Indiana Arrest Records

In 2022, Indiana had the 14th-lowest property crime rate in the United States. That year, the state recorded 1,544 property crime incidents per 100,000 residents, 21% lower than the national average of 1,954 incidents per 100,000. The property crime rate decreased by 49% between the 10-year period from 2012 and 2022. This suggests a potentially lower arrest rate for property-related offenses in the state compared to the nation.

The larceny, burglary, and motor vehicle theft rates were lower in Indiana than the national average. Burglary decreased by 69% between 2012 and 2022. In the same period, larceny decreased by 46%.

In 2022, the violent crime rate in Indiana was 306 incidents per 100,000 residents, 20% lower than the national average of 381 incidents per 100,000 residents. Between 2012 and 2022, violent crime decreased by 11% in the state. The arrest rates for homicide, aggravated assault, robbery, and rape, were lower in Indiana than the national average. Between 2012 and 2022, robbery was reduced by 57%, but homicide increased by 33%.

What Is an Arrest Under Indiana Law?

According to Indiana law, an arrest is taking a person into custody that the individual may be held to answer for a criminal charge. An Indiana arrest is often based on probable cause, based on the facts and circumstances that a crime has been committed. An arrest may be made pursuant to a warrant or without a warrant.

Type of Arrests in Indiana

In Indiana, there are two primary ways an individual may be arrested: with or without a warrant.

Warrant Arrest

A warrant arrest happens when a law enforcement officer takes a suspected offender into custody per the directive in an arrest warrant. An arrest warrant is a document or an order issued by a judge or magistrate mandating the arrest of the person named in it. An arrest made based on a warrant can also be a bench warrant. A bench warrant is a written directive by a judge or magistrate to arrest a person who failed to comply with a court order. For instance, if a person fails to appear on their court date, neglects to pay a fine, or violates their probation, the judge can issue a bench warrant for the arrest of the offender.

Warrantless Arrests

Warrantless arrests are allowed under specific circumstances, such as when a crime is being committed in the presence of a law enforcement officer. According to Section 9-30-2-6 of the Indiana Code, a law enforcement officer may arrest, without a warrant, an individual in case of violations of:

• Section 9-26-1-1.1 of the Indiana Code; and
• Section 9-30-5 of the Indiana Code if the violation of the section is coupled with an accident;

When the officer has probable cause to believe that the violation was committed by the person, an arrest may be made in Indiana, with or without a warrant, for a felony, misdemeanor, domestic violence, traffic violation, or immigration code violation.

What Are Indiana Arrest Records?

An Indiana arrest record is an official document detailing a person's encounters with law enforcement agencies in Indiana. An Indiana arrest record is created when the subject of the record is taken into custody. An Indiana arrest record usually includes the subject's personal information, such as name, sex, date of birth, height, weight, race, and skin color. Other information that may be found in the arrest record includes the name of the law enforcement agency involved in the arrest, specific charges alleged, and the arrest's date, time, and location.

An Indiana arrest record is not the same as an Indiana criminal record. An Indiana record is a more comprehensive official document detailing an individual's involvement with and interaction with the Indiana criminal justice system. It generally includes arrest records, charges, trials, convictions, sentences, and probation or parole information.

An arrest record is usually part of a criminal record but cannot serve as conclusive proof that an individual committed a crime.

How Can Arrest Records Be Accessed in Indiana?

Members of the public may access arrest records as such records are public materials under the Public Record Act (APRA). Also called the Open Door Law, the APRA grants the public the right to request access to view, review, and make copies of arrest and other public records. Note that some records may be inaccessible if they have been expunged or sealed under Indiana laws.

You may obtain an Indiana arrest record from multiple sources, including:

Limited Criminal History Portal

The Limited Criminal History portal provides access to felonies and misdemeanor arrests in Indiana. A search of the LCH database generally can be done using the subject's name, race, date of birth, Social Security number, gender, and place of birth if required. To perform a search, visit the Online LCH Request page of the LCH portal. It costs $15 to perform a search on the LCH portal if you are a subscriber and $15.70 if you use a credit card.

