Arizona Criminal Records

Are Criminal Records Public in Arizona

In Arizona, criminal records are official papers that outline the criminal actions of those convicted of crimes in the state. The circumstances surrounding a person’s convictions are in the criminal records. Criminal records include information on the offender’s arrests, indictments, dispositions, and convictions. Documents outlining these occurrences are accessible from all levels of the state’s law enforcement agencies, courts, and detention institutions.

Under Arizona’s Public Records Law, any papers relating to a criminal past must be made public. The Arizona Revised Statute 41-1750 requires Arizona’s Criminal Justice Agencies to transmit arrest and disposition data to the Central State Repository. The Arizona Department of Public Safety (ADPS) is the state’s principal repository for criminal records, and anybody doing a criminal record search may access statewide criminal history information.

Criminal Records in Arizona include:

  • Arrest Records and Warrants.
  • DUI Records.
  • Sex Offender Registry.
  • Adult and Juvenile Inmate Records.
  • Misdemeanours Records.
  • Parole and Probation Records.

Public Access To Criminal Records

Multiple states and municipal law enforcement and judicial databases have Arizona criminal records. On request, the ADPS will release statewide criminal history records. Individuals may request a search of their own criminal records, while companies can order background checks on present and future employees. Nonetheless, visit the ADPS’s Criminal History Information website to access such records. The following information is available in Arizona public criminal records:

  • The full name of the defendant and aliases.
  • Age/Birthdate, gender, ethnicity, and other personally identifiable information.
  • Fingerprints and mugshot of the suspect.
  • Indictments and criminal crimes from the past and present.
  • Arrest warrants from the past and present.
  • Records of incarceration and convictions.

Local sheriff’s offices and police agencies in Arizona may provide criminal histories. You can also visit your local law enforcement department and ask for them in person or by mail to get criminal records. Criminal case records are also available online via Arizona courts. For anyone seeking to undertake a free public criminal record check, the Arizona Judicial Branch offers a publicly available case search tool. However, this database does not include information from all of the state’s courts. On the Unavailable Courts page, you’ll find direct links to the main pages and record search sites of non-participating courts.

Some third-party aggregation sites make criminal records, which are public in the United States, accessible. Third-party websites simplify searching since the information is not restricted to local record availability. Third-party website information might be a starting point for parties looking for a single record or a set of documents.

However, these search services are provided by third-party websites that are not affiliated with the government. Consequently, these criminal records may or may not be available.

Arizona Parole And Probation Records

To be eligible for parole in Arizona, an offender must serve either the obligatory minimum sentence duration or one-half or two-thirds of their sentence. In Arizona, the Board of Executive Clemency is in charge of parole decisions. The ADC provides state parole information, which may be searched on the Department’s Inmate Datasearch website. ADC operates 17 parole offices around the state. Members of the public can also inquire about parole information by contacting these offices.

On the other hand, information regarding criminals completing their terms outside state prisons may be found in probation records. These official papers may include details about suspended sentences, periods of supervised release for offenders, and parole officers assigned to parolees. The Adult Probation Service Division (APSD) administers Arizona’s probation programs and services. Nonetheless, to seek probation records, you may contact the APSD at (602) 452-3460 or 1501 W. Washington, Suite 344, Phoenix, AZ 85007.

Juvenile Criminal Records

Juvenile criminal records provide information on adolescents who have engaged in criminal activity. In Arizona, courts do not try minors as adults. The Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections (ADJC) is in charge of juvenile offender rehabilitation. In addition, the Department does not make Juvenile criminal records public. As a result, just a few people can obtain juvenile records in Arizona.

The ADJC only publishes such documents in response to written requests from former juveniles (18 and above) or their parents/legal guardians. The ADJC may disseminate juvenile criminal records to criminal justice agencies and connected parties when a court orders it or state or federal legislation requires it.

Arrest Records in Arizona

Arizona’s arrest records are official law enforcement papers that detail the arrests and detentions of people suspected of committing crimes. However, note that arrest records do not imply guilt or admitting to the crimes or misdemeanors listed. They merely show that the persons identified were brought in for interrogation and maybe imprisoned subsequently. The following information is available on an arrest record in Arizona:

  • The arrested person’s name, sex, date of birth, and other identifying information.
  • Date and location of the arrest.
  • The crime that resulted in the arrest.
  • The officer who made the arrest.
  • The state or local jail institution, the police took the arrestee.

However, police records or reports in Arizona are not the same as arrest records. Police records contain logs of law enforcement activities and incident reports.

The public may access the arrest records of any individual in Arizona. The local law enforcement agencies generate the arrest reports and share them with the courts and the ADPS.

Anyone interested in conducting an arrest search may contact their local law enforcement agencies. In addition, one may obtain these records for a small fee to cover printing costs. Individuals who want to look for free arrest records may utilize the Arizona Judicial Branch’s case search service.

Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant in Arizona is a court-issued document that allows a law enforcement officer to hold a person. Law enforcement personnel must show probable cause before Arizona courts to obtain arrest warrants. The authorizing judge’s signature is required on an active warrant. However, remember that Arizona law enforcement agencies may detain someone without a warrant if they observe ongoing crimes.

A warrant for arrest in Arizona has the following information:

  • Full name and other identifiable personal details of the arrestee.
  • The offense allegedly committed.
  • Date of expiry.
  • Possible location and time of the arrest.
  • Issuer’s name and date of issuance.

However, there is no central repository in Arizona where anybody may look up a warrant. Consequently, researchers may look for warranties at the county level or go to the US Marshall’s Warrant Search Portal.

Arizona Inmate Records

Inmate records in Arizona are official papers describing prisoners detained in state prisons and local jails. The Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC) manages ten state-run and six private prisons.

The ADC maintains the detainee records at these institutions and makes them accessible to anybody who wants to search up an offender. Use the Prisoner Datasearch tool on the ADC website to search for an Arizona state or private prison inmate. Feed-in the necessary information such as the inmate’s name or ADC Number to perform the search.

Arizona DUI Records

In Arizona, a DUI is a criminal act of driving a vehicle while “under the influence of liquor or narcotics.” The police report from the arrest, court records from the conviction, and arrest records from the subsequent detention are all public documents. Under Arizona’s Public Documents Law, the public can search for, access, and study these records, which may be readily obtained via various arrest and criminal record search websites.

Arizona Sex Offender Registry

The Arizona sex offender registry is a database of sex offenders who have been charged with a crime in the state. While sex offenders are listed at the local level, Arizona maintains a statewide database of those accused of sexual offenses. The ADPS is in charge of the state’s sex offender registry. Find registered offenders by name, city, zip code, and street address using the Offender Search function.

Registered sex offenders in Arizona are divided into three categories. Offenders at Level 3 are the most likely to reoffend, while those at Level 1 are the least serious. Upon the release of a sex offender, Arizona sex offender regulations compel law enforcement agencies, communities, and neighbors to be informed.

  • For Level 1 offenders; only law enforcement authorities are notified.
  • Level 2 offenders; registered community groups that work with children and organizations that work directly with children and victims of sex crimes.
  • Level 3 offenders; same organizations as level 2 offenders and the offenders’ neighbors.

Sealed Criminal Records

An arrest or charge on an Arizona criminal record cannot be expunged (that is, erased or sealed) due to technical limitations. Even if you have completed probation, your criminal record will stay on the books until you reach the age of 99, according to Arizona Administrative Code R13-1-102, 2018. However, you may get some of the advantages of expungement in some instances by requesting your conviction to be “Set-Aside” under Arizona law.

Criminal Records Set-Aside

Although there is no expungement statute in Arizona, you may be able to have a felony or misdemeanor conviction overturned. The charge or conviction will remain on your criminal record notwithstanding the set-aside. Anyone looking at your criminal record, such as a future employer, will notice the set aside order. In other words, they’ll know that you completed all of the terms of your probation or sentence, that a court vacated your conviction, and that all accusations against you were dropped.

However, Set-Asides are not available for the following crimes:

  • Potentially harmful and severe offense.
  • Tier 2 and 3 sexual crimes.
  • Crimes involving a victim under the age of 15.
  • Certain types of driving infractions.

Correcting Other Errors on Your Arizona Criminal Record

Nonetheless, criminals and ex-convicts may change errors in their criminal history records. They should contact the ADPS and obtain a Record Review Packet to change the problems on their criminal history record. The ADPS helps them fix their record by filling out and submitting the “Review and Challenge of Arizona Criminal History Information” form. The state criminal records office will review the form and update your record if any modifications are necessary.