Criminal History Records

The Criminal Justice Information Center (CJIC) is the state repository for all arrests, charges, and convictions of serious crimes committed in Michigan.  All law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and courts send information that is matched together and forms the criminal history record database.  Here is the Criminal Records Reporting Manual.

Criminal history background checks are performed either through a search by name or a search using fingerprints.  Fingerprints are done only if a state or federal statute or executive order or rule requires such a search.  A criminal history record includes personal descriptors regarding the person and information on misdemeanor convictions and felony arrests and convictions.

A record is built from reports provided by Michigan law enforcement, prosecutors, courts and prisons.  Michigan law enforcement agencies are required to provide fingerprints and arrest information when a person is charged with an offense punishable by over 92 days, which includes all felony and the serious misdemeanor offenses.  Other misdemeanor offenses are reported with fingerprints after the person is convicted of the charge and if the sentence includes imprisonment with fines and costs totaling more than $100.00.

Criminal convictions are public information, therefore, anyone can request a search of criminal histories.  The search does not include a search of any other state or national criminal record system; nor is a warrant search included.  There will be a "no record meeting dissemination criteria" statement provided when there is no record located.  If the search locates a criminal history record, the record provided is considered a possible match (common names, aliases, reporting/entry errors or the defendant use of names other than their own could result in a response for the name searched).  The decisions affected by the record should be reserved until the subject of the search has an opportunity to review the information and verify its content.