It’s a summary of an individual’s criminal history or activity and is frequently referred to as
a “rap sheet.” Information used in the report is obtained through federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. It should be noted that while any company can require a background check as a condition of potential employment, only you can request a copy of your criminal history summary from the FBI.

Under federal law, you can use your Identity History Summary to review, correct, or
update your own personal record. Identity History Summaries are not to be used for employment or licensing. Questions on employment or licensing background checks should be directed to the State Identification Bureau for the state requiring the background check. 

• To make sure your FBI record is complete,accurate. and up-to-date”
• To review or to request a correction or update
• To challenge information on your record
• To satisfy certain legal requirements, such as a requirement for adopting a child
• To satisfy a requirement to live, work, study or teach abroad
• To satisfy a requirement to travel, now required by several countries”
  Other court related matters

A rap sheet (Identity History Summary report) is a criminal record on file with the FBI,based on fingerprint submissions received and retained by the FBI. An FBI rap sheet may also contain disposition data which is not fingerprint­ based, if reported to the FBI and the FBI maintains the associated arrest record(s) supported by fingerprints.

The rap sheet one receives from the FBI may include information reported to the FBI from any source including local, state and federal agencies who submit fingerprint-based transactions to the FBI for retention.

The rap sheet is only a snapshot in time, containing retained information at the time of a “Departmental Order” fingerprint-based inquiry. A rap sheet will include reported arrests, dispositions and correctional transactions supported by fingerprints. The FBI rap sheet may also contain “wanted” or “warrant” information reported from other law enforcement entities, when reported.

• Someone with the same name as a job seeker has committed a crime.
• A minor or old criminal matter that the job seeker thought was judicially set aside or was too old to matter still pops up.
• A past employer or school does not have the job seeker’s record under the proper name so that a background check may be inaccurate.
• A school may have a job seeker under a different name,or may not have given the job seeker the degree due to not paying a final bill and the schooldid not officially give the degree.
• A driving record check may reveal an old ticket that the job seeker thought was taken care of but went to a warrant for failure to appear.
• A job seeker was the victim of identity theft.