Every country in the world has its own set of laws and processes when it comes to arresting suspects of crimes. In the United States, if someone is suspected of committing a crime, he/she will be taken into custody by the authority that has judicial jurisdiction. In the booking process, the arresting authority records and documents details about the suspect; such details include the personal details of the suspect, such as their name and contact info, as well as details on the crime.
One other important detail in the booking process is the taking of the mugshot; every authority needs a visual representation of suspects for further proceedings and for future reference. In most cases, mugshots will be available not only to law enforcement agencies but also to the general public. So, if you need to find mugshots, you can do so. How can you perform a mugshot search USA? Here is how to find mugshots in the United States.
How to Find Mugshots?
If you need to find mugshots, for whatever reason it may, be, there are two ways you can go about it: an offline search and an online search
The offline methods are:
Going to law enforcement agencies:
Every county has law enforcement agencies that arrest people who are suspected of committing a crime. These authorities, which include sheriff’s offices, police agencies, etc, maintain arrest records and criminal records. To perform a mugshot search, you need to go to the arresting authority. Then, you will need to perform the following:
Fill out a request form
Most law enforcement agencies require the filling out of request forms – for any kind of document. So, you will need to first fill out a form with your personal details and the nature of the request.
Pay a search fee
After you file your request, you will need to pay a search fee. Every state has specific fees that need to be paid for such a search. So, the fee will be determined by the authority that you went to.
Wait to get the results
You will need to wait to get the search results. Standard waiting periods are several days to several weeks. You can contact the authority in advance to ask about the wait time.
Some law enforcement agencies provide mugshots and criminal records’ copies over the internet. You can file an online request and wait to get copies of the desired criminal records.
You can also contact the authorities via fax, phone, email, or US post. To discover the contact methods, search the authority online. Enter the name of the county in question into a search engine of your choice. Then, enter the term “mugshot search” next to the name of the county/state.
Choose the official website of the authority, and follow the instructions for the mugshot search.
Online Search
You can also perform an online mugshot search. How? With a professional public records search engine, such as GoLookUp. To find mugshots of people in question, you will need to provide the website with the full name of the person in question. Also, you will need to provide the current state of residence of the individual (you can also provide a past state of residence).
Then, GoLookUp will begin to scan public records that are registered to the name of the person in question. The website aggregates data from billions of public records and provides a criminal search report within minutes. The report will include the following information:
- The full name of the individual
- The contact information of the individual
- The circumstances of the alleged crime
- A physical description of the individual
- Mugshots of the suspect
The report also includes additional details, such as additional criminal proceedings – if the case resulted in trial, bail, etc.
There are also free background check websites that supposedly provide access to criminal records and mugshots, but that is not the case. Such websites provide very basic data about criminal cases. To get additional information – you will be required to prescribe to the website in question, or pay a single search fee. So, in either case, a mugshot search USA service will cost you.
Are All Mugshots Available to the Public?
The answer is no; public records, in general, are available to the public as part of the Freedom of Information Act, and for public safety. However, not all cases can be viewed by the public. Sealed criminal records, expunged criminal records, and juvenile records are not available to the general public.
In Conclusion
A mugshot USA search can provide you with an in-depth look into people’s criminal past. You can perform the search in several ways, but most of them will take time. Instead, you can use a professional and licensed public records search website, such as GoLookkUp. Criminal reports, including mugshots, will be provided to you within minutes. That way, you can discover everything that you need to know about the criminal past of the people who are a part of your life.
