How To Search Arrest Records

A Man Being Arrested in Handcuffs

Via Shutterstock

Searching for arrest records is a process that requires an understanding of the data needed to begin a search. Some jurisdictions will not provide arrest record information if the arrested person was never arraigned. However, these records can still reveal valuable information about a person. An arrest record indicates when the individual was arrested, and the crime he or she was accused of. Although an arrest is not an indication of guilt, arrest records can still be used to learn about the type of accused offense, and when it occurred.

Read on to discover how to search arrest records. 


Obtain the exact name including the middle name and birth date of the person that will be the subject of your search. It helps, and in some jurisdictions it is mandatory, that an address be provided. If the search is for John Smith; for example, more identifying information may be required. So, assemble as much information as you can about the person in question.


The first call should be made to the local and the county police in every jurisdiction where the person has lived during the period of interest. These authorities may not be cooperative for a number of reasons and it may take a  formal, written request to get the police to give you the records you are asking for. Don’t waste your time unless there is a good reason to believe that an arrest record does exist in that jurisdiction.

The next contact would be the state police which is generally a more open agency. A phone call or a search of the state’s online data base could be productive. A word of caution: People believe that convicted sex offenders have to register with a public data base, but in most states, level one offenders do not have to register.

Hire A Private Investigator

A private investigator has access to multiple data bases, and if the PI is competent, they will spend the money on the most accurate and comprehensive data bases. A U.S. Deputy District Attorney will often use a private source in addition to their U.S. Government resources such as the FBI.

One of this country’s most prominent and successful litigation attorney uses a Private Investigator in the jurisdiction where the suspect lives and a different PI in another jurisdiction where the suspect has lived if the addresses are less than ten years apart. He then has a nationally “active” PI as a back-up. He says he has never been embarrassed in court by using incorrect information.

In our society a private investigator has access to so many public and private records that an arrest record will never escape their attention. Many PIs have data bases that cover the entire country.

Visit The Courthouse

If a visit to the appropriate court house is feasible, records of actions that resulted from an arrest can be obtained, but there is usually a fee.

An Example of A Search

The State of Michigan allows all of its courts to make arrest records public if the arrest resulted in any action beyond the arrest. The person involved in this record has given written permission to use this data for this article even though it isn’t required. Asking is a courtesy when broadcasting information like this even though there is no identifying information.

The National Criminal Database showed the following:

Bail Was Set/Bail Deposit Given/ Bail Forfeited –No Show

The facts are this person received a speeding ticket in a jurisdiction a long distance from where he lived. The court said he could mail in the $27.00 fine. He did mail the fine in before the due date and he assumed that the matter had been handled properly. He wanted to rent a house and the landlord’s background check turned up the above. What a terrible consequence of a speeding ticket for going five miles over the limit. He was never arrested, never had to post bail, and was not required to appear in court.

This is a matter with serious implications for the man involved. It is also an example of how incorrect data can really harm someone, especially when it is recorded in the national criminal data base. Fortunately, the background investigation agency informed the man about this entry.

The point of this example is arrest records can be found, but extreme care should be exercised when making judgments about them.

Using Background Check Companies

These companies are only as good as the investment they make in search software capabilities. However, they can be very useful in finding arrest records.



Finding any record is a matter of diligence and patience. There are many ways to find an arrest record, but either a public data base or a private investigator could do the trick for you if you’re having trouble finding the right background check companies.


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