When people get arrested, they go through a standard booking process: during this process, the arresting agency takes photos of the person that is arrested. These photos are called “mugshots”, and they are kept in arrest records and criminal records. If you need to find someone’s arrest photos, you can do so online. How can you do it? here is how to find mugshots online:
Are all mugshots public?
No. Not all arrest records are public records. In general, mugshots are accessible to the public. However, not all these records are available to the general public; there are records there are sealed or expunged, so they cannot be accessed by the public. Also, juvenile records are not public records. The great majority of states consider arrest records, which include arrest photos, public records.
Such records are maintained in both digitized files, and physical records, so you can view them in both forms.
How to find arrest photos
So, that you know a bit more about arrest photos, it is time to find out how to find mugshots:
Go to local law enforcement agencies websites
Certain law enforcement agencies (sheriff’s offices and police departments) operate an online arrest records directory. To find arrest photos with this method, you should first Google the name of the state, and the term “department of corrections”. Then, you should go to the official website of the agency in question. On the website, you will go to the arrest or mugshot directory, and type in the name of the arrestee or their prisoner number.
Use state arrest records websites
Aside from arrest agencies, you can also use state websites; as we mentioned, all the states in the country (aside from Louisiana), provide access to arrest records and criminal records. Just like with the agency search, you need to type in the name of the state and the term “mugshot search” into a search engine of your choice. Then, go to the area that provides arrest records data. Search the person of interest by their arrest number or name.
Online public records directory
Another way to find mugshots online is to use a public records search directory, such as GoLookUp. This website has access to all public records in the country, including arrest records and mugshots. The arrest photo search on GoLookUp is name-based, meaning you need to provide the full name of the person that you are looking for. Then, the directory will begin the arrest photo search; the search takes several minutes to complete, so you will find the mugshots that you are looking for in no time.
Aside from the name search, you can also use a phone number search, an email search, or an address search on GoLookUp. This is useful when you do not know how to spell someone’s name, or if someone has a common name that yields a lot of results.
A mugshot search is very useful, especially when meeting someone new. You can find arrest photos in several ways, and get access to criminal records online.
