Fix Your RAP Sheet

Each state has a different process for correcting errors on your RAP sheet.

To find out about how to fix your RAP Sheet, select the state where your criminal record is located using the drop-down menu below:

Connecticut – How to Fix Your RAP Sheet

Here are the two steps to correct an error on your criminal history record:

  1. Get a copy of your criminal history record from the DESPP State Police Bureau of Identification (SPBI).
  2. Send a letter containing proof of the mistake to the state police at this address:

Connecticut State Police Department 
of Emergency Services and Public Protection
1111 Country Club Road
Middletown, Connecticut 06457

More Information About Fixing Your Record

For more information about fixing your record, contact the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) State Police at (860) 685-8190.

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State field: Connecticut

Massachusetts – How to Fix Your RAP Sheet

To correct an error on your Massachusetts criminal history record, submit a complaint form to the Massachusetts Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS).

Here are the four steps to correct an error on your criminal history record:

  1. Get the "Complaint form for an incorrect Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI)." To access the form, visit the DCJIS website at this link: HERE. You may also call the Massachusetts DCJIS CORI Unit at (617) 660-4640.
  2. Select the downloadable PDF titled “Complaint form for an incorrect CORI."
  3. Download and complete the complaint form.
  4. Send the completed form and all required documents to this address:

    Massachusetts Department of Criminal Justice Information Services
    Attn: Legal Department
    200 Arlington Street, Suite 2200
    Chelsea, MA 02150

For minor or clerical errors, contact the probation office at the court that heard the case to fix the mistake on your record or call the Office of the Commissioner of Probation at (617) 727-5300.

If you are unable to fix the error with the DCJIS or the Office of Probation, ask the court that heard your case to correct it. You may have to file a motion. For a list of courts and their phone numbers, visit the Massachusetts Courts' website here: Massachusetts Courthouse Locator.

There is no fee to file a complaint to correct your criminal record with the DCJIS. There may be a filing fee if you have to file a motion with a court to correct your record.

If you find an error on a public record from a court, talk to the probation officer at the court or to the Clerk of the Court.

If you find an error on a commercial internet site or online vendor, contact them directly. Some commercial criminal record providers get authorized records from the DCJIS, but many do not.

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New Jersey – Fix Your RAP Sheet

If you notice any mistakes on your RAP sheet, you should follow these instructions:

  1. Go to the court where your case was heard and a disposition was rendered.
  2. Obtain a copy of the Judgement of Conviction or disposition (JOC) from the court with the correct information. If the court is a New Jersey Superior Court, it will be a Judgement of Conviction, and if the court is a municipal court, it will be a copy of the disposition. 
    1. For every mistake that you find on your record, you need to obtain the JOC from the clerk of the court in which the case was heard.
    2. If the JOC is incorrect, you may need an attorney to help you amend the judgment.
  3. When you receive the JOC, you may send it to the Criminal Information Unit, along with a cover letter explaining how the information on your criminal record differs from that on the JOC.

Criminal Information Unit
New Jersey State Police
P.O. Box 7068
West Trenton, NJ 08628

The Criminal Information Unit‘s telephone number is 609-882-2000, ext. 2918.  The agency will work with you on a case-by-case basis to correct any mistakes or incomplete entries. 

If you are unable to resolve the issue with the CIU, you should consider consulting a lawyer.

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New York - How to Fix Your RAP Sheet

If you believe that your New York State criminal history record is incomplete or inaccurate, you must provide supporting documentation to fix omissions or errors. This is a process known as challenging your record.

To correct errors on your RAP sheet in New York, begin a challenge process with the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) Record Review Unit.

Listed below are the steps you should take to fix the most common types of errors.

Arrest Information

To change or correct arrest information, such as arrest charges, date of arrest or date of crime, you must contact the agency that made the arrest and request that the agency submit the changes to DCJS. The agency must submit the changes in writing in order for DCJS to update the criminal record information.

Use this sample letter as a guide to submit to your arresting agency:

‌Sample Letter to Arresting Agency

For a list of arresting agencies click here: Law Enforcement Directory

Use this sample letter as a guide to submit to DCJS:

‌Sample Letter to DCJS

Disposition Information

To change or correct existing disposition information, or to update missing disposition information, you must contact the court that handled the case and request a certificate of disposition. You must then send the certified copy of the disposition to DCJS. You cannot send a photocopy of the disposition unless it has a raised seal placed on the document by the court.

To learn how to get a Certificate of Disposition, go to: Certificate of Disposition FAQs

To find the contact information for local courts, go to New York State Unified Court System

Use this sample letter as a guide to correct disposition information regarding youthful offender status:

‌Sample Letter to DCJS Regarding Youthful Offender

Use this sample letter as a guide to correct disposition information regarding incorrect convictions:

‌Sample Letter to DCJS Regarding Incorrect Conviction

Use this sample letter as a guide to correct disposition information regarding dismissed charges:

‌Sample Letter to DCJS Regarding Dismissed Charges

Unsealed Arrest and/or Conviction Information

It is important to know that on your RAP sheet cases that are sealed will be followed by the code "sealed 160.50", "sealed 160.55", or "sealed 160.59" to indicate its status as sealed. If you believe that arrests or convictions on your RAP sheet should have been sealed and do not have this code, you must contact the court that handled the case and request a certified sealing order.

You must then send the certified sealing order to DCJS. You cannot send a photocopy of the sealing order unless it has a raised seal placed on the document by the court.

Use this sample letter as a guide to request a sealing order from the court:

‌Sample Letter Request to Court for Sealing Order

‌Please note this is only a sealing request for charges that should have been automatically sealed.

To find the contact information for local courts, go to: New York State Unified Court System

Send challenge process paperwork to:

New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services
Records Correspondence Unit
Alfred E. Smith Office Building
80 South Swan Street
Albany, NY 12210
518-457-9847
518-485-7675
RecordReview@dcjs.ny.gov.

For more information or questions about this process: 

Email: dcjsCriminalJusticeRecords@dcjs.ny.gov OR

Write: Records Correspondence Unit, New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, 80

South Swan St., Albany, N.Y. 12210

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State field: New York

Pennsylvania – How to Fix Your RAP Sheet

If you find an error on your criminal record, you must send a written request to the court where the error originated. 

If the mistake on your record is merely a clerical one that originated with a court, then you should file a "Request for Correction of Clerical Errors" form. You can obtain this form from the clerk of the court or access it on the United Judicial System of Pennsylvania's website here: Request for Correction of Clerical Errors.

 

 

 

 

 

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