Rapsheets.com Expands Nation's Largest Public Database of Criminal Records

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Rapsheets.com has added criminal records on more than 2.5 million persons in Cook County, Ill., to its Internet site, solidifying its position as owner of the nation's largest public database of criminal records.

Through its Internet site, Rapsheets.com provides instant criminal records searches for $3 per name - an alternative to more expensive, time-consuming courthouse searches that have long been the only means for checking a person's criminal record. Qualified users can search records on more than 37 million persons from 27 states and numerous major metropolitan areas of the country.

While other companies recently have tried to emulate the success of Rapsheets.com, none has the long history of collecting and disseminating public records. Rapsheets.com is owned and operated by The Daily News Publishing Co. of Memphis, which has been the city's newspaper of record for more than 100 years.

"We began our online criminal records business in 1997," said Peter Schutt, company president. "Other startups have followed in our footsteps, but many of these Dotcom's actually fulfill their Web-based searches by interfacing with our databases."

Rapsheets.com's Chicago records are exclusive to the company, as are criminal records it owns from New York City, the state of Colorado and several other populous jurisdictions.

Rapsheets.com's databases contain public records from courts and prison systems, generally dating to 1990. The company updates almost every jurisdiction's records monthly. All of the records in Rapsheets.com's databases are housed in its own data center.

"Customers from more than 450 cities in 45 states now use Rapsheets.com for criminal records searches," Schutt said. "Private investigators, screening firms and corporate human resource executives have already found the instant search capability delivered from our criminal records databases to be of great value in their businesses."

How to Search

1. Log-on to Rapsheets.com.
2. Register online through a secure server using a major credit card.
3. Choose a specific jurisdiction.
4. Type individual's name and date of birth (optional).
5. Select from name matches.
6. View the individual's record.

In 1997, Rapsheets.com's parent company began compiling public records from state criminal justice agencies, courts and other government sources around the nation and delivering instant search results. In January, the company separated its criminal records searches from its main Web site (memphisdailynews.com) and launched Rapsheets.com.

For information about the records available, visit Rapsheets.com, email pschutt@rapsheets.com or phone Schutt at 901-523-1561, extension 111.