If you have ever been arrested, you probably have a mugshot on your criminal record. Mugshots allow law enforcement agencies to keep a photographed depiction of people who have been arrested and suspected of committing a crime. Mugshots also allow people and agencies to distinguish between individuals who have a similar or an identical name. If you need to find your mugshots, from the past or the present, you can do it either online or offline. Here is how:
How to find my mugshot? The offline methods
If you want to get a certified copy of your criminal record, or simply search for your mugshots offline, you can do so by contacting the authority that made the arrest. You need to go to the said authority and file an official request to perform the search (you will likely need proof of identification).
In most cases, you will need to pay for the search, and then wait to get a copy of the criminal record/mugshot.
If the arrest was made in your current place of residence – this search will not be a hassle. However, if the arrest took place in another state, it may be a bit tricky. You can contact local law enforcement agencies in your current place of residence, and ask if they can provide a copy of the record. In some cases, local law enforcement agencies will also be able to contact out-of-state agencies and file a request in your name.
If that is not the case, you can search your mugshots in other ways: law enforcement agencies allow people to contact them via phone, fax, US post, and emails. Look up the agency in question in a search engine of your choice to discover the contact methods. Then, you can file a request to get a copy of your mugshots.
How to find my mugshots online
If you prefer to perform an online mugshot search, you can do so in one of the following ways:
Law enforcement/government websites
In the United States, arrest records are public records. So, you can perform an online search on official websites to find your mugshots. First, you need to enter the name of the agency that made the arrest, or the name of the state where the arrest took place, into a search engine of your choice. Next to the name, type “mugshot search” or “arrest records”.
You will receive several search results, and you should choose one of the first websites (the official websites of the agencies/government). Go on the website, and search the criminal records section. Enter it, and provide the data required by the website; you will need to provide identifying details about your criminal record, such as your full name, DOC number, etc. The website will then provide you with your arrest records data, including your mugshots.
Public record search websites
Another way to find your mugshots is to use a public records search directory, like GoLookUp. You need to use only professional websites that provide private and authorized services, like the ones that are provided by GoLookUp.
The search on the website is quick and easy. You need to provide your full name and state of residence. Based on this info, the directory will begin to scan the public records that are registered to your name.
At the end of the search, the data is aggregated to a report, that you can download. The report will include your complete criminal history, including your mugshots.
Why should I find my mugshots?
This is a very important question that you should ask yourself. If you do not want your mugshots to be available to the public, you can use an opt-out service that public records search websites provide.
GoLookUp and similar websites are authorized to provide public data, but you can choose whether your mugshots appear on such sites. You can find your mugshots, and if they indeed are provided by public records resources, you can opt-out of them (meaning ask for your data to be removed).
Another reason you would want to find your mugshots is in case the data should not be available at all. If you have a criminal record that should have been sealed or expunged – it should not be available at all. You can search your mugshots and discover if that is not the case. If you find your mugshot online, it means that your record is not confidential, as it should be. If that is the case, you can contact the proper authorities so that they seal your case.
Finding your mugshots is important; it can reveal if your past and current criminal records are available to the public. It can also reveal if criminal data of yours, which should not be available, is not confidential. In both cases, you can remove your data from public resources with a simple online request.