justice system, starting with the police. It includes any crimes they have been charged with or convicted of since age 12. A number of federal and provincial law enforcement agencies have access to criminal records through the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC). These include Citizenship and Immigration, Parks Canada, Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, United States (US) Customs and Immigration and the US state police. Most provincial police agencies also have access to a B.C. specific system called PRIME.
A criminal record may include:
- outstanding charges;
- agreements the offender or accused made to follow certain rules or activities; and
- information about release from custody.
Youth records are treated differently than adult records. For more information, see: Youth Records.
Criminal Record Checks
A criminal record check takes place when a request for a criminal history is received by police. For more information, please visit: Criminal Record Checks.
If you require a criminal record check for employment, volunteering or other purposes, call or go to the police department or RCMP detachment where you live.
More Information
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