In South Carolina, the state police take care of everything to do with crime history stuff—collecting, storing, and sharing all that info. Arrest records are packed with details about criminal cases and the people who are part of them.
Everything from the name and aliases of this individual to the charges brought against him, conviction, incarceration and release data and more can be found through the South Carolina Law Enforcement Departments CATCH (Citizens Access to Crime History) program. For a small fee, applicants can get third party background reports online by simply furnishing a few personal identifying details about the subject.
Although both name based and finger print based inquiries are offered by SLED, for most people the online name search tool is more convenient than submitting finger print cards in person or through mail to the SLED office. Of course, the results of a finger print inquiry are more accurate and conclusive than that of an online name based query.
Getting a crime history report online through SLED
You will need to make a payment of $25 for all inquiries conducted through the CATCH program. The fee is non refundable even when the results show that there are no arrest records in the name of the subject. Charitable organizations can get a rebate and can use the facility for $8 per search.
The results of the inquiry will be displayed on the computer screen of the applicant almost instantaneously unless the inquiry is mailed in. If you need the copy of your background report notarized, you will have to send in your inquiry through mail and wait for at least seven working days to get a response from the law enforcement department.
To get the search done, you will need to furnish, the name (first and last) along with the date of birth of the subject. Results will only be returned if there is an exact match found to the input criteria. An alternative approach is to use the social security number of the subject to get the inquiry processed.
To send a request through mail, you can write to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Department at:
SLED Records Department,P.O. Box 23198,Columbia, SC 29221-1398
A completed criminal record check form which can be downloaded from sled.state.sc.us/CISystem/Images/Catch/CriminalRecordsCheckForm.pdf will have to be included with your request along with a business check or money order for $25.
Information on sex offenders and convicts serving time in the corrections system
Although you may not be able to find information on South Carolina active warrants through the next two sources, it is possible to look up details on arrest orders that have already been served and offenders who are currently incarcerated in one the prisons of the state and even those who are out on parole or have served their sentences.
The state sex offender registry: Another database managed by SLED, the South Carolina Sex Offender Registry is a collection of information on all sexually violent and predatory criminals in the area. The tool that goes with this repository helps you to search for details by the name of the city or even the zip code of your neighborhood. All sex offenders who are above the age of 17 are included in this registry. To access this database, go to http://scor.sled.sc.gov/ConditionsOfUse.aspx.
Inmate information: Not only people who are currently serving out their sentence in state correctional centers but also individuals who are awaiting their arraignment hearing or formal trial can be found through the DOC database. However, remember that this portal will only have information on prisoners lodged in a state run facility and you may not be able to find people who are being held in county jails. To access information on inmates in the DOC, go to http://www.doc.sc.gov/InmateSearchDisclaimer.html.