Skip to main content

Search from vocabulary

Content language

Concept information

Preferred term

criminal records  

Definition

  • Perhaps while watching reruns of Adam-12 or Dragnet you've heard police officers ask for a “wants and warrants check.” Or perhaps you've been stopped by a police officer and heard the officer radio in to ask for a “28/29” or “30.” What are these strange requests? Are they that strange? In reality, they are simply requests for a criminal records check. When people are arrested, that arrest goes into a database and forms the basis of their criminal record. [Source: Encyclopedia of Crime and Punishment; Criminal History]

Broader concept

Belongs to group

URI

https://concepts.sagepub.com/social-science/concept/criminal_records

Download this concept: