Look Up Kern County Public Records for Free: Search Anyone

Free Kern County Public Records Search
Access Kern County Records: marriage, divorce, warrants, arrests, probation, criminal, court, background checks, and all public records.

Under the California Public Records Act (CPRA) and the federal government’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Kern County public records are accessible to anyone. Per these mandates, residents have been granted the right to acquire property, prison, arrest, and court records at little to no cost.

As a result of these public agencies’ bureaucracies, obtaining records such as marriage, divorce, and warrant information may take time as they may be held in multiple agencies. Checking with various repositories may delay citizens seeking records, especially if they’re unsure of where to start their search.

Fortunately, this article offers guidance and search tools that will point the public to the correct sources to find the desired records, whether probation information or official background checks. Individuals can also run a free criminal record check on anyone once they know how to perform an effective search.

How To Conduct a Free Kern County Arrest Record & Inmate Search

Arrest records are available to the public at no cost and can often be found and retrieved through online resources. These public records are made accessible due to the California Public Records Act (CPRA), elaborated in statutes 6250-6270.1

When looking for arrest records, the first place to begin the search would be to perform a county query because this will return broader results than individual cities or towns. Citizens can track down Kern County arrest records primarily through the sheriff’s office. Often, sheriff’s offices will have online rosters of offenders in custody; if these are not present, contacting the agency would be the next option.

If county searches fail to yield desired results, requesters can turn to local and city police departments. These may sometimes have jails where offenders are held for brief periods (usually twenty-four hours), after which they are transferred to county jail. Still, some cities may have their own jails.

While city police departments may post online jail rosters, most do not, so they will usually need to be contacted directly. It is often advisable to do so, because records that cannot be acquired from county resources are typically hosted by these municipal sources. These are useful records since comprehensive police reports may be needed for research, filing insurance claims, and legal matters.

Access Arrest Logs Through the Kern County Sheriff’s Office

The Kern County Sheriff’s Office is the county’s primary law enforcement agency and custodian of arrest records. The sheriff’s office operates the Lerdo Detention Facilities; the expansive complex has several branches, including the Maximum/Medium, Minimum, Justice, and Pre-Trial facilities.

The sheriff’s office processes Kern County bookings and has a compiled database of inmates housed in the different facilities. The sheriff’s office has a convenient online In-Custody Search Tool to locate inmate records.2

A screenshot of the search feature that can locate inmates by their inmate number or names and displays information such as date of birth, arrest date/time, and bail amount.
Source: Kern County Sheriff´s Office2

This versatile search feature can locate incarcerated individuals by their inmate numbers or names. A search for an inmate record displays information such as date of birth, arrest date/time, and bail amount.

The dataset does not, however, display a photograph for interested parties who may be looking to find someone’s mugshot—this is because the arrest records staff are not permitted to release booking photos to the public or the media.

Alternatively, patrons may contact the Kern County Sheriff’s Office via phone, email or in person to obtain more information about inmates in custody.

Kern County Sheriff’s Office
Detention Bureau
1350 Norris Rd.

Bakersfield CA 93308

Phone: 661.391.7500

View Arrest Reports via Police Departments in Kern County CA

Once the county resources have been scoured for arrest records, the next agencies to contact would be the city police departments within Kern County.

There are several police departments in the county whose contact links and telephone numbers can be found below. None of these have an online directory for jail records, so they must be contacted directly:

How To Reveal if Someone Has a Criminal History in Kern County

The right of members of the public in Kern County to access their own or others’ criminal history is crucial. Kern County public records comprise different types of criminal data, including arrest, conviction, warrant, probation, and sex offender records.

These various criminal records are located in different agencies, and often, one type of record will be found with more than one custodian. Arrest records are created when offenders are charged with suspicion of crimes and are generated by the county sheriff’s office and city police departments. These records do not, however, signify an individual’s guilt.

Criminal records are generated when offenders have been arrested and may be in custody but have also had their cases heard in court and received subsequent convictions and sentencing. These records are typically found in the courts, but sometimes the sheriff’s offices and state record repositories disburse them to requesters as well.

Warrant and probation status may be found in court records.

All these records serve as a foundation to peek into someone’s past or current situation as it pertains to their interactions with law enforcement.

Perform a Free Public Criminal Record Check in Kern County California

The courts generate criminal records during the trial, sentencing, or issuing of a warrant—therefore, the Superior Court is the first place to find Kern County criminal records.

Patrons can quickly run a free criminal record check using the Case Information & Calendar Search Tool.3

A screenshot of the criminal data search feature displays information including the defendant's name, hearing location, and type.
Source: The County of Kern4

Queries are made using the defendant’s name, court date, and court case number. The information displayed on these criminal records includes the name of the defendant, the hearing location, and type of offense.

Inquirers may alternatively obtain these records by visiting the court or requesting them through mail. The process for doing these is expanded upon in the sections below.

Look Up Kern County Criminal Records via the Sheriff’s Office

The Records Section of the Kern County Sheriff’s Office is a source of crime reports and arrest records.

Requests can be made online, in person and by mail for residents outside the county or state who require Kern County criminal records.5 Certain records are exempt from request, such as juvenile records and reports related to suicides or sexual assaults.

Electronic public record requests will receive a response within 10 days. The Kern County Sheriff’s Office charges for duplication of paper copies pursuant to California Government Code 7922.530. The standard rate for pages with dimensions not exceeding 8 ½ x 14 inches is $0.75 for the first page and $0.10 per additional page.

The requestor can opt for an electronic response if they are available.

These electronic requests can be tracked by entering the request and security numbers.

In-person requests are completed by visiting the Kern County Sheriff’s Office Records Section in Bakersfield. Interested persons should bring a valid government-issued ID Monday, Wednesday, or Friday from 8 AM–12 PM or Tuesday/Thursday from 12 PM–4 PM.

Kern County Sheriff’s Office
Records Section
1350 Norris Road
Bakersfield, CA. 93308

Arrest Records661.391.7624
Crime Reports661.391.7431
Fax661.391.7565

A mail-in request is initiated with a notarized written inquiry detailing the records needed, a copy of a valid ID, and a money order for the applicable charges. These should be mailed to the sheriff’s office address above.

How To Search for Warrant Information in Kern County: See Who’s Wanted

Look up information on warrants issued in Kern County via local agencies such as the Kern County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO), city police departments, and the Superior Court.

The search for warrants can be further broadened to state and federal resources such as the State of California Department of Justice.

Warrant information is considered public in California and, therefore, qualifies as part of Kern County public records—pursuant to the CA Penal Code § 1534(a), which denotes warrants as part of court records.

Find Warrant Information via the KCSO—The Kern County Sheriff’s Office maintains a Most Wanted List of fugitives and an Escapees List of Offenders that the agency is seeking.6 This list has mugshots, and the dataset of the absconders displays information such as warrant numbers, what they are wanted for, and physical descriptors.

A screenshot of the most wanted list that has mugshots, and the dataset of the absconders displays information such as warrant numbers, what they are wanted for, and physical descriptors.
Source: Kern County Sheriff´s Office6

Information on Kern County warrants for other people or the subject of the warrant can be sought in person at the Central Receiving Facility, whose address and contact information appear in the link. Patrons will need to have ID to confirm the presence of the warrant.

Locate Warrant Data Through City Police Departments—Some city police departments maintain lists of wanted offenders within their jurisdiction. For example, the Bakersfield Police Department has a roster of Wanted Warrant Suspects.7 The roster displays mugshots, offenders’ names, physical descriptions, and the crimes they are wanted for.

A screenshot of the roster that displays mugshots, offenders’ names, physical descriptions, and the crimes they are wanted for.
Source: Bakersfield Police Department7

Obtain Warrant Information via the Superior Court— Warrant data may be acquired from the Kern County Superior Court through electronic means by utilizing the Criminal Case Search Tool, which scans for court records of a criminal nature. They may also locate this information by visiting their nearest Kern County Superior Court location.8

Additionally, warrant data can be retrieved by calling the numbers below:

Felonies661.868.5393, option #4
Misdemeanors661.868.2482
Traffic661.868.2382

Retrieve Warrant Data Through the State of California Department of Justice— The State of California Department of Justice provides the ability to run personal review criminal history background checks.9

These are fingerprint-based and cost $25.00, and information on warrants is contained in this data. The process for doing these checks is discussed below; it should be noted these cannot be done for someone else but only for the owner of the record.

Acquire Information on Warrants From the FBI— The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has a roster of Most Wanted Fugitives at a national level whose mugshots, rewards, and personal data are displayed.10

How To Verify if Someone Is on Probation in Kern County California

Probation is under the jurisdiction of the County of Kern – Probation Department Adult Supervision. Offenders granted probation are privileged because probation is the suspension of a convicted offender’s prison or jail sentence in which they are released back into the community under court-imposed conditions.

The law prohibits the release of information on probationers to the general public except to those who need to have a right to know—however, the agency will release information to someone if they deem the offender to be a threat to personal safety. In any case, information about sex offenders is freely available and will be delved into in the sections that follow.

Limited probation information can be sought by getting in touch with the Kern County Adult Probation Department.11 

Alternatively, interested parties can check out details of probationers throughout the state by following the steps for searching probation records throughout California.

How To Perform a Background Check in Kern County CA

The ability to perform background checks is an important aspect of the accessibility of public records—these checks are done for personal or professional reasons.

Personal background checks are run by private citizens, either on themselves or others. These personal review checks are completed to ascertain the criminal histories in a record and to ensure no discrepancies.

This is especially true since individuals will periodically have background checks done on themselves for many reasons, whether obtaining loans, rentals, or licenses. Therefore, it is imperative to have knowledge of these records before having professional checks done.

Personal background checks may also be performed to find more information on someone like a new acquaintance, family member, or neighbor. These types of checks will, for the most part, not require consent from the other person and are considered name-based “level 1” checks.

Professional background checks are those done for official purposes such as employers screening job applicants, states issuing licenses to applicants, or obtaining loans, as previously mentioned. Due to federal and state mandates, these checks must conform to certain regulations, such as requiring consent from the individual before running them; they tend to be fingerprint-based “level 2” checks.

Parties looking to run a background check on themselves or others have multiple county and state agencies at their disposal. They should start their search by scouring through public records in Kern County—the primary sources being the Superior Court and the sheriff’s office.

As mentioned earlier, Kern County criminal records can be obtained electronically from the Superior Courts or via in-person or mailed requests. The process for this is further expounded below when searching for court records.

The sheriff’s office also serves Online Public Requests for Kern County arrest records and criminal reports, as delved into earlier.12 They may also be requested by visiting the Kern County Sheriff’s Office or mailing them in if the requestor lives out of state. These records requests pertain to only those generated by the office.

In some cases, criminal records may also be sought from city police departments. For example, the Bakersfield Police Department Records Registration Unit allows for free searches of criminal and incident reports.

Background requests can be obtained online through their Public Records Request Portal, through in-person requests Monday through Friday, 8 AM–3 PM, or by mail requests, which are written requests that include information such as case number, parties involved, and contact for the requestor.13

Only records from the police department can be found this way—online requests can be tracked by contacting the city police department where records are being searched.

After inquiring through county agencies, the search can be expanded to state and federal agencies–including the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the FBI–which are covered in the next section.

Finally, background checks can be done through third-party vendors who charge a fee for their service. They make running background checks easier since there is no need to contact public agencies or know where the criminal records are located, and they generally check public records in all county and state jurisdictions.

How To Carry Out a Criminal Record Lookup in California Utilizing State & Federal Agencies

State and federal agencies provide a wider and more inclusive search for criminal records in addition to the ones found in county resources—these comprise the California Department of Justice (DOJ), California Sex Offender Registry, and the FBI. Find out how to look up California criminal history details below.

Find Criminal Records From the California DOJ: Criminal history checks run through the California Department of Justice (DOJ) are for oneself (personal review) and cannot be used to look up someone’s criminal record. The DOJ is the primary public records repository in the state and draws its records from law enforcement and judicial apparatus in California.

Statutes limit these records to law enforcement agencies and authorized entities. Personal checks cannot be used for immigration or foreign nation purposes—to obtain records for this purpose, visit the immigration and visa background checks through the DOJ.

Personal review checks are all fingerprint-based and cost $25.00; they are done for in and out-of-state residents.

In- State Residents—Patrons should follow these instructions for record checks (Spanish). Fingerprints are captured using the BCIA 8016RR Live Scan Form (Spanish) and can be obtained from these Livescan fingerprinting locations in Kern County.14 Ensure to check ‘Record Review’ for the type of record request.

A screenshot of the form people in California or the U.S. use to request a personal review check.
Source: State of California Department of Justice14

Out-of-State Residents—Residents outside California or the U.S. must submit a manual fingerprint card—Form BCIA 8705 (Spanish).15 Fingerprints can be taken at a local law enforcement agency. If there is difficulty procuring a blank fingerprint card, contact the Record Review Unit at 916.227.3849.

