About California Criminal Records

This directory lists official California criminal record sources organized by jurisdiction. Use the Statewide tab for California-level court archives and Department of Corrections databases, the County tab for Superior Court case lookups and sheriff inmate locators, the City tab for local police crime maps and arrest reports, and the Federal tab for PACER and Bureau of Prisons records. All links point to official government sources. Some agencies charge fees for certified copies or fingerprint-based background checks.

California Criminal Records

Statewide Records

County Records

Kern County Inmates
Official Free
Use this service provided by the Kern County Sheriff to search the current inmates of the Kern County Jail by inmate number or name.
Tehama County Inmates
Official Free
The Tehama County Sheriff provides this listing of current inmates, with information including inmate name, DOB, physical description, charge.
Ventura County Inmate Records
Official Free
Use this Ventura County Sheriff's Department service to search for current and released inmates by name and optionally by date of birth.

City Records

Norfolk | Crime Map
Official Free
One of the better interactive crime maps available. This one is from the Norfolk Police Department and plots out crime incidents in the last 90 days.
Chico Arrests
Official Free
View a list of arrests made in Chico in the past 30 days. Tip: Click on the WEEKLY ARRESTS link on the right side of their page.

Federal Records

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check criminal records in California?

California has no free statewide criminal database. Court case records live at the county Superior Court level. Use the linked county court lookups, sheriff inmate locators, and statewide DOJ resources.

How do I get my own criminal record?

The California Department of Justice runs a Live Scan fingerprint program for the official record-of-arrests-and-prosecutions request.

Are California criminal record searches free?

The links here go to official government sources. Most searches are free; certified copies or commercial Live Scan vendors charge fees.

Where do I find federal criminal records?

Use PACER for U.S. District Court records and the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator.