BCA exposes 595 non‑public criminal records online
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says a computer error in its Minnesota Criminal History System (CHS) caused non‑public criminal history records for 595 people to be posted on the state’s public criminal‑history website for varying lengths of time. According to a BCA notice, the glitch occurred when CHS failed to recognize recent activity on certain records that contained non‑public items, allowing them to be copied to the public site; some third‑party vendors also obtained the data through records requests. The issue lasted roughly a month before being corrected on Feb. 25, 2026, but officials have not disclosed whose records were exposed or exactly what information was revealed. The BCA says it will produce a formal report on the incident and is directing anyone who wants a copy to email BCA.DataResponse@state.mn.us with their contact information. For Twin Cities residents whose employment, housing and licensing often hinge on background checks that rely on this system, the episode raises serious questions about data integrity and what remedies, if any, will be offered to people whose supposedly non‑public records were briefly made public.
📌 Key Facts
- The BCA reports that non‑public criminal history records for 595 individuals were mistakenly made accessible on the state’s public criminal‑history website.
- The problem stemmed from the Minnesota Criminal History System (CHS) not recognizing recent activity on records that contained non‑public items, allowing them to be copied to the public site.
- The error persisted for about a month before being fixed on Feb. 25, 2026, and some vendors received these non‑public records via data requests during that period.
📊 Relevant Data
Non-public criminal history records in Minnesota include arrest information, court information from cases that did not result in a conviction, and information identifying victims of certain crimes.
Criminal history information — Minnesota Department of Public Safety
In Minnesota in 2022, Black adults were 8.3 times more likely to be incarcerated than White adults.
Minnesota Criminal Justice Data Snapshot — Council on State Governments Justice Center
In Minnesota in 2022, Black people were arrested for violent crimes at a rate 10.7 times higher than White people per 100,000 residents.
Minnesota Criminal Justice Data Snapshot — Council on State Governments Justice Center
In Minnesota in 2024, Black individuals comprised approximately 25% of known rape offenders (420 out of 1671), despite making up about 7% of the state's population.
2024 BCA Uniform Crime Report — Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
In Minnesota in 2024, Black individuals comprised approximately 39% of known rape victims (644 out of 1668), despite making up about 7% of the state's population.
2024 BCA Uniform Crime Report — Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
In 2023, Black residents made up 7.0% of Minnesota's population, while White residents made up 76.3%.
Demographics of Minnesota — Wikipedia
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