Criminal Records API

Implementation Guide

Introduction

Please see the Overview Page to review account setup, authentication instructions, and other common API features.

Searchbug® Criminal Records API is an affordable and cost-effective solution for businesses that need criminal record information on individuals in the US. You can access over 200 Million federal, state, and county criminal records. Also includes Sex Offender registry check.

Results typically include the person's full name, aliases, DOB, race, eye and hair color, height and weight, jurisdiction, charge, offense, disposition type, sentence, probation, conviction, and much more.

Additionally, accounts with the Restricted Access Add-On can search for their subjects by utilizing the SSN.

Are you curious about how to easily integrate this API into your existing systems? This API Documentation is here to guide you!

This guide includes:

  1. Sending Request
  2. Receiving Results

Sending Request

The request should be sent to Searchbug using the following URL using the POST method:

https://data.searchbug.com/api/search.aspx

Search Parameters

You can submit your request via:

  • POST Header: Parameters sent as custom headers
  • POST Body: Parameters sent as form-data
Parameter Value Example Description
CO_CODE 1279999 (CO_CODE) will be provided to you when you create a Searchbug account. If you already have an account, you can find your ID on "Your Account" page after you login to Searchbug.
PASS 3453167 (PASS) will be selected by you during account registration. You can change your password at any time. It is the same password you use to login to the Searchbug website. Please make sure that your password does not contain @, #, ?, & or = characters that may affect reading the URL. If you have multiple users on your account, you can use the password of any user in your query.

Alternatively, you can generate an API Key on Your Account page on Searchbug. You can either use the account password or API Key in the PASS variable.
TYPE api_crm Requied. Use api_crm for this API
FNAME David First name
LNAME Baker Last Name
CITY Miami City of the residence
STATE FL State of the residence
DOB 06/01/1984 Date of Birth. Acceptable formats: 5/12/1972; 05/12/1972; 5/12/72; May 12, 1972
SSN 123-45-6789 9-digit Social Security Number in any format (e.g. “123-45-6789” or “123456789”). Restricted Access Add-On is required.

Partial SSN searches by the last 4 digits is also supported. First and Last Name are required for partial SSN searches. Restricted Access Add-On is required.
FORMAT JSON Optional. The default is XML. To get results in JSON format, pass FORMAT=JSON
REF CUST001 Optional. Used for API usage tracking per application or customer (100 char max).

Receiving Results

This is an example of the results in the XML format:


