State Government Information Services

The office provides crime prevention programs in the State of California. Services include referrals for fingerprinting, government information lines that provide information on a variety of public prevention programs, identity theft reporting, missing persons location assistance, offender registration/community notification, children's rights, and victims' of crime support through the Office of Victims' Services. There are no geographic restrictions; the programs are implemented through local crime prevention programs.

The department provides a statewide Livescan fingerprinting method site search tool on its website, including sites in sheriff's offices and police departments. The fingerprinting clearance program is provided for agencies that work with vulnerable populations such as children, youth, disabled adults and older adults. The office of the attorney general also allows contracting agencies to do background checks through the fingerprinting database.

The Identity Theft Registry program is a program of the attorney general to assist people whose identity has been stolen. The person (victim of identity theft) may register with the Department of Justice, and if there is ever any accusation, lawsuit, or a mistaken association with a person with a criminal record, the registry can be contacted for clearance and establishment of factual innocence. The program can only assist people who are being sued as a result of identity theft, not someone with a mere suspicion that their identity is being misused.

The office of the attorney general supports a missing and unidentified persons unit that provides assistance throughout the state. The program is responsible for the Amber Alert communications system to alert the public about abducted children. The office also takes reports from local police on missing persons and maintains a searchable database of these reports.

The Missing Children Clearinghouse, in cooperation with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children provides a nationwide hotline to receive tips on the whereabouts of missing persons. The office also provides a reward program for people who provide information that leads to the location of missing children.

The office oversees the Bureau of Children's Justice, which is staffed to offer enforcement and advocacy efforts on areas including foster care, adoption, juvenile justice, discrimination in education, elementary school truancy issues, human trafficking of youth, and childhood trauma. The bureau offers an online complaint form which can investigate related issues.

The office also maintains a registry of adult offenders for sex offenses and arson. The registry is accessible to people in local law enforcement offices. Released offenders are required by law to register. Searches can be performed on-line here: http://meganslaw.ca.gov/