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Ingham County Arrest Records
In Ingham County, law enforcement officials are authorized to make arrests when they observe a crime in progress. They may also arrest an individual when they have probable cause to believe that an individual has committed or might commit a crime.
While arrestees of minor offenses may get bail and go home the same day, factors such as the severity of the crime and public safety concerns may be considered against others to detain them for longer periods. Individuals detained under such circumstances are formally notified of the charge against them and transferred to the Ingham County Jail at North Cedar Street to await trial.
In Ingham County, the Sheriff's Office and municipal police departments are responsible for most of the arrests. They are also in charge of generating and maintaining the arrest records.
Individuals seeking comprehensive information about a criminal incident must note that the various institutions involved in justice administration maintain their version of the incident, which usually documents the role they played in the process. The arrest record maintained by law enforcement agencies represents only an aspect of the records that could be obtained about an offense. As such, individuals may need to consult other public records to obtain a detailed account of a crime. This includes the Ingham County Court Records, inmate records, and other relevant public records.
Are Arrest Records Public In Ingham County?
In accordance with the state's Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), arrest records in Ingham County are considered public records. This means that anyone may request an arrest record from the local Ingham County law enforcement agency or the court where the arrests were processed.
However, certain records are legally exempt from public view to protect the private information of other individuals. This includes records relating to an ongoing investigation and expunged records. Such records are only accessible to a limited group, such as the person on record, law enforcement officers, and someone who has obtained a court order granting them access.
What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?
Public Arrest records in Ingham County typically include the following:
- The arrestee's full name and date of birth
- The arrestee's identity markers such as height, race, weight, eye color, hair color etc.
- The date and time of arrest
- The arresting agency
- Description of the offense
- The time, date, and location of arrest
- Bail information
Note: information contained in an arrest record may vary, depending on what the arresting agency considers most relevant.
Ingham County Arrest Statistics
According to UCR records in 2019, property theft, larceny, burglary, and violent crimes were the most common crimes people were arrested for in Ingham County. About 46 individuals were arrested for property crime, 24 individuals for larceny theft, 21 for burglary, and 16 for violent crimes such as rape or homicide.
Find Ingham Arrest Records
Local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies are sometimes coordinated in their effort to apprehend specific suspects. Furthermore, an offense may fall under state or federal jurisdiction. In such circumstances, a federal or state agent may arrest suspects and detain them in a state or federal detention facility.
Consequently, you may use the Federal Bureau Of Prison Inmate Locator Tool to look up individuals detained in federal custody. This tool provides access to all federal inmates incarcerated in the federal prison system from 1982 to the present. You may also obtain information such as the facility's location and the suspect's current status in the criminal proceedings from the search results.
You may also submit a FOIA request to the Federal Bureau Of Prisons via email detailing the arrest records you are seeking and any important information that may help you locate them.
At the state level, you may utilize the Offenders Tracking Information System (OTIS) to obtain information about inmates who are or have been held in the county under the jurisdiction of the state Department Of Corrections within the last 3 years. This tool is accessible to every member of the public and only requires details such as the inmate’s name, MDOC number, sex, and age.
Similarly, requesters may visit the Ingham County Inmate Locator to obtain information on arrestees in county detention. Login, enter their name and other required information in the search area, and click “search” to locate the inmate you seek and view other information such as the charge and their current proceeding status.
Free Arrest Record Search In Ingham County
Here is a list of resources that may prove useful in accessing arrest records in Ingham County:
- Ingham County Public Records
- Ingham County Sheriff's Office Website
- Michigan Department Of Corrections (MDOC) Offenders Search
- Third-party records aggregate website links such as ArrestFacts.com
Ingham County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records
Arrest records in Ingham County primarily cover the details related to an arrest. They form an essential part of a criminal record, documenting events as they unfold from the period of arrest up to arraignment. However, arrest records do not provide any updates about the progress or outcome of a criminal case. Therefore, arrest records are not to be solely relied upon to have an understanding of a criminal case.
Criminal records, however, provide more comprehensible data on a criminal case, including information on both the progress and the outcome. Information detailed in criminal records typically includes arrest details, court proceedings, convictions, sentences, and case dismissals.
The law enforcement agencies responsible for the arrest generate and maintain arrest records in Ingham County, while the criminal records are typically maintained by the County Clerk's Office.
How Long Do Arrests Stay On Your Record?
According to State Law, arrests typically remain on record indefinitely unless they are expunged or sealed. An expungement refers to the removal of a record or the complete sealing of a record from public access.
Under clean state law 2020, which was passed in 2020, certain records may become expungeable after a period. For instance, multiple misdemeanor convictions or a serious felony charge and related arrests become expungeable after a waiting period of 5 years from the date of sentencing or completion of the term.
Expunge Ingham County Arrest Records
To have your arrest records expunged in Ingham County, you have to consider choosing between 2 options; You may apply for an expungement either by mail or in person in the court where the conviction occurred, and you may also have your records automatically expunged.
An expungement process may take up to 8 months under state law. However, fulfilling all eligibility requirements is crucial before petitioning for record expungement.
The eligibility criteria include:
- Non-violent offenses
- Completion of all sentencing requirements
- No additional conditions or pending charges
- Completion of waiting periods
- No current criminal proceedings
Here are the steps required to have an arrest record expunged in Ingham County:
- Procure criminal record
- Obtain and fill the expungement forms appropriately
- File the petition by submitting the form to the appropriate court
- Inform all relevant parties, e.g. prosecuting attorney
- Await court decision
It is important to note that felonies such as murder are not expungeable by state law.
Ingham County Arrest Warrants
Not all suspects are arrested during or before a crime; some are apprehended after the fact. In such cases, law enforcement officials usually arrive at a suspect after a thorough investigation. Consequently, they typically petition the 55th District Court for an arrest warrant.
An arrest warrant is a court-issued order signed by a judge or magistrate authorizing law enforcement officers to arrest and detain a suspect. To obtain an arrest warrant, law enforcement must present sufficient evidence to the judge, justifying the suspect's arrest. If the judge is satisfied that the evidence demonstrates a high chance that the suspect committed the offense, she issues an arrest warrant. The document usually contains:
- The suspect's name
- Details of the offense
- Issuing Authority
- Warrant conditions
Do Ingham County Arrest Warrants Expire?
Arrest warrants do not have an expiration date. They are regarded as valid documents up until the suspect is in custody or the warrant itself is declared null by the court. Furthermore, the warrant becomes of no effect when the case in question is solved or when the suspect named in the warrant is dead.