What best describes a criminal record?

• A. It is a record of all your travel.
• B. A permanent record of breaking the law, which is public info.
• C. It lists your school grades.
• D. It shows fines paid only.

Answer: (B)

A criminal record documents a person’s interactions with the criminal justice system. It is a permanent summary of criminal history, typically listing crimes charged or convicted, with dates and outcomes. Because this information is often used in background checks, it is considered public information in many jurisdictions. This description fits best because it captures that the record focuses on illegal activity over time, not travel history, school grades, or fines paid alone. While some records can be sealed or expunged in certain cases, the general idea is that the record records criminal activity and remains over the long term.