Idaho arrest records are open to the public per Idaho public record laws. These records are maintained by law enforcement agencies such as the Idaho State Police and can be accessed by anyone who requests them. An arrest record in Idaho contains basic information about the arrest and booking, such as the name and address of the individual, the offense they were charged with, and the date and time of the arrest. This information is typically gathered by law enforcement at the time of the arrest and is entered into a statewide database. However, arrest records are not an alternative to Idaho criminal records and are not proof that the record-holder was convicted of the offense in question.
An Idaho arrest record is an official document that details the arrests of individuals in Idaho. This document is maintained by the Idaho State Police and is available to the public. Law enforcement agencies and the courts use arrest records to determine the guilt or innocence of individuals accused of crimes. They may also be used by employers, landlords, and others when considering applicants for jobs, housing, or other opportunities.
Typically, Idaho arrest records contain the following information:
In general, anyone can request and view arrest records. However, arrest records that are sealed or expunged will not be available to the public. Additionally, some law enforcement agencies may withhold arrest records if they believe that the release of the information could jeopardize an ongoing investigation.
Those who can access arrest records without any restrictions include:
The Idaho State Police has a Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program that serves as the state repository for collecting arrest statistics. Based on the Crime in Idaho 2021 report, about 49,946 arrests were made in the state. This was a 5.67% (47,267) increase compared to 2020 arrests. About 19,172 of the arrests were made without a warrant, 16,415 of the arrestees were Summoned/Cited, and 14,359 were arrested with a warrant. About 4,519 of those arrested in 2021 were juveniles, and 45,427 were adults.
All persons arrested in Idaho either committed Group "A" or Group "B" crimes. About 22,988 committed Group A crimes, and 26,958 committed group B crimes. Here is the breakdown of the highest crimes for which people were arrested in 2021:
An Idaho arrest search allows individuals to access information regarding an arrest made in the state. The search can be conducted online or in person at the appropriate record custodian’s office. Although arrest records are public, there are circumstances when arrest records are restricted to a select few. Per Idaho Code 74-105, the arrest records are confidential include:
Interested members of the public may look up Idaho arrest records by visiting the Idaho Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI) website. Some basic information about the arrestee is required for a successful search, including the full name and date of birth. The search results will show all known arrests in Idaho, both past and present.
The BCI offers two options for searching arrest records: online or in person. Both methods require submitting a completed Arrest Record Request Form, which can be found on the BCI website.
Online Searches
The online search system is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Users will need to create an account and pay a small fee to use this service. Once their account is created, they can log in and begin their search.
In-Person Searches
Persons who prefer to conduct their search in person may visit the BCI office during regular business hours. The requestor will need to fill out the Arrest Record Request Form and submit it to the BCI staff. They will then conduct the search and provide the results.
Idaho arrest records may also be obtained from the county sheriff's office in the county where the arrest occurred. Each sheriff's office has its own process for requesting documents, so it is best to contact them directly for more information.
A subpoena is a legal document that orders a person or organization to provide documents or testimony to a court. The court itself typically issues subpoenas, but in some cases, they may be issued by an attorney on behalf of their client.
Interested and eligible persons may subpoena Idaho arrest records by following the state's subpoena process.
Further questions regarding the process may be directed to the local county courthouse or the Idaho Attorney General's office.
Interested members of the public may search for an inmate in the Idaho prison system in a few different ways. The most common method is by searching the Idaho Department of Correction website.
The Idaho Department of Correction offers an online inmate search tool. Requestors may enter in some basic information about the inmate they are looking for (such as their name and date of birth). This will bring up a list of any matching results. Clicking on an individual result will provide more detailed information about that inmate, including their current location and status.
An alternative option to the IDOC is third-party options, which are online resources that provide information about offenders in the custody of state Departments of Correction. These websites typically pull resources from government-run repositories and may be a good option for those looking for quicker searches. However, the requesting party is typically required to pay a fee for the service.
Interested persons can find out if someone was in jail in Idaho by checking the state's online jail roster. The roster is updated regularly and includes the names of all inmates currently in custody. To find the roster, interested persons may go to the website of the Idaho Department of Correction and click on the "Jail Roster" link. Then search for an inmate by name or ID number. Questions about an inmate's status may be directed to the county sheriff's office where the inmate is being held.
Requesters can find information about recent arrests online or in person at law enforcement agency offices. For example, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office provides an Inmate Roster where people can search for individuals currently arrested in the county. Requesters must type the first letter(s) of the arrested person’s last name to conduct a search. When a search is done, a list of persons with that name will appear. Search results reveal the arrestee’s name, JID number, mugshot, age, arresting agency, charge, severity, and bail. Alternatively, requesters can just scroll down on the Sheriff’s Office homepage to see a list of current arrests made in the county. Click view all for more information about the arrestees.
