..you sped through a red light!
Here is a website which lets you search through criminal records of US. You can run a check before you take your pizza delivery. 
Criminal Searches - FREE criminal searches on anyone
A random search on “John Nash”. I was expecting the records with a picture. How would anyone know which John Nash is it. One of them got listed for soliciting a prostitute. 
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/3778/crimyu3.th.gif
But then if they show the pics too then poor guy’s chances of rehabilitation are gone. Like in a 70s hindi movie, everyone would point fingers at him and shut their doors in a “tera baap chor hai” style.
They can probably include that for serious offenders.
As noted by the writer of that nytimes article (source at the end of this post). The records in itself are not comprehensive and updated.
To further test the site, I vetted some of my colleagues at The New York Times. One, who shall remain nameless, had a recent tangle with the law that the site labeled a “criminal offense,†while adding no other information. Curious, I called my colleague with the date and city of the now very public ignominy. The person was stunned to know that the infraction  a speeding ticket  was easily accessible and described as criminal.
“I went to traffic school so this wouldn’t appear on my record. I’m in shock. This blows me away,†my colleague said, demanding that I ask PeopleFinders how to have the record removed. “I don’t necessarily want you all knowing that I’m a fast driver.â€
PeopleFinders’ response: take it up with the authorities. When they update their records, the change will automatically appear on CriminalSearches.com.
Take a look at the criminal offenses by category and the legends available on the site.
As far as we Indians are concerned its a distant concept.