Search Washington Public Records

How to Look Up Criminal Records in Washington State

Washington offers criminal history reports, including arrest records to the general public as part of the Freedom of Information Act. The state keeps a central repository of all criminal records. All record requests are fingerprint-based. Any private citizen can get a copy online, through the mail or in person. The reports offered to the general public will be less expensive than what is shared among other law enforcement agencies. When requesting a copy, someone will have to fill out a form and pay a fee.

Victims & Offenders by Gender and Race

What Information Does Washington State Criminal Records Report Include?

Washington arrest records will show a lot of criminal history information like arrests, convictions, charges, sentencing, disposition, bail, bond, fees, and other fines paid. Also included will be the date and place of arrest, the officer’s name and badge number, arresting agency, booking details and any vehicles involved. Additionally, general information like name, phone, address, gender, race, height, weight, other physical description, mug shots and fingerprints will be on there too.

Washington State Police Reports and Mugshots

Are Washington State Police Reports Public Record?

Yes. Police reports in Washington are public records according to the  Public Records Act (See Revised Code of Washington,  RCW 42.56 ). Big cities like Seattle have set up portals for the public to view all copies of Washington police reports (called a general offense report). These reports are available within 8 hours after the event and three days after serious crimes like homicide, burglary, and aggravated assault.

Some information will be redacted (blacked out) to protect innocent citizens and personal, private information. To use the system, you must create an account on the portal.

The types of information contained within a Washington police report are:

• Name and ages of people involved.
• Date, time, and location of the incident.
• A detailed description of the event.
• What actions police took (if an arrest took place).
• The charges brought against the suspect.
• Any vehicles involved.
• Crime photos, mugshots, and fingerprints.
• Information about the officer(s) involved.

Washington State Inamte Mugshots

Washington mugshots are also public records and seen online in county jail rosters, news and media outlets, public records websites, and other places. There is no typical mugshot style for Washington. Many of the suspects are photographed in plain clothes, some in jail attire, and all of them are pictured in front of a light or dark gray background. Most suspects in mugshots are frowning or look quite unhappy. Occasionally one will smile or make a silly face.

Police started using mugshots in the 1800s when a French policeman, Alphonse Bertillon, made it part of his standard practice. He played around with lighting, poses, and backgrounds until he devised the perfect combination, which is widely used around the world today.

Washington State Arrest Booking Process

The Washington booking process is laid out very cleanly. After someone is arrested, they are taken to the local county jail where they are booked and processed into the system. That process usually takes four to six hours and consists of:

• If someone is under the influence, they will have their blood drawn or be asked to submit to a breath or urine test.
• A medical professional will give them a complete exam and ask questions about medications.
• A police officer will take down basic information such as name, address, phone and date of birth.
• Inmates will be searched and contraband along with personal items stored for them.
• Law officers will fingerprint and photograph all suspects.
• Charges against them are entered into the system.
• Bail may or may not be set.

Usually, Washington offenders will stay in jail until they can pay bail, or they see the judge.

Violent Crime Rates for the last 10 years

The crime rate has decreased over the past decade in Washington, going from 16,898 crimes in 2006 to 16,640 by 12% lower than it was back in 2006. The largest percentage of violent crimes falls into the Aggravated Assault category, with Revised Rape being the least popular crime in the state.

Arrest Law

A Washington police officer can arrest someone with a warrant. They may also arrest them without a warrant when they believe someone committed a gross misdemeanor causing someone else harm. They can even arrest someone they have reasonable cause to believe has committed a felony in or not in their presence. Washington police can also arrest someone for violating parole, probation or a restraining order. If an officer suspects someone of committing child or domestic abuse, they can arrest them in that case also.

The Arrest Rate in Washington

For 2017,147,488 arrests were recorded for the year. Of that total, 27,946 were for assault, 13,447 were for drug violations, 24,795 were for theft, 1,570 for weapons violations, 4,344 were for robbery and 59,220 were for various Group B violations.

State Offender and Victim Age Group Statistics

Most of the violent crime offenders in Washington were 20-29 and the largest percentage of violent crime victims were 20-29.

Crime Victim Demographics

Residence Home is the place where the majority of crimes in Washington were committed, in most of the crime cases the offender was a stranger.

Washington Arrest Records by Type of Crime

The popular arrests for 2017 in Washington was for All Other Offenses (except traffic) - 58,249, the same popularity of the arrest type was seen in Alabama, Alaska, and Arizona. The least popularity had Embezzlement arrests - with only 54 crimes a year.