Data You Give Us Directly
Search Queries
A name or location entered into a search box is sent directly to the outside provider that operates that tool. The provider handles the request and supplies its results. Amherst County Criminal History does not retain or record those search terms on its own systems.
Messages and Contact Submissions
Email and contact submissions may be kept long enough to review the message and respond. They remain within the operating team unless disclosure is required by a valid legal obligation.
Data We Gather Automatically
When a page loads, the site's systems can receive routine technical information about that visit, including:
- Page-view dates and timestamps
- Your device's assigned IP address
- Browser name and version
- Operating system and device category
- Pages viewed and the time spent on them
- The referring website, when one is available
Cookies and Analytics
Cookies are small files placed on a device. They help measure broad usage patterns, such as popular pages and points where visits end. Analytics providers may combine that traffic into summary reports. You can block cookies through your browser, although doing so may change how some site features work.
What We Do With This Data
- Routing a search request to the proper outside provider
- Maintaining site availability and load speed
- Finding and resolving technical faults
- Understanding which content visitors use most
- Displaying advertising that may reflect visitor interests
No Criminal-Record Data on File
Amherst County Criminal History neither maintains nor sells a database of personal criminal records. Its content identifies official routes such as the Amherst County Sheriff's Office, Virginia courts, the Virginia Department of State Police CARE exchange, and the Virginia Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry. Access to agency records is governed by rules including the Virginia Freedom of Information Act and Va. Code § 19.2-389. Visitor data is not compiled into a consumer report or a third-party criminal-history file, and this service is not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Third-Party Search Partners
Outside companies power the site's search boxes. Information submitted through one of those tools falls under that provider's privacy policy rather than this policy. Each provider controls its own retention and disclosure practices. Read those terms before sending a query.
Links to Other Websites
Links may lead to the Amherst County Sheriff's Office, Virginia court systems, VSP CARE, legal-aid resources, or outside search services. Once you follow a link, the destination's privacy terms control the visit. Review them before providing personal information.
Some advertising providers may use activity across websites to select targeted ads. That collection occurs through the provider's systems and policies.
Who Might See Your Data
Personal data is not sold. It may nevertheless be received by a limited group of service providers or authorities:
- Advertising networks that place material on site pages
- Search providers that process a query you submit
- Analytics vendors that measure traffic and performance
- Government or law-enforcement bodies acting under a valid legal order
How We Protect Your Data
Reasonable, standard safeguards are used for collected data. No internet system is completely secure, however, so Amherst County Criminal History cannot guarantee that unauthorized access or a breach will never occur.
Users Under 18
The service is intended for adults, and personal information from anyone younger than 18 is not knowingly collected. If such information is identified, a request may be made for its prompt deletion.
Your Data Rights
Your location and the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act, Va. Code § 59.1-571 et seq., may affect which data rights apply. Subject to the law and any applicable exception, you may:
- Request deletion of eligible personal data
- Ask to correct inaccurate information
- Seek access to personal data held about you
- Decline certain forms of data processing when the law provides that choice
Updates to This Policy
This policy may be revised as practices or legal requirements change. A revised version will appear here and will carry a new effective date, so periodic review is encouraged.
Effective date: August 10, 2026