Committing a serious crime in the US won’t always land you a life sentence. Even still, everyone who enters the justice system will be marked for life. Something as small as a traffic offense can result in a permanent arrest record and a mugshot. This can be a permanent barrier to many things in life.
If you’ve ever served a jail term, your arrest records and mugshots remain a public record. However, there are ways to obtain your mugshots and arrest records online. We will detail the methods of obtaining these below, as well as what your arrest records and mugshots mean.
What Is An Arrest Record?
When police suspect a person for wrongdoing, an arrest is made immediately. Following the arrest, a specific series of events follows. Firstly, an arrest record is created. This arrest record details the identification details of the suspect, and what led to the arrest. This is a permanent record, and will remain attached to the suspect.
The Details Of An Arrest Record Include:
- The offense or charges against the suspect
- Where the arrest was made
- Full identification details, such as the full name of the suspect
- The date charges were made
- The charge category
- The case type
- Case number
- Court name
After the arrest record is created, a mugshot is taken. As you probably know, a mugshot is a series of photos used in the identification of the suspect, and as proof of their state when they were jailed.
Once the mugshot is taken, and legal consultation has been made, a date is made in court where the suspect must make a plea for their charges.
The police mugshots, and arrest record, remain public. Access to these is available to anyone, if they know where to look. We will discuss how to acquire them below.
Visit The Police Department And Inquire For The Arrest Record
To access the RAP sheet, visit the police station where the arrest occurred. Make an application to view the arrest records mugshots for a certain period. The officer in charge will inform you of the service fee, if any. Once the service fee has been paid, the officer will retrieve the arrest record mugshot from their database, and issue a printout. How long this takes depends on the availability of the officer in charge, as well as the modernization of the department. You may have to return after a week or so, or request to have the record mailed to you. Patience, as always, is required when dealing with the government.
The Freedom of Information Act of 1967 allows Americans public access to public records. Mugshots and arrest records fall under the Act. Third-party websites have been established, in which these arrest records and mugshots are posted. They’re updated daily, and bear the same information that can be found at a police department. However, it should be noted they are definitely faster, and far easier to traverse.
All you need is the identification details of the person you’re searching, and results should pop up in seconds. Importantly, this search is anonymous, so the person you’re researching won’t be informed of your query.
Obtain The Assistance Of An Attorney
Law offices will also offer a way to gain access to the arrest record. Most attorneys bear access to private databases, in which matters of public record are recorded. However, do know that there will be a steep price attached, as the consultation of a lawyer is rarely cheap.
Can The Arrest Records Be Expunged?
If you have an arrest record or mugshot attached to you, it can be difficult to do a great many things. Obtaining work, applying for an apartment, getting a loan, these all get more complicated with an arrest record attached. If you want to get the arrest record expunged, you will need the consultation of an attorney.
How Can I Confirm The Arrest Record?
Sometimes, you may come across the arrest record of a person. However, it may not always be clear if it’s the correct one. If you have doubts, make sure to verify:
- The name’s spelling
- Date of birth
- Place of birth
- Primary address
If all this information matches the records you have found, then the arrest record is likely correct.
If you intend to use an online database to research an arrest record, then we recommend SpyFly. It’s fast, it’s easy, and it’s accurate. A great service for the research of public records, mugshots, or criminal backgrounds.
SpyFly provides consumers affordable, immediate access to public record information. Federal laws prohibit businesses from using SpyFly’s service to make decisions about employment, insurance, consumer credit, tenant screening, or for any other purpose subject to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 USC 1681 et seq.
