criminal record

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Definition

Noun: A formal, official list or history of a person's previous convictions for criminal offenses. This record is typically maintained by law enforcement or judicial authorities and can be used in legal proceedings, background checks, and sentencing decisions.

Usage

A "criminal record" is a noun phrase. It is used to refer to the documented history of an individual's criminal convictions. * It is often used with verbs like have, get, check, expunge, or seal. * It can be modified by adjectives like clean, extensive, long, or prior.

Examples
  • Noun:
    • The job application asked if he had a criminal record.
    • A prior criminal record can influence a judge's sentencing decision.
    • She was worried the minor offense would give her a permanent criminal record.
Advanced Usage
  • "to have a record a mile long": An idiom meaning to have an extremely long or extensive criminal history.
    • The prosecutor argued the defendant was a career criminal with a record a mile long.
  • "to be on record": To have one's actions or statements officially documented. While not exclusive to crime, it can be used in a legal context.
    • His previous statements are on record with the police.
Variants and Related Words
  • Record (n): In a legal context, this is often a shortened, informal form of "criminal record."
    • Does he have a record?
  • Rap sheet (n, informal): A slang term for a criminal record.
    • The detective pulled his rap sheet.
  • Police record (n): Similar to a criminal record, but may include arrests, charges, or interactions with police that did not lead to a conviction.
Synonyms
  • History of convictions: A more formal, descriptive phrase.
  • Prior record: Specifically refers to a criminal record that exists before a new legal proceeding.
Related Phrases
  • Clean record: Having no criminal convictions.
    • The defendant had a clean record before this incident.
  • Expunge a record: To have a criminal record legally erased or sealed.
    • He petitioned the court to expunge his record after ten years.
Noun
  1. a list of crimes for which an accused person has been previously convicted
    • he ruled that the criminal record of the defendant could not be disclosed to the court
    • the prostitute had a record a mile long

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