Pennsylvania Criminal Records

In Pennsylvania, criminal records are official records that list all of a person's illegal behavior. These documents contain the detention, accusation, current and previous judgments, and convictions of guilty or suspected offenders.

Under Pennsylvania's Right to Know Law, anyone can access criminal records. Interested parties may request these documents from the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), the curator of all criminal records in the state.

Once accessed, a Pennsylvania Criminal Record contains the following information:

• Subject's personal information (name, date of birth, race)
• Any aliases
• Fingerprints
• Mugshot
• Physical identifiers
• Driver license number
• Current and previous addresses
• All previous and current charges
• History of arrests
• Details about a conviction
• Sex offender status

The information on a criminal record might vary significantly from one state to another. But if you disobey the rules in Pennsylvania, the following crimes may show up on your criminal record:

Felonies

In Pennsylvania, the majority of felony records result in indeterminate sentences. It implies that when a person is guilty and sent to prison, the judge will establish a minimum and maximum period of incarceration.

There are three different felony records in this state: first-degree, second-degree, and third-degree felonies. The most severe is a first-degree felony, and the least dangerous is a third-degree felony.

First-degree Felonies

The penalty for this type of felony is ten years in prison and a $25,000 fine. The most common first-degree felonies in Pennsylvania are:

• Property theft worth more than $500,000
• Murder
• Rape
• Aggravated assault with a lethal weapon
• Kidnapping

 Second-degree Felonies

Those who commit this felony will go to prison for 5 to 10 years and have to pay a $25,000 fine. Most crimes in Pennsylvania that fall under this level are:

• Theft of more than $100,000 but less than $500,000
• Sexual assault
• Aggravated assault
• Unintentional manslaughter of a child under 12
• Burglary

 Third-degree Felonies

Felonies in the third degree carry a $15,000 fine and a prison sentence ranging from 3 to 7 years. In Pennsylvania, the following are the most common third-degree felonies:

• Possession of child pornography
• Property theft worth more than $2,000 but less than $100,000
• Bribery
• Distribution of illegal drugs

If you have a felony record in Pennsylvania, it will stay on your record for life and could result in serious long-term consequences unless expunged. However, you must wait three years to be eligible for expungement.

Misdemeanor

In Pennsylvania, unlike most states, some misdemeanor records may result in more than a year in jail, and the most severe misdemeanors could even lead to time in state prison.

The state divides misdemeanor records into three groups: first, second, and third-degree. The most severe type of misdemeanor is in the first degree, while the most minor is in the third.

First-degree Misdemeanors

This misdemeanor can get you up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. Most crimes that fall into this degree are:

• Multiple DUI offenses
• Property theft worth between $200 to $2,000
• Involuntary manslaughter
• Simple assault
• Stalking
• Threats of terrorism

Second-degree Misdemeanors

You could spend two years in jail for this kind of misdemeanor. It also comes with a $5,000 fine. In Pennsylvania, the most common crimes that are misdemeanors in the second degree include:

• Theft amounting to at least $50 but less than $200
• Bigamy
• Strangulation
• Shoplifting

Third-degree Misdemeanors

If you commit this misdemeanor, you could go to jail for up to a year and have to pay a $2,000 fine. Most crimes that fall under this degree are:

• Property theft worth $50
• Possession of marijuana
• Night prowling
• Minor cyberharassment
• Unruly behavior following a warning

In Pennsylvania, a misdemeanor record will stay on your criminal record for ten years if you meet specific rules.

Criminal Driving Violations

Pennsylvania has two criminal driving violation records: felony traffic violations and traffic misdemeanors. Depending on the offense, these violations can lead to license suspension, incarceration, and installation of ignition interlock devices.

Felony Traffic Violations

This violation involves bodily harm or injury to third parties and the death of a third party. As a result, it has the harshest penalties, such as hefty fines, a license suspension for a long time, and jail time of 10 to 20 years. In Pennsylvania, felony traffic violations include:

• Multiple DUI
• Vehicle homicide
• Leaving the scene of a fatal accident
• Vehicle aggravated assault
• Crossing state lines to evade police
• DUI car homicide
• Aggravated DUI assault by vehicle

Traffic Misdemeanors

This type of criminal driving violation comes with higher fines, license suspensions, and jail time of up to five years. In Pennsylvania, the following are examples of traffic misdemeanors:

• DUI with a child passenger
• Attempting to flee or fleeing a police officer
• Driving while suspended
• Leaving the scene of a severe accident
• Breath or chemical test refusal
• Leaving a scene of a car or property accident

In Pennsylvania, records of criminal driving violations stay on a person's history until expunged. Offenders must, however, wait for 5 to 10 years before they will be eligible for expungement.

Sexual Offenses

Sexual activities with minors under 18 are unlawful in Pennsylvania, even if they are consensual. The penalties for these sexual offenses depend on the age of the offender and the victim. Most sexual crimes reported in Pennsylvania are:

Rape

This kind of sexual crime is a first-degree felony that can get you 40 years in prison, a $25,000 fine, or both.

