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 the 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 note 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 their 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