PATCH Glossary
See
Chapter 91 of Title 18, Crimes Code for additional definitions.
Access and Review
Is a review of an individual's entire Criminal Record. It includes Convictions; as well as all Non-Convictions. Any individual is permitted to request his or her entire Criminal Record History. Many times an A&R is requested for Court proceedings by their attorneys, or for an Expungement, or a partial expungement of the individual's record or for a Governor's Pardon.
Central Repository
The central location for the collection, compilation, maintenance and dissemination of criminal history record information.
CHRI
Criminal History Record Information - Information collected by criminal justice agencies concerning individuals, and arising from the initiation of a criminal proceeding, consisting of identifiable descriptions, dates and notations of arrests, indictments, information or other formal criminal charges and any dispositions arising there from. The term does not include intelligence information, investigative information or treatment information, including medical and psychological information, or information and records specified in section 9104 (relating to scope).
Control Number
A tracking number assigned by PATCH, which identifies a specific request.
Disposition
Information indicating that criminal proceedings have been concluded, including information disclosing that police have elected not to refer a matter for prosecution, that a prosecuting authority has elected not to commence criminal proceedings or that a grand jury failed to indict and disclosing the nature of the termination of the proceedings; or information disclosing that proceedings have been indefinitely postponed and also disclosing the reason for such postponement. Dispositions of criminal proceedings in the Commonwealth shall include, but not be limited to, acquittal, acquittal by reason of insanity, pretrial probation or diversion, charge dismissed, guilty plea, nolle prosequi, no information filed, nolo contendere plea, convicted, abatement, discharge under rules of the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, demurrer sustained, pardoned, sentence commuted, mistrial-defendant discharged, discharge from probation/parole or correctional supervision.
Dissemination
The oral or written transmission or disclosure of criminal history record information to individuals or agencies other than the criminal justice agency which maintains the information.
Password
The security code provided by PSP that allows you to enter the system.
PATCH
Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History.
PSP
Pennsylvania State Police.
Query Status
The transaction which allows you to view the progress of a request that you have already submitted, verify that it has been received and check on the status of that request.
Rap Sheet
A form which lists an individual's criminal charges, the court dispositions of those charges and any court sentences received as a consequence of those charges within the State of Pennsylvania.
Request
Each name typed into the system and submitted for a criminal history record check. (See also submission.)
Requester
The person, agency, organization or business making the request.
R & I
Bureau of Records and Identification in the Pennsylvania State Police.
Subject
The person of whom the request is being made.
Submission
Each name typed into the system and submitted for a criminal history record check. (See also request.)
Under Review
The response created when the identifiers submitted match identifiers in the PSP criminal history database. This does not necessarily mean that there will be a RECORD response. This request must be reviewed manually to determine whether it will be a RECORD or a NO RECORD. Only RECORD responses will be mailed to the requester. NO RECORD responses must be retrieved by the requester via the PATCH website.
Usercode
The security code provided by PSP that identifies which individual or agency is entering the system.
Volunteer
An individual above the age of 13 who is required to have a background check for the purposes of an unpaid volunteer position.