Payment must be made by money order, certified check, or a personal check (drawn on a U.S. bank).

Mail the request to the Department of Justice at the address below:

California DOJ
Bureau of Criminal Identification & Analysis
Record Review & Challenge Section
Post Office BOX 160207
Sacramento, CA 95816-0207

The data from criminal records can be challenged by completing the “Claim of Alleged Inaccuracy or Incompleteness” (Form BCIA 8706)—this form accompanies the record review response for criminal records that are found. Follow the instructions on the form.

Certified copies of criminal histories may also be requested from the California Department of Justice. Frequently asked questions about the background check process can be helpful to review as well.

A screenshot of the form people residing outside California or the U.S. use to request a personal review check.
Source: State of California Department of Justice15

Other state and federal agencies and databases to locate criminal records include the California Sex Offender Registry and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

California Sex Offender Registry— Persons convicted of sexual crimes can be located by turning to the California sex offender registry, which can be accessed for free using the Sex Offender Locator Tool.

A screenshot of the search feature persons convicted of sexual offenses can be located with.
Source: California Megan’s Law Website16

Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP)—The BOP oversees all facilities that house offenders convicted of federal crimes nationwide. It has a database of incarcerated inmates and those who have been released since 1982 and can be accessed at no cost using the Federal Inmate Locator Tool.17

A screenshot of the BOP inmate locator offered by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, where the user can obtain a parolee database to find a subject’s historical parole details at the federal level.
Source: Federal Bureau of Prisons17

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)—Criminal records from the California Department of Justice are limited to those created by state agencies; patrons must contact the FBI to locate national criminal history records.18 These checks can be done electronically or by submitting mail requests. They are fingerprint-based and cost $18.00.

How To View All Types of Kern County Court Records

All sorts of court records can be acquired from the Superior Court of California in Kern County electronically and physically by getting in touch with the court.

The court system in California is a three-tiered structure that is composed of the courts listed below:

California Supreme Court—This serves as the highest Court in California and reviews appeals referred to the Court of Appeals. Its rulings and decisions are final and binding on the lower trial courts.

Court of Appeals—California’s intermediate courts comprise six appellate districts and handle appeals from the lower superior courts.

Superior Courts (Trial Courts)—Superior courts are a merger between the former superior and municipal courts with jurisdiction of all case types, including criminal, civil, probate, and family cases.

All types of Kern County court records are easily accessed electronically, in person when visiting the courthouse, or via mail.

Electronic access to court records is available through the Kern County Case Search Tool and can be executed with or without registering.

A screenshot of the search tool where electronic access to court data is available and can be executed with or without registering.
Source: Supreme Court of California19

Kern County judicial records can be viewed for free at terminals at the courthouse or by requesting the clerk to search them for a fee, determined by this fee schedule. Charges are $0.50 per copied page, $15.00 for divorce records, and $40.00 and $0.50 per page of certified copies of orders.

Court documents may also be obtained by mailing a request to the appropriate court location. Ensure to include the respondent’s name, plaintiff or petitioner, and defendant.

These requests will need the fee to research a case that can be found using this fee schedule and applicable copy fees. A self-addressed envelope will need to be included to mail back the response. Payments should be made payable to the “Kern County Superior Court.“

Requests are processed within 10 business days.

How To Retrieve Kern County Vital Records: Marriages, Divorces, Births & Deaths

Vital records in Kern County can be acquired from both county and state resources. Custodians of these records include:

  • Kern County Assessor-Recorder
  • Kern County Clerk
  • Superior Court of California – County of Kern
  • California Department of Public Health – Vital Records (CDPH-VR)

Vital records in California are mostly considered part of Kern County public records, but certain stipulations must be met.

Public access to birth, marriage, and death records is restricted to informational copies—certified copies can only be accessed by authorized individuals such as but not limited to parties to the record, immediate family members, and persons authorized by court order.20

Kern County divorce records can freely be obtained by anyone. Certified copies of divorce decrees and records can be obtained from the Superior Court electronically or in person.

When requesting certified copies, the applicant must provide the relationship to the registrant and supply a sworn statement, which must be notarized.

Certified copies can serve identification purposes and be used for official government business, while informational copies carry the same information but have a legend across the face to indicate that they are merely informational and cannot be used for identification purposes.

When locating these vital records, requestors should begin their search with county agencies and proceed to state bodies. In some cases, these records will only be found via county resources.

Obtain Divorce & Marriage Records in Kern County Through the County Assessor-Recorder or the County Clerk

Obtain Kern County marriage records and track down divorce certificates by contacting the County Assessor-Recorder, the County Clerk, or the California Department of Public Health. They may also be retrieved online through VitalChek, an authorized party vendor.

View & Request Divorce Records from the Superior Court: Divorce records can be viewed conveniently through the Superior Court of California – County of Kern, which has a Case Search Tool. To obtain certified copies of divorce decrees, applicants must visit the court or do so in writing. Requesters are advised to review filing fees for certification prior to submitting a request.

The court charges $15.00 for certified copies of divorce records (dissolution decrees).

Find Marriage Certificates via the Kern County Assessor-Recorder: Kern County marriage certificates can be requested by mail or by visiting the Hall of Records.

As was mentioned earlier, certified copies are limited only to specified individuals and not the general public, according to the California Health and Safety Code, § 103526. However, interested parties will receive an information copy when looking to find out if someone is married.

The costs per record is $17.00.

Mail Requests—Mail requests take 10-14 days to process and are initiated by downloading and printing the Application for Certified Copy of Marriage Certificate Form (mail order). Payment is made through check or money order payable to the “Kern County Recorder’s Office.” Include a self-addressed return envelope and mail the application to the Kern County Recorder’s Office.

For any questions and queries, call 661.868.6449.

Kern County Recorder’s Office
1655 Chester Avenue
Bakersfield, CA 93301

In-Person Requests—In-person requests to check if someone is married or obtained a divorce status are completed by visiting the Hall of Records with a government-issued ID. Costs are the same as with the other methods; payments can be made through cash, money order, and check (no credit cards).

Certificates are processed and issued on the same day.

Look Up a Confidential Marriage License via the Kern County Clerk: The Kern County Clerk does not record or provide a public marriage license; these are obtained from the Assessor-Recorder, as was outlined previously. However, the clerk does record and provide copies of certified confidential marriage licenses. These can only be retrieved by the parties to the records or persons with a Superior Court Order.

These licenses cost $17.00 and can be acquired through mail and in person.

Mail Requests—Download and print the Application for a Certified Confidential Marriage Certificate and have this notarized by a notary public. Payment is made via money or check payable to the “Kern County Clerk.” If additional copies are needed, a separate payment must be included.

A self-addressed envelope will need to be included, and the application should be mailed to the Kern County Clerk:

Kern County Clerk
1115 Truxtun Ave., First Floor
Bakersfield, CA 93301

If no record is found, the fee will not be refunded, pursuant to Health & Safety Code Section 103650, and a certificate of no record will be issued. Ensure there is no missing information in the application, as this will cause delays. Questions can be directed to 661.868.3743.

In-Person Requests—Visit the Kern County Clerk’s Office at the address outlined above with valid government-issued identification such as a driver’s license. The office is open Monday through Friday between 8.30 AM and 3 PM.

Order Marriage & Divorce Certificates From the CDPH – VR: The California Department of Public Health – Vital Records (CDPH-VR) only has certified copies of public marriages between 1905-1999 and 2009-2020. They may be requested online or through mail requests. Certified copies of marriage certificates are $17.00, and the full fee schedule can be found here.

Payments can be made by check or money order (drawn on a U.S. bank or issued by the USPS). Cash payments are not accepted.

Online requests are completed through authorized third-party vendors such as VitalChek and have varying fees.21

Mail requests are done by printing a Certified Marriage Record Application (Spanish) copy. It is also possible to request a sealed marriage record. Requests are subject to the following processing times.

The application should be mailed to the California Department of Public Health:

California DPH
Vital Records (MS 5103)
Post Office Box 997410
Sacramento, California, 95899-7410

Limited divorce records from 1962 to June 1984 may also be petitioned from the CDPH-VR. The records are only a sheet showing the divorce action; divorce decrees must be retrieved from the Kern County Superior Court.

These records cost $16.00 per copy and are ordered through mail-in requests by completing the Application for a Certificate of a divorce record (Spanish). Processing times and the fee breakdown are helpful to view beforehand. The requests are mailed to the same CDPH-VR address outlined earlier.

Get Birth & Death Records via the Kern County Assessor-Recorder

Birth and death certificates can be viewed and requested from the Kern County Assessor Recorder’s Office and the California Department of Public Health – Vital Records (CDPH-VR).

As with the other vital records, certified copies may be ordered only by specific individuals, but the general public may request informational copies.

Order Birth & Death Records From the Kern County Assessor Recorder’s Office: Certificate of birth and death records may be requested from the Kern County Assessor Recorder’s Office through mail and in person. Birth records for children born in the county that have not had their name changed (excluding by marriage) or been adopted before 1995, and all deaths that occurred in the county are available.

Birth and death certificates cost $29.00 and $24.00, respectively. Fetal death certificates cost $21.00 per copy, and only events after January 2008 are available; for all others, contact the CDPH-VR.

It takes 10-14 days to process mail applications and in-person applications are processed immediately while the requestor waits. Mail requests are initiated by downloading the birth certificate application, certificate of death application or fetal death certificate application forms.

As detailed earlier, these will need to be mailed in with the same forms of payment and a self-addressed envelope–as with the other vital records–to the Bakersfield address.

Walk-in requests are accepted at the Hall of Records.

Acquire Birth & Death Certificates From the CDPH-VR: Birth and death records can be requested from the California Department of Public Health – Vital Records (CDPH-VR) via electronic submissions or mail-in requests. Like records from the assessor, birth and death records from the CDPH-VR also cost $29.00 and $24.00 per copy, respectively.

More information on fees is available, and the requests for these vital records have the following processing times.

Electronic submissions for birth and death records are completed through third-party vendors.

Mail requests can be made using the Application for a Certified Copy of a Birth Record Form (Spanish) or Certified Death Record Application Form (Spanish). Payment methods for mail requests are the same as those for marriage and divorce records. It is possible to request a sealed birth record certificate as well.

How To View Kern County Property Records for Free

Property records can be acquired for free by contacting the Kern County Assessor Recorder’s Office. Patrons can perform a free public records search for data on a property using the Kern County Assessor Property Search Tool, which can be queried using the Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN), Assessor’s Tax Number (ATN) or property address.22

A screenshot of the search tool that can perform a free search for property data.
Source: Kern County Assessor-Recorder22

Other search tools available are the Assessor’s Map Search Tool and the ParcelQuest Property Search Tool.

It is also possible to search for recorded documents and maps using the public index, which can be searched by any of the following criteria or options:

Understanding Your Rights & Ethical Use of Kern County Public Records

Accessibility to a myriad of public records is made possible due to the California Public Records Act (CPRA).

However, certain restrictions are placed on retrieving these records as mandated by statutes to safeguard the rights of citizens. These include juvenile records, criminal records that have been sealed by court order, and records that pertain to ongoing investigations or pending litigation.

In regards to criminal records and background checks, employers are barred by the California Fair Employment & Housing Act (FEHA) from conducting background checks on employees until such a time when a conditional offer of employment is made.

FEHA also restricts the look-back period for criminal records to seven years, with exemptions such as when the job requires the possession or use of a firearm and if the conviction has a bearing on the job description.

Additionally, the Fair Chance Act–also known as the ban-the-box law–dictates employers to provide thorough evaluations of applicants’ criminal records and how they relate to the job role.23 As with FEHA, employers cannot question applicants’ criminal records during the application process. Employers are also entitled to review their records and dispute any discrepancies.

In addition to these agencies, California’s Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act (ICRAA) regulates consumer reports—background checks included. The ICRAA ensures employers obtain authorization before running background checks on job applicants and employees.

Thus, the Fair Chance Act, California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), and the Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act (ICRAA) are among the statutes that help ensure applicants are hired fairly and that employers utilize background checks legally.

California also recently passed AB 898, which greatly limits the use of criminal records by employers to minimize the stigma of having a criminal past when applying for a job and thus increases employment opportunities for these individuals.

Federal organizations add an extra layer of protection on how criminal records may be used—these include the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which directs how employers use criminal records in the hiring process.24

Another federal agency, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), facilitates fairness in the workplace by establishing practices such as procuring written consent from employees before running background checks.25

Accessing Kern County public records is an important aspect of civil liberties, but it is just as crucial to effectively and quickly find these records; having the right resources and guidance tools can make the task of record retrieval much more streamlined.


