Maine Criminal Records

Maine criminal records provide an official account of an individual's interaction with any law enforcement agencies in the state. These records encompass:

• arrest information
• Details of involuntary commitment to any detention facility
• Execution and completion of any sentences imposed
• Indictments and any disposition resulting from such charges
• post-plea or post-adjudication sentencing,
• Arrest warrants
• incarceration records
• court records related to an arrest or criminal prosecution

Maine criminal records are created and maintained by the state's criminal justice agencies responsible for arrests and criminal prosecution.

Are Criminal Records Public in Maine?

Yes, criminal records in Maine are public records, and most of these records are available for inspection and viewing by interested members of the public.

Maine Freedom of Access Act (MRSA Title 1, Chapter 13) was created to guarantee that the general public has access to records, including criminal records kept by law enforcement and the state judiciary. Maine criminal records are further available to the public per MRS Title 16, Chapter 7—Criminal History Record Information Act, which allows the dissemination of non-confidential criminal records. However, certain criminal record information is deemed confidential and cannot be viewed by the public unless otherwise specified by a court order.

Some criminal record information that is exempt from public disclosure by law include:

• Details that reveal the decision of the relevant law enforcement officer or agency not to send a case to a prosecution;
• Information showing the grand jury's conclusion that not enough evidence exists to support the resumption of formal charges;
• Details revealing the termination of a criminal case due to lack of subject matter jurisdiction;
• And details indicating the acquittal of an individual from a criminal prosecution.

Maine Crime Records by County

Interested persons can find information about yearly statistical crime data using the State of Maine Department of Public Safety's yearly publication online. Information on crime records in the state is compiled into datasets per MRSA Title 25, § 1544, uniform crime reporting statute. The FBI (UCR) also maintains a data chart of crime rates for each Maine county.

Data from the Maine Department of Public Safety showed that Cumberland and York County have the highest crime rate per 1000 persons yearly from 2020-2022, making them the most dangerous places to live in Maine. Meanwhile, Waldo and Washington counties showed the lowest crime rates in that same period.

According to FBI data, the most prevalent crimes within each county are crimes against property, such as burglary, theft, and shoplifting. On the other hand, the least prevalent crimes are crimes against persons, such as assault, manslaughter, and murder.

Inquirers can also find information on Maine crime records by visiting any Sheriff's office in their county of residence. Most County Sheriff's offices have a record room where crime data and crime records for their jurisdiction are maintained and disseminated.

Maine Criminal Record Check

A Maine criminal record check can be performed by requesting criminal history records and crime information online through:

• Online Portal maintained by the Maine State Police
• Via mail or,
• in person to the State Bureau of Identification

Information about crimes and criminal histories in Maine is maintained and disseminated by the State Bureau of Identification, part of the Maine State Police.

Online requests

To make a request online, individuals must subscribe to and create an info. ME account with the department. To create an account, requesters will need to pay a non-refundable fee of $21 for a person resident in Maine, while out-of-state subscribers will need to pay a fee of $31.

To request criminal information online, requesters must provide the subject's full name and date of birth. Within 2 hours, most online search results will be sent via email. The inquiry may call for manual action if the search results are not returned in 12 hours. There may be a 2-week delay in search results for queries requiring manual involvement. Requesters who do not receive information regarding their request after 3 weeks may contact the State Bureau of Identification.

In-person requests

Name-based searches and fingerprint-based searches can also be performed at the Maine state police bureau of Identification office during working. The office address is as follows:

State Bureau of Identification

State House Station #42

Augusta, ME04333-0042

45 Commerce Drive, Suite 1, Augusta

Phone: Voice (207) 624-7240.

A local police department or Sheriff's office may also receive requests for criminal history checks from individuals. The request process is usually described on the agency's website or can be obtained by contacting the agency via phone. Local criminal checks usually need appropriate identification and a cost (which varies). Still, the records will only extend as far as the authority of that particular law enforcement agency.

Find Criminal Records Online in Maine

To find criminal records online in Maine, use the state's Criminal History Records and Juvenile Crime Information Portal. This will require the subject's full name and other personal identifying information. While this service is free, requests for physical records will attract a fee. Criminal records can also be found through Maine online e-court portals typically maintained by different portals.

Free Criminal Record Search in Maine

Several third-party aggregator websites offer Maine criminal record searches to the public. These websites are searchable with the subject's first and last name and the state where the search subject lives or the record originated. Other search filters like a previous address and subject's age may also be utilized. However, while these websites provide free criminal record searches, most will significantly restrict the information offered on this search and require users to pay a fee for more comprehensive information.

What Does it Mean if You Have a Criminal Record in Maine?

A person's criminal record in Maine can severely and adversely affect all areas of their life. However, this will depend primarily on the severity of the crime and their prior arrests and convictions in some instances.

Employers in Maine are required, as per the Maine Background Check Center Act, to carry out a background check to check an individual's eligibility based on their criminal records to work with certain vulnerable Maine citizens such as children, elderly persons, dependent adults, and persons with disabilities.

However, Maine's statutes relating to Fair Chance Employment, ban the Box Rule, and the Fair Housing Act are provided by both state and federal authorities to lessen the impact of criminal history records and background checks by employers on individuals.

Some of the adverse effects of having a criminal record in Maine include:

• Difficulty getting an apartment
• Difficulty obtaining credit
• Limited job opportunities
• Social stigma and isolation
• Child custody complications

Does Your Criminal Record Clear After 7 Years in Maine?

No, criminal records are not Automatically cleared after 7 years in Maine. However, Maine law allows individuals convicted of misdemeanor offenses to apply for expungement after a 5-year period. To qualify for expungement under Maine law, an individual must be a first-time offender of a non-violent crime. Juveniles and elderly persons are also given special permission to apply for expungement for non-violent crimes.

Arrest Record Vs Criminal Record

An arrest record lists the offenses for which a person has been arrested. It is also known as a booking record; it usually does not contain information about the charges that led to the arrest or the formal charges against the individual. In some police departments, arrest records will also contain an incident report showing circumstances leading to an arrest. A criminal record, however, is a more comprehensive account of a person's criminal history, including information about arrests, detentions, charges, and convictions.

Maine Police Records

Maine police records are official documents created and maintained in relation to active police work, such as arrests, booking, investigations, criminal intelligence information, details of incidents, traffic reports, and crash reports.

Police records in Maine are classed as public records and are often released per the Maine Freedom of Access Act. Citizens may request police records from the Cumberland police department in person or online by filling out their Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) form. However, certain Maine police records are confidential and cannot be viewed by non-law enforcement personnel. These include juvenile records from open police investigations as per Title 16, chapter 9 of the Maine Revised Statutes.