Although criminal records are considered to be public record in the United States, some types of records are not available through public records searches. These include records relating to criminal activity for anyone under the age of 18 and records that have been expunged, sealed or otherwise cleared by the court. Available information includes felonies, misdemeanors, infractions and arrest records. Access to criminal records varies from state to state, but arrests records are typically held with law enforcement agencies and can be included with court filings if formal charges are filed.
