It is easy to get a criminal record. Simply being accused of a crime will lead to the police making a record of the event, even if the person is not charged. Such records, usually called incident or occurrence reports, are often disclosed in police record searches. If the police do decide to lay charges, which they will do if they have the slightest belief that the person is guilty, fingerprints and photographs are taken. Although the charge may not ultimately result in a conviction --for example, if the case is thrown out of court or the person is found innocent -- much to everyone's disbelief, a criminal record still exists.

The vast majority of people with criminal records are everyday folk. They have jobs. They are mothers and fathers. They pay taxes. They look like you and me. They use 1 name, not 5 aliases. They don't own guns, and they don't 'hang out' in gangs.

In Canada 4.5 million adults (1 in 5) have been charged with a crime. More than 500,000 people are charged with a crime each year, and in 2010 more than 2 million crimes were reported by the police. It means that you, or one of your family members, a friend, a neighbour, or someone else you care about has, will acquire, or has removed a criminal record!