Statutory Sexual Assault

This type of sexual offense entails a sentence of 20 years in jail, a $25,000 fine, or both. It includes sexual intercourse with a child aged 13 to 15 when:

• The perpetrator is 11 years older than the victim (a first-degree felony)
• The perpetrator is 4 to 10 years older than the victim (a second-degree felony)

Sexual Activities Without Consent

This sexual offense is a first-degree felony with a fine of $25,000, 40 years imprisonment, or both. It includes a sexual act or sexual penetration between a minor under 13 and a perpetrator of any age.

Aggravated Indecent Assault

If someone commits this sexual crime, they could go to prison for ten years, pay a $25,000 fine, or both. It also includes people between the ages of 13 to 15 if the accused is at least four years older than the victim.

Sexual assault

This sexual crime is a misdemeanor of the first or second degree if sexual touching occurs between a child under 13 (first-degree misdemeanor) or at least 13 years old (second-degree misdemeanor) for the aim of satisfying sexual desire.

For a first-degree misdemeanor, the punishment could be a fine of $10,000, five years imprisonment, or both. A second-degree misdemeanor, on the other hand, entails a two-year prison sentence, a $5,000 fine, or both.

People who commit a sexual offense in Pennsylvania must register with the state sex offender registry. This list is open to the public and includes offenders' names, addresses, and crimes. It also helps people in the area know who the sex offenders in Pennsylvania are or get a warning when one is nearby.

Under certain conditions, Pennsylvania allows an arrest or conviction expungement from an individual's record. In this state, the circumstances surrounding the arrest or conviction determined the particular method for expunging a criminal record. But in general, there are some steps that you will need to take.

Pennsylvania Expungement Process

If you breach the law in the state and want to have your record expunged, here are the steps you must take:

• Complete the form SP 4-170 and print it.
• Send it to the Central Repository with a $20 fee payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a photo ID, and a legal affidavit (if applicable).
• The Central Repository will mail you a copy of your full arrest record. After receiving your history, contact the Clerk of Courts in the county where your arrest occurred for expungement instructions.
• PSP will remove the record after it gets a court order for expungement from the Clerk of Courts.

In Pennsylvania, removing a record through expungement can take anywhere from 4 to 6 months. However, the duration of time may vary depending on the individual's circumstances. Also, the speed may rely on how well a person fills out the paperwork for expungement. Mistakes in filing can slow down the motion.

Who Is Eligible for Expungement in Pennsylvania?

Although Pennsylvania allows for criminal record expungement, not all offenses are eligible. But if you haven't committed wrongdoing for a while, you may apply for a state expungement.

More specifically, you can file a petition to get arrests and non-convictions removed from your record in Pennsylvania if:

• The court dropped your charges
• You were not found guilty
• The court dismissed the charges against you
• You got out of jail

Inmate records in Pennsylvania are papers that provide information about convicted offenders who face a jail term. These files contain details on punishment, the type of violation, parish jails, and the inmate's facility location.

In this state, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PDOC) keeps these records. If interested, public members can conduct an inmate search through the Inmate/Parolee Locator. This database is updated every day to make sure it is accurate.

Also, Pennsylvania Criminal Records are available online through courts, law enforcement agencies, and government databases.

The information on an inmate's record varies, but in Pennsylvania, the records have the following information:

• Inmate's personal information (name, date of birth, gender)
• Any aliases
• Booking photo
• Fingerprints
• Weight and height
• DOC ID
• Offense details
• Date of detention
• Date of the expected release
• Past convictions
• Placed in charge
• Sentence summary

Arrest records in Pennsylvania are a type of criminal record that include details about a suspect's arrest by law enforcement officers. It has details about the crime and personal information about the suspect.

In Pennsylvania, court officials make arrest warrants available, which gives law enforcement the information they need to make an arrest. In this state, police officers can make a warrantless arrest if they witness a crime or reasonably suspect someone has committed it.

When someone gets arrested in Pennsylvania, the arresting officer transports the offender to jail for booking. The officer will then get the defendant's personal information, fingerprints, and a photo. Offenders in Pennsylvania will also receive medical screening at the moment of the booking before being placed in a holding cell.

The PSP is in charge of keeping and organizing most of the arrest records in the state. Through Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH), civilians and law enforcement organizations can request a person's complete criminal history.

The person who wants to make a PATCH request must first make an account on its website. After creating an account, they must fill out the forms to run a background check. They must also provide personal information and pay the fee, which starts at $10. 

Alternatively, interested parties may visit the courts and request the records from the court clerk.

Pennsylvania Arrest Records include the following information:

• Arrestee's personal information (name, gender, birthdate)
• Fingerprints
• Photograph
• Physical Characteristics
• Arrest date and location
• The name of the arresting officer
• The jail's address and name
• The warrant's issuer

In Pennsylvania, most employers who want a background check on a potential employee accessed criminal records.

In this state, the PSP offers a public access portal where anyone interested in criminal records can search. This portal charges a non-refundable fee of $22 for each name-based search. You can anticipate seeing the search findings in this portal within 24 hours.

There are two other ways to find criminal records in Pennsylvania besides searching online.

If interested, you must fill out a request form and submit it in person or by mail. If you send your documents through the mail, you must include a $22 search fee and send it to the PSP Central Repository. Within three weeks, the searcher will get a copy of the results.

Furthermore, conducting a free public criminal records search in Pennsylvania is feasible. One way to achieve this is to ask the person in charge of the records to waive the fee. The PSP may grant a waiver if publishing the document serves the public interest.