Searching Michigan Criminal Records

Relying on someone to conduct a Michigan criminal records search for you simply because you’re paying them doesn’t guarantee accuracy. With countless websites providing these services, many of which lack the proper credentials, the likelihood of receiving incorrect information is alarmingly high.

To steer clear of that daunting situation, consider these three essential tips:

Engage a licensed private investigator

Accessing the comprehensive data necessary to accurately evaluate someone’s criminal history is not something just anyone can do. Licensed private investigators have the expertise to access information typically reserved for law enforcement agencies. If you want your search for criminal records in Michigan to be as detailed and reliable as possible, hiring a licensed investigator is crucial.

Be cautious of the numerous websites advertising their services; most are not operated by licensed professionals. In fact, many lack any genuine investigative experience! Regardless of their claims, these sites cannot provide the same level of detailed information that a licensed private investigator can offer.

Inquire about the specific resources that will be utilized in your search

A licensed investigator can only assist you effectively if they are prepared to explore the appropriate resources. It’s vital that they are willing to conduct a thorough, manual search. Failing to do so could lead to receiving information about someone entirely different—such as another individual with the same name or birthdate.

In order to conduct a comprehensive Michigan criminal records search, your private investigator should go through:

– The Michigan Sex Offender Registry, which contains information about 46,000 offenders that’s updated bi-weekly.

– The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians Sex Offenders Registry, which contains details about offenders that may or may not be listed on the state registry.

– The Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS), which provides details about felons who are on parole and probation, along with felons that are currently being housed in a state correctional facility. Because OTIS does not have records of people who have been convicted but not sentenced yet, it’s especially important to look at the most current records. Luckily, OTIS is updated every three months.

– Specific county-level felony records for Antrim, Bay, Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Macomb, and Wayne Counties. Typically, these records include details about the crime committed, the plea that was entered, and the sentence that was handed down.

– Michigan Arrest Records, which detail county jail bookings. These records are provided at the county level, by the independent Sheriffs.

– Court records for the 67th District Court in Genesee County, the 61st District Court in Kent County, and the Circuit Court in Saginaw County. All of these records are updated monthly and contain specific details like case numbers, offense descriptions, bench warrant information, court appearances, and dispositions.

– An index of previous criminal search records performed statewide and also via federal requests.

– Records dealing with certain traffic offenses.

Michigan Criminal Search

Those other websites we’ve talked about don’t have access to this information — and they certainly aren’t entitled to current updates! Instead, the best they can do is to buy up old public criminal court records and upload them onto their server. Unfortunately, most of the records that are purchased this way are several years out-of-date.

By loading the information directly on their server, these websites can provide you with instant information. But now that you’ve seen everything that a licensed private investigator can search by hand, it makes sense that you wouldn’t get comprehensive results instantly. Even the best investigator is going to need several hours to analyze everything. (Here at Docusearch, our investigators can perform a Michigan criminal records search and get the results to you within one business day.)

3. Find out exactly how much it’s going to cost

Most of the websites that you see offering criminal search services brag about cheap or even free searches. However, what their snazzy sales copy fails to mention is that it’s only free to type someone’s name into the search box. Once the results are ready, you’ll have to pay to see them. In some cases, you’ll even be forced to sign up for an expensive subscription service just to see your results!

On the other hand, a good licensed private investigator will only charge you a one-time fee. You’ll pay, they’ll do the work, and then you’ll get the results. Sounds much less stressful, right?!

Make sure your Michigan criminal records search is a good one by hiring the team of licensed private investigators at Docusearch!