The first thing to do is have some information compiled about the person that you are interested in doing a background check on.  If you are looking for criminal information, the first name and the last name, plus where the person resides is a great starting point for your criminal background search. You can also add more information such as date of birth and or age, driver’s license and other work information you might know about them.  You can provide as much information as possible to help narrow down the criminal search and bring specific results.

Once you have gathered all this information up you can check your state and local government’s police dept and Dept of Justice websites for a criminal search. Accessing these websites should help you find out if someone has been to jail for free, do a sex offender search and you can check public court records to see if they have been convicted of a crime. All these searches can be done using USA government public records. You can access these records for free from your state and local government agencies.

Mainly you want to access public criminal records from the government and you can get this info for free from your local and state government agencies.

The agencies you should try if you want to look up criminal records for free would be the court of clerks office, police department and the Dept of Justice. This is a great starting point for your search.

Other free criminal record check alternatives would be searching social networks like facebook and twitter for possible criminal information. You can also check various people search engines online or even your local police blotter in the newspaper.

Employers sometimes make submitting and passing a criminal background check a prerequisite for employment. In fact, the law makes it mandatory for some employers such as daycare workers, public school workers and law enforcement personnel to obtain a background check on prospective employees.

You might want to request a background check on yourself, but before you do, it is appropriate that you understand the concept of criminal background checks and the general steps to obtaining a criminal background report.

To do a criminal record search on yourself, you will need two basic things:-
1. Individual application form
2. Processing fee

Steps to take in conducting criminal background check.

Firstly, you need to contact the appropriate office of the judicial branch or the police department; you will have to contact one of these offices to know the appropriate agency with the responsibility of providing of criminal records in your state.

Secondly, you will have to request for and complete a criminal background check form. You must ensure that you request for an individual criminal background check form. For instance, they may have a separate form for an employer, nonprofit organizations and so on and so forth. Once you have obtained the proper form you must fill in all personal identification information including your social security number, mother’s maiden name, prior address, phone number and date of birth. Also, be sure to endorse your signature.

The third step for you will be to select a returning method for your search results as the agency that is providing you with the background check information will have different options such as by U.S Mail, by email or use the internet to locate online services that will provide you with an online form.

The fourth step involves paying the processing fee. Usually state governments charge a little fee for the processing of the criminal history report. You will have to read the instructions for payment as the agency normally refuses some forms of payment especially cash. However, if criminal record reports are processed electronically in your state, you might have the option of paying using a credit or debit cards online.

Finally, you can send the request form after you have already finished filling it out indicating your delivery method and include the payment. Locate the address printed on the request form and mail the form there, while some states give you the option of returning the request forms through facsimile or an online system.

A word of caution, you should know that you ought to obtain the background checks of other states in which you have resided in the past, and it is also unlawful to use someone else’s personal information to submit a background check or intentionally submit information that is incorrect.

You can also check the FBI to find out your question of do I have a criminal record?. The FBI website lets you request a federal fingerprint background check on yourself.