Scranton Background Check and Criminal History Records

Scranton background check records are processed through the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas and the Pennsylvania State Police PATCH system. Scranton is the largest city in northeastern Pennsylvania and serves as the county seat of Lackawanna County, with a population of approximately 76,000 residents. Criminal cases arising in Scranton are filed with the Lackawanna County Clerk of Courts, which maintains felony criminal records, misdemeanor appeals, and post-conviction matters. The Scranton Police Department handles local arrest and incident records that supplement court records during background check research. The Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History system consolidates conviction data from all 67 counties into a single searchable database.

Scranton Police Department Records

The Scranton Police Department is headquartered at Scranton City Hall on North Washington Avenue. The department handles all law enforcement for the city and maintains a records unit that processes requests for incident reports, arrest records, and accident reports. These local police records document activity within Scranton's city limits and are distinct from the county court records held by Lackawanna County. When a Scranton police officer makes an arrest, that event generates a local arrest record that flows into the statewide criminal history database once charges are formally processed.

The Scranton City Government website at scrantonpa.gov lists contact information for city departments. The police department records unit processes Right-to-Know Law requests for public documents including incident reports and accident reports. You submit a written RTKL request identifying the record you need. The department has five business days to acknowledge the request and typically 30 days to respond with records or a denial. Processing fees apply for copying and certification of documents.

Scranton police records reflect only incidents and arrests that occurred within Scranton city limits. A person arrested by a state trooper in Scranton Township or another adjacent municipality would have records in a different system. For a complete Scranton background check, you should always verify with the statewide PATCH system to capture any records from other jurisdictions where the individual may have had prior involvement with law enforcement.

Scranton City Government and Criminal Records

The official city government provides a starting point for understanding Scranton background check resources, from the police department to municipal administrative offices.

The city government website provides directory information for the police department and other Scranton offices where criminal records and public documents related to a Scranton background check may be obtained.

Scranton sits at the intersection of several transportation corridors in northeastern Pennsylvania. The city serves as a regional hub for Lackawanna County and the broader Scranton-Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Because Scranton is the county seat of Lackawanna County, the county courthouse and most county offices are located directly in the city, which makes in-person record searches more straightforward than in cities where the county seat is elsewhere. The Lackawanna County Courthouse at 200 North Washington Avenue is within walking distance of the Scranton Police Department, simplifying visits when you need records from multiple offices in the same background check search.

Note: Scranton is the county seat of Lackawanna County, so county court offices and the police department are both located in the city center, making in-person record requests convenient.

Pennsylvania PATCH System and Scranton Records

The Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History, or PATCH, is the official method for obtaining a statewide criminal background check that includes Scranton and all of Lackawanna County. The Pennsylvania State Police operates PATCH through an online portal at epatch.state.pa.us. A PATCH result reflects the statewide criminal history database maintained by the PSP. This database aggregates criminal conviction data from courts across all 67 Pennsylvania counties. For a Scranton background check, PATCH searches all of this data and returns results matching the name and date of birth you provide.

The standard fee for a PATCH criminal background check is $22 per request for a name-based search. Fingerprint-based checks cost more and take longer to process. Name-based PATCH results typically return within a few business days for online requests. If the system flags a possible match that requires manual review, the turnaround time is longer. PATCH results show conviction information including offense type, county of conviction, and disposition. Arrests that did not result in conviction are generally not shown in PATCH results for employment or general background check purposes, consistent with CHRIA's requirements under 18 Pa.C.S. §9101.

Pennsylvania's Clean Slate law at 18 Pa.C.S. §9122.2 automatically seals qualifying misdemeanor convictions older than 10 years when all restitution has been paid. Sealed records from Lackawanna County and Scranton cases do not appear in standard PATCH results. For individuals with older minor convictions on their records, this can mean that a PATCH-based Scranton background check shows no record even though court filings exist. The UJS Portal may still show docket information depending on the age of the case and the specific offense type involved.

Lackawanna County Court Records for Scranton Cases

All felony cases and misdemeanor appeals from Scranton proceed through the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas. Because Scranton is the county seat, the courthouse is located within the city. The Lackawanna County Clerk of Courts at 200 North Washington Avenue maintains all criminal dockets for Common Pleas level cases. This is the office you contact to obtain certified copies of criminal court records involving Scranton defendants who had their cases heard at the Common Pleas level.

The UJS Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us gives free public access to docket sheets for all Pennsylvania courts including Lackawanna County. You search by participant name using last name then first name format. The portal returns a list of matching cases with basic case information. Clicking through to a specific docket shows the full history of the case including charges, bail, hearings, disposition, and sentencing. This is a useful tool for Scranton background check research before deciding whether to order certified copies.

In-person searches at the Lackawanna County Clerk of Courts office allow you to review case files and request copies. The Prothonotary office in the same courthouse maintains civil court records, including Protection From Abuse orders. PFA records are relevant in background check research because they indicate civil restraining orders and may signal patterns of conduct not captured in the criminal docket alone. For Scranton background checks, reviewing both the Clerk of Courts and Prothonotary files gives a more complete picture of a person's court history in Lackawanna County.

CHRIA, Act 153, and Scranton Background Check Law

Pennsylvania's Criminal History Record Information Act at 18 Pa.C.S. §9101 establishes the legal framework for how criminal background checks are conducted and used in Scranton and across the state. CHRIA defines what constitutes criminal history record information, sets limits on how that information can be shared, and creates consequences for violations. The Act applies to all entities in Scranton that request, receive, or use criminal history data. Background check requests must be made through proper channels with appropriate authorization under the law.

Act 153 of 2014 requires three specific clearances for anyone working or volunteering in positions involving direct contact with children in Pennsylvania. These clearances are required regardless of whether the position is in Scranton, another city, or a rural area. The three required clearances are the PATCH criminal history check from the Pennsylvania State Police, the Child Abuse History clearance from the Department of Human Services, and the FBI fingerprint-based federal criminal history check. All three must be renewed every 60 months. The FBI check conducted under Act 153 captures federal criminal records that would not appear in a state-only PATCH search, making it a broader check than what a standard Scranton background check through PATCH alone would reveal.

The Megan's Law sex offender registry for Pennsylvania is maintained at the Pennsylvania Megan's Law website and includes individuals registered in Scranton and Lackawanna County. Searching this registry is separate from a criminal background check but provides important public safety information about registered sex offenders residing or working in the Scranton area. Registry information is public and free to search online without creating an account or paying a fee.

Lackawanna County Background Check Records

Scranton background check searches at the court level go through Lackawanna County. The county courthouse in Scranton holds all Common Pleas criminal records, civil records, and related court filings for cases arising in the county. For detailed information about Lackawanna County court offices, record search fees, and additional background check resources serving the Scranton area, visit the Lackawanna County background check records page.

View Lackawanna County Background Check Records

Nearby Pennsylvania Cities

Background check resources vary by county across Pennsylvania. Select a nearby city to find the relevant court offices, police departments, and PATCH access points for that area.

View Major Pennsylvania Cities