How to Find and Access Delaware Criminal Records

Delaware criminal records are a database of the numerous county, state and national criminal courts. The State Bureau of Identification is responsible for collecting and methodically arranging all criminal arrest records, crime reports, missing person reports as well as other reports that fall under this category. A team of dedicated professionals comprised of the director, sex offender agents, seven troopers and fifty-three civilian staff work in the various related sections to accumulate data and create the records. The various sections include:

•    Fingerprint Identification Section
•    Criminal History Section
•    Quality Control Section
•    Detective Licensing Section
•    Firearms Section 
•    Sex Offender Section

Where to Find Criminal Records

Delaware criminal records that are available to the general public can be obtained via the Delaware State Police. One must contact the clerk of the respective court in order to view the general criminal records that can be accessed. It must be noted that the State of Delaware is not an open records state. Therefore, a major portion of the records are not available to the public other than victims of court-tried criminal cases.

In order to perform a check on the criminal background of any individual, the following office is to be contacted:

State Bureau of Identification
PO Box 430
Dover, DE 19903-0430
Or visit the site www.state.de.us/dsp/sbi.htm  .

A background search will check for felony and misdemeanor charges.

Sex Offender Searches

The sex offender registry for Delaware offers a name search, an address search, a search on the place of work, type of conviction, state of conviction, proximity search and also an email search. Furthermore, the site also has valuable real-time information for sex offenders who are classified as wanted. Other than the information mentioned earlier, various other information available like the physical description, scars, marks, tattoos, registration information, police agency of jurisdiction, known home and school addresses, vehicle information and record charges make it easier for the general public to ensure a higher safety level. The following link can be useful in this context:
http://sexoffender.dsp.delaware.gov/start.htm

For records regarding sex offender history, the office to be contacted is:

Sex Offender Central Registry
Dover, DE 19903-0430
p (302) 672-5306
f (302) 739-5888

Accessing the Criminal Records

The Delaware State Bureau of Identification acts as the central repository for information on criminal history throughout the state. It not only stores crime reports, but also provides authentic criminal history information to the public and conducts fingerprint examinations. There are three ways to obtain a certified criminal history:

•    Sussex County performs fingerprint services at Troop 4 in Georgetown. It is located on the corner of the Shortly Road and Route 113. It is open every other Wednesday from noon to 6.30 p.m. The number for assistance is (302) 739-2528. Appointments are necessary.
•    In Kent County, the office is at 655 Bay Road, Dover, DE 19901. Hours of operation here are on Mondays from 9.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. and on Tuesday through Friday from 9.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. the number for assistance is 302-739-5871. Appointments are not necessary.
•    The New Castle County office is at Troop 2, on Route 40 in Bear. It lies between Route 72 and route 896. The hours of operation on Monday, Thursday and Friday are from 8.00 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. It remains closed during lunch hours from 12 to 12.30. On Tuesdays, it is open from 11.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. and closes for lunch from 4.00 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. Appointments are compulsory and can be made by calling (302) 739-2528.