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Criminal Records

Last updated on June 3, 2021

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
  • Information about release from custody

Youth records are treated differently than adult records. See Youth Records for more information.

Criminal Record Checks

A criminal record check takes place when a request for a criminal history is received by police. Visit Criminal Record Checks for more information.

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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Jury Duty

A jury is a group of people who decide if an accused person in a criminal trial is guilty or if a claim in a civil trial has been proven. Learn more about jury duty.

Criminal Justice Glossary

Check our alphabetical list of criminal justice terms along with their definitions.