Arrest Records

When police suspect that someone is guilty of a crime, they make an arrest. An arrest record is a report made after someone is detained by the police.

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An arrest record contains personal information and details about the suspected crime.

An arrest record is not proof of a crime. Suspicion and guilt are very different. Only a court can issue a guilty verdict.

President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) into legislature on July 4, 1967. This allows any American access to public records, with a few exceptions.

What’s In an Arrest Record?

An arrest record may include information like:

Charge/offense

Source

Source state

First name

Middle name

Last name

Date charges were filed

Crime location

Charge category

Case type

Case number

Court name

Free Arrest Records

Are arrest records free?

It depends.

You can visit your local sheriff's office or courthouse and request to see arrest records. The county clerk may ask for an administration fee, which isn't exactly "free."

If you know the particular record that you want to view, you can make an FOIA request by contacting the FBI. This usually costs $25 for one record. Again, not "free."

Arrest records are sensitive documents, so viewing them usually comes with a fee.

The quickest and easiest way to view public records is online. TruthFinder can give you access to arrest records in minutes.

TruthFinder aggregates public records from 50 states. If someone has an arrest record in two states, you can find them both in one place.

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Are Arrest Records Open to the Public?

Arrest records are open to the public, excluding cases that are active or pending.

A few states restrict certain information found on an arrest record. Common occurrences for this include acquittal, expungement, and a lack of charges.

Can Arrest Records Be Sealed or Expunged?

Getting a criminal record sealed or expunged depends on which state you’re in. For instance, you cannot get a criminal record expunged in the state of New York. But you can have your records sealed.

What’s the difference?

A sealed arrest record still “exists” both physically and in the eyes of the law. But an expunged record no longer exists anywhere. If you have an arrest record, expungement is the closest you can get to a clean slate.

Expungement proceedings vary from state to state. Speak to an attorney to learn more about expunging your record.

I Have an Arrest Record, but It’s Not Mine!

Have you found an arrest record in your background report that doesn’t belong to you? Double check the date of birth, especially if you have a common name.

What if you have an unfamiliar arrest record in your name that matches your date of birth? It’s time for you to pull your own credit report.

A red flag of identity theft is criminal records appearing under your name. If you suspect that a criminal has impersonated you, visit your local police station. There, you can file an impersonation report.

The police will take your photograph and fingerprint you. You can then ask the police department who issued the arrest record to compare the data. If it doesn't match, you may be a victim of identity theft.

How to Use Arrest Records

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Here are the different ways that you can, and cannot, use a TruthFinder background search:

You can use TruthFinder to look up:

Neighbors

New relationships

Potential dates or crushes

Friends

Former classmates

Other parents

Family members

Vacation buddies

Online buyers and sellers

Yourself

Celebrities

You CANNOT use TruthFinder to:

Screen tenants

Screen employees

Screen domestic workers

Verify eligibility for loans, credit cards, or insurance

Screen professional services

Determine eligibility for scholarships or educational programs

Inmate Search

Who’s in jail? If a friend or family member has fallen off the face of the earth, it’s possible that they’re in jail. Search arrest records to find out for sure.

A recent arrest may not appear in a public record search. Public records are not open to the public if a case is still under investigation. This also applies to cases awaiting a verdict in court.

To find someone within 48 hours of an arrest, contact your local county jail.

If a guilty inmate is currently serving time for the crime, try TruthFinder to locate them.

Their criminal record may reveal information such as:

Offense date

Crime location

Offense description

Degree of offense

Court name

Release date

Admission date

Received date

Commitment status

Count

Court case number

Crime information

Custody classification

Inmate type

Sentence count status

Sentence verified

Sentencing county

Crime location

Crime classification

Sentence begins date

Sentence status

Sentence type

Booking number

Who Can Arrest Someone?

An officer of the law can make an arrest in the following circumstances:

The officer catches a suspected criminal in the act There is probable cause that the arrestee committed a crime A judge issued an arrest warrant

An officer of the law includes:

County police

State police

Federal police

Citizens are also allowed to arrest someone under certain circumstances.

What Is a Citizen’s Arrest?

A non-law enforcement official can make an arrest in some circumstances. This is a citizen's arrest.

The practice dates back to medieval England. Local sheriffs encouraged ordinary citizens to arrest those who broke the law.

In the United States, a citizen may make an arrest without a warrant for certain types of crimes. This varies from state to state, but in general, it applies to felonies.

“Shopkeeper's privilege” is an example of a circumstance that warrants a citizen's arrest. In most states, a shopkeeper may detain a thief until the police arrive.

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Who Can Arrest a Sheriff?

Did you know in many jurisdictions, the only person with the power to arrest a sheriff is the county coroner?

This practice also dates back to England. During the 12th century, the British king grew concerned about the unchecked power of the sheriff and decided to grant the coroner the power to keep those in power in check.

The word “coroner” is actually derived from the Latin title "custos placitorum coronae", which means “guardian of the pleas of the crown.”