Alternatively, you may submit a record request form to the Indiana State Police to obtain an arrest record. Payment can be made using a money order made out to the State of Indiana. Send a completed request form and payment to:

Indiana State Police

Criminal History Limited Check

P.O. Box 6188

Indianapolis, IN, 46206-6188

Local Police Departments

Arrest records are usually maintained locally by local police departments and the county sheriff's office in the municipality where the arrest was made. While some local police departments and county sheriff's offices may maintain online databases for users to search or request arrest records, you may visit the office of the sheriff or PD to access arrest records if online request systems do not exist.

How Long Will an Arrest Report Stay on Your Indiana State Records?

Except where an arrest record has been sealed or expunged, it remains on the state records until the subject of the arrest is 99 years old and has not had a criminal act for the 15 years preceding the 99th birthday.

Can You Expunge Your Arrest Records in Indiana?

Expungement in Indiana is a state-approved process for sealing your arrest and other criminal records to stop the public from accessing the record. Obtaining an expungement allows you to avoid disclosing your arrest record to potential employers and landlords. While an expungement would not destroy your arrest records, it prevents non-governmental persons or organizations from accessing the record.

To expunge an arrest record, at least one year must have passed since the arrest, and the arrest or charge must not have resulted in a conviction or a case of juvenile delinquency adjudication; if it did, it must have been overturned on appeal. Also, the subject of the arrest record must not be participating in a pretrial diversion program, and no criminal charges must be pending.

Note that some records are ineligible for expungement. These include sex or violent offenses under Section 11-8-8-5 of the Indiana Code, official misconduct according to Section 35-44.1-1-1 of the Indiana Code, homicide, voluntary manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, and convictions for two or more offenses relating to the use of a deadly weapon that were committed as part of the same episode of criminal conduct.

To expunge an arrest record, a petition to have the records expunged needs to be filed in a superior or a circuit court in the jurisdiction in which the allegations of juvenile delinquency or the charges were filed. If no criminal charges or juvenile allegation was filed, the petition must be filed in the circuit or superior court where the arrest was made.

Generally, the petition must outline the following:

• The date of the arrest, criminal charges filed, or juvenile delinquency allegation, and conviction (where applicable)
• The county where the arrest occurred, the county where the indictment or the relevant data was filed, and the involved county where the allegation for juvenile delinquency was filed, if at all applicable
• The department that employs the arresting officer, if the data is available.
• The court where the delinquency allegation or the criminal charges were filed, if applicable
• All additional identifying data, like:
• The arresting officer's name
• The court case number
• Any other names used by the petitioner
• The driver's license number of the petitioner
• A list including any criminal charges and their dispositions, if applicable;
• The petitioner's birth date
• The Social Security number of the petitioner

Is Citizen's Arrest Legal in Indiana?

Yes. Indiana's provisions for a citizen's arrest are codified under Section 35-33-1-4 of the Indiana Code. A person may arrest any other person if some conditions are met, such as when:

• The other individual committed a felony in the presence of the person making the arrest;
• A felony has been committed, and the arrestor has probable cause to believe the other person has committed that felony; or
• A misdemeanor related to the breach of peace is being committed in the presence of the arrestor, and the arrest is required to prevent the continuance of the breach of peace.

Upon making a citizen's arrest, you must notify Indiana law enforcement as soon as possible and deliver the arrestee to their custody.

How to Look Up Arrest Warrants in Indiana

An arrest warrant is an official document issued by the court through a judge or magistrate empowering law enforcement to take you (based on the suspicion of having committed a crime) into custody. Section 35-33-2-1 of the Indiana Code guides the issuance of arrest warrants in the state.

You may look up arrest warrants in Indiana by:

• Visiting local law enforcement offices: Contact your county sheriff's office or local police department to check for warrant information. Alternatively, you may visit your local police department and ask if there are any active warrants in the area for an individual. If you want to conduct a statewide search for a warrant, you may contact the Indiana State Police for arrest warrant information. For any of the searches, you will need to provide the name of the person in question. Other information like known aliases, sex, race, and date of birth may be required.
• Searching the Indiana Courts website: You may be able to access arrest warrant information by visiting the Indiana Courts website and searching case information for court records in the website's database. You will need the name of the person in question to conduct a search.
• Visit county clerk's offices: Indiana county clerk offices often have information on arrest warrants issued in their counties. By visiting the clerk's office, you may determine if an individual has an active arrest warrant.