When a person is charged with a crime, regardless of whether they are arrested and booked into a jail, or just served with a citation, an arrest record is created. This arrest record may be available through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and visible to future employers and others looking into a person’s past.
Depending on how the case is resolved, the arrest record may be sealed. When a case is dismissed, most records can be immediately sealed. Even most convictions in court may be sealed after a certain period if the person complies with the requirements of eligibility. Drug convictions and even many violent crimes may be sealed contingent on certain factors. Generally, most arrest records in Colorado may be sealed except for traffic infractions, many sex-related charges, and domestic violence convictions.
