Learn How to Find and Access Alabama Arrest Records

An arrest in the State of Alabama can happen due to a variety of reasons. Any person convicted or suspected of a crime in the state can be taken into custody so that a proper trial can be arranged and punishment meted out subsequently. The reason for an arrest can range from a relatively small offense such as driving under the influence to something as serious as murder.
 

Arrest Procedures

Alabama arrests are carried out by the local law enforcement authorities. This could be the local police department in the region or the sheriff’s department. However, every arrest requires a suitable warrant to be issued in the name of the arrested individual. Such warrants may be granted to the law enforcement authority by a court. Once a warrant is issued, the person whose name is on it can be taken into custody.

 

Accessing Arrest Records

While trying to find arrest records in Alabama, the websites of the local police or sheriff’s departments can be a good start. These often contain details about the latest people arrested, the reasons for their arrest, the people who are absconding and are wanted by the law and the latest reports on thefts and other crimes in the region.

For example, the website of the Limestone County Sheriff’s Department, based at Athens, Alabama is http://www.limestonesheriff.com/. From here you can get information about the latest arrests and Amber Alerts for the area. Similarly, other county law enforcement authorities also publish the latest information online.

 

Department of Corrections Resources

If you are looking for information on an Alabama arrest that occurred some time ago and wish to follow the entire case that followed, the state's Department of Corrections may prove to be a better search alternative. The Alabama Department of Corrections can be found on the Internet at http://www.doc.state.al.us/. Here you can find comprehensive information about people serving time in Alabama prisons currently.

You can also find records of people who have been arrested and put in these correctional facilities in the past. You can search the details of a current inmate from the website itself at http://www.doc.state.al.us/inmsearch.asp. Here, you can use the first and last name as search parameter. However, if you know the AIS number of the inmate you are looking for, the search will be far more accurate. The AIS or Alabama Institutional Serial number is a six-digit unique number assigned to all inmates and it is probably the most accurate and fastest way to search for someone serving time.

There are other conveniences for the public offered on the Alabama Department of Corrections website as well. You can search for sex offenders who have previously been arrested. This information can be found at http://community.dps.alabama.gov/. You can also search for escaped convicts, people undergoing probation or out under parole,  a record of known parole violators and even inmates who are on death row.

If you want information regarding an Alabama arrest that subsequently led to a trial you can try searching the state court records at http://www.judicial.state.al.us/. From the time that an arrest is made, the entire procedure a convict follows is a well-documented one. Since this information is made public, it is extremely easy to obtain the records when necessary.