References

1California Public Records Act. Office of the Attorney General. (2023). Retrieved September 12, 2023, from <https://www.ucop.edu/uc-legal/_files/access-privacy/summary_public_records_act.pdf>

2Display In-Custody Inmate. Kern County Sheriff´s Office. (n.d.). Retrieved September 12, 2023, from <https://www.kernsheriff.org/Inmate_Info>

3Criminal Case Information and Calendar – Menu. Supreme Court of California. (n.d.). Retrieved September 12, 2023, from <https://itsapps.kerncounty.com/iframed/nonCMS/crimindex/crim_index_case_info_cal.asp>

4Criminal Case Information – Case Details. Supreme Court of California. (n.d.). Retrieved September 12, 2023, from <https://itsapps.kerncounty.com/iframed/nonCMS/crimindex/crimcal/crim_index_case_detail.asp>

5Records Section. Kern County Sheriff´s Office. (2023.). Retrieved September 12, 2023, from <https://www.kernsheriff.org/Records_Section>

6Wanted Persons. Kern County Sheriff´s Office. (2023.). Retrieved September 12, 2023, from <https://www.kernsheriff.org/Wanted_Persons>

7Wanted Warrant Suspects. Bakersfield Police Department. (n.d.). Retrieved September 12, 2023, from <https://www.bakersfieldcity.us/340/Wanted-Warrant-Suspects>

8Locations & Contact Info. Supreme Court of California. (n.d.). Retrieved September 12, 2023, from <https://www.kern.courts.ca.gov/general-information/locations-contact-info>

9Criminal Records – Request Your Own. State of California Department of Justice. (2023.). Retrieved September 12, 2023, from <https://oag.ca.gov/fingerprints/record-review>

10Ten Most Wanted Fugitives. Federal Bureau of Investigation. (n.d.). Retrieved September 12, 2023, from <https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten>

11Contacts. Kern County Probation Department.  (2023.). Retrieved September 12, 2023, from <https://www.kernprobation.com/resources/contacts/>

12Public Records Requests. The County of Kern. (n.d.). Retrieved September 12, 2023, from <https://www.kerncounty.com/government/departments/countywide-communications-home/public-information/public-records-requests>

13Public Records Request. Bakersfield Police Department. (n.d.). Retrieved September 12, 2023, from <https://bakersfieldca.justfoia.com/Forms/Launch/0a3d2b39-4eb1-4f4e-83eb-fedb2ee2a74d>

14Request for Live Scan Service. State of California Department of Justice. (2021.). Retrieved September 12, 2023, from <https://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/fingerprints/forms/bcia_8016RR.pdf>

15Application To Obtain Copy of State Summary Criminal History. State of California Department of Justice. (2020.). Retrieved September 12, 2023, from <https://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/fingerprints/forms/BCIA_8705.pdf>

16Offender Details. California Megan’s Law Website. (n.d.). Retrieved September 12, 2023, from <https://www.meganslaw.ca.gov/mobile/Search.aspx#OffenderDetailPage>

17Find an Inmate. Federal Bureau of Prisons. (n.d.). Retrieved September 12, 2023, from <https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/>

18Identity History Summary Checks (Rap Sheets). Federal Bureau of Investigation. (n.d.). Retrieved September 12, 2023, from <https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/more-fbi-services-and-information/identity-history-summary-checks>

19Criminal Calendar. Supreme Court of California. (n.d.). Retrieved September 12, 2023, from <https://itsapps.kerncounty.com/iframed/nonCMS/crimindex/crimcal/crim_hearing_results.asp>

20Authorized Copy vs. Informational Copy. California Department of Public Health.  (2020.). Retrieved September 12, 2023, from <https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CHSI/Pages/Authorized-Copy-vs--Informational-Copy.aspx>

21Request a Copy of a Vital Record Online. California Department of Public Health.  (2023.). Retrieved September 12, 2023, from <https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CHSI/Pages/Obtaining-Certified-Copies-Online.aspx>

22Property Details. Kern County Assessor-Recorder. (n.d.). Retrieved September 12, 2023, from <https://www.kerncounty.com/government/departments/assessor-recorder/property/assessor-property-search>

23Fair Chance Act. California Civil Rights Department. (2022.). Retrieved September 12, 2023, from <https://calcivilrights.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2022/11/Fair-Chance-Act-FAQ_ENG.pdf>

24EEOC Enforcement Guidance. U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (2010.). Retrieved September 12, 2023, from <https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/enforcement-guidance-consideration-arrest-and-conviction-records-employment-decisions>

25Fair Credit Reporting Act. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. (n.d.). Retrieved September 12, 2023, from <https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201504_cfpb_summary_your-rights-under-fcra.pdf>