<result>
    <meta>
        <rows>1</rows>  
        <errors/>
    </meta>
        <criminals>
            <criminal>
                <suspect>
                    <AKAS/>
                    <DOB>06/01/1984</DOB>
                    <otherDOBS/>
                    <otherAddresses/>
                    <birthAddress/>
                    <birthPlace/>
                    <citizenship/>
                    <complexion/>
                    <build/>
                    <hair>Brown</hair>
                    <hairLength/>
                    <gender>M</gender>
                    <scarsMarks>Scar in R_Shoulder (INJURY)</scarsMarks> 
                    <skinTone/>
                    <height>5 11"</height>
                    <weight>165 lbs</weight>
                    <ethnicity>WHITE</ethnicity>
                    <eyes>Brown</eyes>
                    <isSexOffender>No</isSexOffender>
                    <militaryService/>
                    <maritalStatus/>
                    <employer/>
                    <employerAddress/>
                    <occupation/>
                    <driversLicenseNumber/>
                    <driversLicenseIssuingState/>
                    <pictureURL/>
                    <picture/>
                    <driversLicense/>
                    <businessName/>
                    <name>
                        <title/>
                        <firstName>David</firstName>
                        <middleName>PRICE</middleName>
                        <lastName>Sample</lastName>
                        <nameSuffix/>
                        <professionalSuffix/>
                        <firstDate/>
                        <lastDate/>
                    </name>
                    <address>
                        <line1>1234 CARALEIGH MILLS CT</Line1>
                        <line2/>
                        <line3/>
                        <houseNumber>1234</houseNumber>
                        <preDirection/>
                        <streetName>CARALEIGH MILLS</streetName>
                        <streetSuffix>CT</streetSuffix>
                        <postDirection/>
                        <unit/>
                        <City>RALEIGH</City>
                        <county>WAKE</county>
                        <state>NC</state>
                        <zip>27603</zip>
                        <zip4/>
                        <latitude/>
                        <Longitude/>
                        <buildingName/>
                        <subdivisionName/>
                        <description/>
                        <countryName/>
                        <distance/>
                        <firstDate/>
                        <lastDate/>
                        <propertyPhotoURLs/>
                        <phonesAtAddress/>
                        <neighbors/>
                    </address>
                    <SSNRecord>
                        <SSN>xxxxx1234</SSN>
                        <state/>
                        <years/>
                    </SSNRecord>
                    <currentAge>39</currentAge>
                    <businessToken/>
                    <reportToken/>
                    <firstDate/>
                    <lastDate/>
                </suspect>
                <arrestDetailsRecords/>
                <crimeDetailsRecords>
                    <crimeDetails>
                        <sourceState>NC</sourceState>
                        <caseNumber>01234WAKE 2003CR 112233</caseNumber>
                        <arrestingAgency/>
                        <county/>
                        <crimeCounty>WAKE</crimeCounty>
                        <status/>
                        <statusDate/>
                        <conviction/>
                        <convictionDate/>
                        <convictionPlace/>
                        <warrant/>
                        <warrantDate/>
                        <warrantLocation/>
                        <supervision/>
                        <supervisionDate/>
                        <supervisionLocation/>
                        <commitment/>
                        <commitmentDate/>
                        <commitmentLocation/>
                        <arrest/>
                        <arrestLocation/>
                        <disposition>DISMISSAL WITHOUT LEAVE BY DA</disposition>
                        <dispositionDate>02/21/2008</dispositionDate>
                        <dispositionLocation/>
                        <crimeType>MISDEMEANOR</crimeType>
                        <category/>
                        <classification/>
                        <offenseCode>20-111(2)</offenseCode>
                        <grade0f0ffense/>
                        <degree0f0ffense/>
                        <NCICCode/>
                        <offenseDescription1>ARRAIGNED: EXPIRED REGISTRATION CARD/TAG</offenseDescription1>
                        <offenseDescription2/>
                        <counts/>
                        <caseType>TRAFFIC MISDEMEANOR</caseType>
                        <statute/>
                        <violation/>
                        <court>WAKE</court>
                        <courtCosts/>
                        <fines/>
                        <plea/>
                        <sentence/>
                        <probation/>
                        <chargesFiledDate>11/28/2007</chargesFiledDate>
                        <offenseDate>11/28/2007</offenseDate>
                        <violationDate/>
                        <registrationDate/>
                        <registrationEndDate/>
                        <predator/>
                        <victim/>
                        <victimGender/>
                        <victimAge/>
                        <victimIsMinor/>
                        <extraData/>
                    </crimeDetails>
                    <crimeDetails>
                        <sourceState>NC</sourceState>
                        <caseNumber>01911WAKE 2002CR 253769</caseNumber>
                        <arrestingAgency/>
                        <county/>
                        <crimeCounty>WAKE</crimeCounty>
                        <status/>
                        <statusDate/>
                        <conviction/>
                        <convictionDate/>
                        <convictionPlace/>
                        <warrant/>
                        <warrantDate/>
                        <warrantLocation/>
                        <supervision/>
                        <supervisionDate/>
                        <supervisionLocation/>
                        <commitment/>
                        <commitmentDate/>
                        <commitmentLocation/>
                        <arrest/>
                        <arrestLocation/>
                        <disposition>DISMISSAL WITHOUT LEAVE BY DA</disposition>
                        <dispositionDate>03/12/2008</dispositionDate>
                        <dispositionLocation/>
                        <crimeType>MISDEMEANOR</crimeType>
                        <category/>
                        <classification/>
                        <offenseCode>20-7.1</offenseCode>
                        <grade0f0ffense/>
                        <degreeOfOffense/>
                        <NCICCode/>
                        <offenseDescription1>ARRAIGNED: FAIL TO NOTIFY DMV ADDR CHANGE</offenseDescription1>
                        <offenseDescription2/>
                        <counts/>
                        <caseType>TRAFFIC MISDEMEANOR</caseType>
                        <statute/>
                        <violation/>
                        <court>WAKE</court>
                        <courtCosts/>
                        <fines/>              
                        <plea/>
                        <sentence/>
                        <probation/>
                        <charges FiledDate>08/17/2007</charges FiledDate> 
                        <offenseDate>08/17/2007</offenseDate>
                        <violationDate/>
                        <registrationDate/>
                        <registrationEndDate/>
                        <predator/>
                        <victim/>
                        <victimGender/>
                        <victimAge/>
                        <victimIsMinor/>
                        <extraData/>
                    </crimeDetails>
                </crimeDetailsRecords>
                <warrantDetailsRecords/>
        </criminal>
    </criminals>
</result>

Example of No Results:

                             
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1" standalone="true"?>
<RESULTS>
	<FOUND>No</FOUND>
</RESULTS>

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