The Canyon County Sheriff’s Office also has a Jail Roster where requesters can find arrest information. Individuals can use the search box on the pay to conduct a search by name or click on the letters on the page to search by the first letter of the arrestee’s last name. For a more current search, click on the Current Arrests link on the Sheriff's website to see a list of individuals who were currently arrested by law enforcement officers in the county.
The length of time that an Idaho arrest record remains on file varies, depending on the offender and the nature of their offense. If the charges against them were dismissed or were found not guilty, their record would be automatically deleted (sealed) after six months. If they pleaded guilty or were convicted of the crime, their record will remain on file indefinitely.
Idaho arrest reports are generally subject to public record laws except where protected by law. An arrest report is a legal document that details all the circumstances, timelines, and facts of events surrounding an arrest. It provides law enforcement officers with a reference point when investigating a crime. Arrest reports can be used as evidence when the arrested person is taken to court. Crime victims can use arrest reports for insurance claims.
In Idaho, arrest reports are public records. However, not all information contained in arrest reports may be available to the public. For example, the Ada County Sheriff's Office allows public access to arrest reports on its website. Go to the sheriff’s homepage, click on “Jail,” then select “Arrest Report” from the drop-down menu. The arrest report contains the arrestee’s full name, age, arrest date and time, status, arresting agency, severity, charge, statute, and type. An arrest record is also a public record but more comprehensive than an arrest record. An arrest record is a criminal document generated by a law enforcement agency after arresting an individual. It contains information like the arrestee’s biographical information, charges, names of arresting officer and agency, arrest date and time, court date, and release information.
While obtaining free arrest record information in Idaho might be possible, it is rarely absolute. For instance, interested members of the public may query the office of the county clerk where the arrest occurred and obtain sufficient information on the arrest. However, the requesting party will have to pay a small fee to cover the cost of copies if required.
Please note that while an arrest record may provide some insight into an individual's criminal history, it is not a comprehensive record and should not be used as the sole basis for making decisions about someone.
To obtain a complete picture of an individual's criminal history, the Idaho Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI) provides fingerprint-based background checks for $20.00. The requesting party will need to give the BCI a completed fingerprint card, a copy of a photo ID, and the appropriate fee. For more information, please visit the Idaho BCI website.
Persons looking for an Idaho arrest record can use a third-party search service to find the information needed. These services compile public records from various sources, making it easy to search for someone's criminal history.
To get started, the requestor will need to provide the person's name and date of birth. They also need to provide additional information, such as their Social Security number or driver's license number. Once they have this information, they can begin their search.
Most third-party search services will allow users to search by county or statewide. This can be helpful if they are unsure which county the person was arrested in. They can also narrow their results by specifying the type of offense, such as a felony or misdemeanor.
Once they have found the Idaho arrest record they are looking for, the user can view the details of the case. This includes the date of the offense, the charges, and the disposition of the case. They can also find out if the person was sentenced to jail time or probation.
Keep in mind that not all criminal records are public information. Some records may be sealed or expunged, which means they're not available to the general public. However, they may still be able to obtain these records through a third-party search service.
If an individual finds that they have a mistake on their Idaho arrest record, they may petition the arresting agency or the state police department to have the mistake corrected.
The first thing the record holder should do is contact the court where the arrest took place. Explain the situation and ask them to correct the mistake. If they are unable or unwilling to do so, the requester can contact the Idaho Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI). The BCI maintains all criminal records for the state of Idaho.
The requesting party will need to fill out a Request for Amendment of Criminal History Record form and submit it along with any supporting documentation proving that there is a mistake on the record. The BCI will then review the request and determine if the amendment should be made. If they determine that the amendment is warranted, they will make the changes to the record and notify the requesting party. Otherwise, they will notify the requesting party that the amendment is not warranted and explain their reasoning.
If the criminal history report contains inaccurate information, the individual can file a "Petition to Set Aside Arrest Record" with the court that handled their case. If the court grants the petition, the arrest record will be sealed, and the individual will no longer have to disclose the arrest on applications for employment, housing, or education.
Interested and eligible persons may petition to have their records expunged. The first way to do so is per Idaho's "Set Aside" statute. This allows a person to petition the court to have their record set aside (expunged) if:
The second way to get an arrest record sealed in Idaho is by sealing the criminal records through Idaho's "Criminal History Repository". This is a state-run database that contains information on all criminal convictions in Idaho. If they have been conviction-free for at least ten years, they can petition the court to have their record removed from the repository. Once their record is removed, it will no longer be accessible to the public.
The arrest record or criminal record expungement process in Idaho is as follows: