Houston County Arrest Records

Arrests in Houston County generally occur when law enforcement officers have cause to believe a person has committed a crime. Arrests may be carried out by the Houston County Enforcement Agency, which is responsible for enforcing law and order and managing the county jail. The Sheriff's office also generates arrest records, which include details such as the reason for the arrest, charges filed, and where the person is being held. These arrest records are part of the public records that may be accessed under Alabama public records law but are often linked to Houston County court records, which provide more comprehensive details on legal proceedings following an arrest.

Following an arrest, the suspect (arrested person) is booked in the nearest sheriff's department or county jail. Booking occurs when the police department collects the details and information of the suspect. The details or information that are being collected include personal information, description, fingerprints, items under their possession, DNA, and the suspected crime details. This information is then stored in a system by the police department as arrest records.

Arrest records in Houston County are kept and maintained by the county Sheriff’s office and other local departments. The public may access these arrest records through local and State agencies. Arrest records may also be featured in Houston County court records and accessible through criminal databases managed by the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation and the district attorney's officer records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Houston County?

Yes. The Alabama Open Records law § 36-12-40 code of Alabama gives the public the right to take a copy of any public writing unless exempt from public disclosure. Arrest records are generally public writings and are available to the public under the open records law.

This means that members of the public may request to view or obtain copies of arrest records. However, certain records may be exempt from public disclosure, such as:

• Ongoing investigation where release could impede the investigation
• Juvenile arrest records
• Certain sensitive information related to crime victims or cases of domestic violence.
• Hospital and Probation reports
• Report of Suspected disease cases

For individuals to access public arrest records, they may submit a request to the Houston County Sheriff's office or use the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency public record search.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

A public arrest record in Houston County includes the following information:

• The full name of the arrested individual
• Date and time the individual was taken into custody
• Specific offenses for which the individual was arrested.
• The Law enforcement Agency responsible for the arrest
• Information about the booking process, including the mugshots and fingerprint
• The amount of bail or bond required for release, if applicable.

This information is considered public unless it falls under a category exempt by Houston County laws, such as juvenile arrest records.

The juvenile arrest records hold the arrest of underage suspects involved in a delinquency case before their 18th year. Their arrest records are confidential and only releasable to specific persons and agencies under the Alabama code §12-15-133. Such persons and agencies who may access these records include the judge, juvenile probation officers, approved juvenile court personnel and contract staff, and other agencies listed in the act.

Houston County Arrest Statistics

Houston County arrest statistics are typically compiled by local law enforcement agencies and reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program. These statistics show the number and type of arrests made within the county. In 2023, Alabama made 131,249 arrests. Of all these arrests, 127,620 were adult arrests, while 3629 were juvenile arrests.

Find Houston County Arrest Records

State and federal resources may be used to locate arrest records in Houston County. These resources include:

• The local law enforcement Agency: This involves visiting the local law enforcement office where the arrest was made. Applicants may request an arrest record at the record units of these offices and, upon fulfilling the specific requirements, be granted access to the records they are requesting.
• The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, also provides access to public arrest and criminal records. To access records from this agency, an applicant makes a request online and depending on the clarity and specificity of his request, the particular record is processed and made available to the applicant.
• Houston County Sheriff's Office also offers online tools or public records request forms to obtain arrest information. The specific address is;

411 Foster Street,
Dothan, Alabama.
Phone: (334) 677-4882, 334-677-480.
Alternatively, applicants may use the Houston County jail
(334) 712-0762

• The FBI Crime Data Explorer provides crime statistics and may be accessed for nationwide arrest data, including Houston County.

Free Arrest Record Search in Houston County

Some of the basic free resources available for accessing Houston County arrest records include the following:

• Houston County Sheriff's Office offers a walk-in search option at their location OR an online search tool where the public may look up information about individuals in custody.
• Alabama Department of Corrections also provides free search tools for incarcerated individuals in state prisons. This search tool is enhanced by the allocation of a 6-digit number to each inmate with which that particular inmate may be found.
• Additionally, the FBI UCR via Crime Data Explorer provides information on arrest data in the US including the Houston county arrest data.
• Third-party websites also offer free public arrest record searches for basic information and may charge for comprehensive arrest information.

Houston County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

In Houston County, arrest and criminal records are often used interchangeably to denote a person’s criminal history. However, while arrest and criminal records are similar, they have some distinctions. Arrest records indicate an individual's interaction with law enforcement when taken into custody but do not confirm whether the person was convicted or not, While Criminal records include an individual’s full criminal history and documents all criminal charges, court proceedings, and outcomes (i.e., convictions, dismissals and acquittals )

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In Houston County, arrest records remain on an individual’s record indefinitely unless they are expunged. This means that even if the charges are dropped or the individual is acquitted, the arrest record may still be accessed unless formally removed through a legal process.

Expunge Houston County Arrest Records

Under the Ala. code 15-27-3(a-c), as contained in the petition for expungement of records, residents may apply for expungement of their arrest records under certain conditions, such as:

• The charge was dismissed without prejudice.
• The charge was not billed by a grand jury.
• The arrested person was not found guilty.
• The charge was dismissed without prejudice two years before and the applicant has not been convicted of felony, misdemeanor, traffic violations and other types of violations during the previous two years(for non-felony only).
• The charge was dismissed after completing the court-approved deferred prosecution program, and more than one year has passed since then, OR the charge was dismissed more than five years before and was not refiled, OR 90 days have passed from the date of dismissal with prejudice, and no bill and acquittal have been refiled (for non-violent felony only).

Expungements may be permissible for the following offenses:

• A misdemeanor criminal offense.
• A violation.
• A traffic violation.
• A municipal ordinance violation.
• A non-violent felon.

The individual must also obtain:

• A certified copy of his criminal record from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency by accessing and providing the information required in the form.
• A certified record of disposition OR a certified record of arrest

The individual then files a petition for the expungement of records with the district attorney, the law enforcement agency, and the court of the jurisdiction from which the petitioner is seeking expungement. A judge will review the case to determine eligibility for removal. If the review is satisfactory, the record is therefore expunged, which means that the arrest record is sealed and no longer publicly accessible.

Houston County Arrest Warrants

A “warrant of Arrest” or arrest warrant is a written order signed and issued by a judge or magistrate, stating the substance of the complaint and directed to a proper officer, commanding him to arrest the defendant.

Arrest warrants in Houston are issued by the county courts. A judge must determine the probable cause that exists before a warrant is issued, allowing law enforcement to take the person named in the warrant into custody. The warrant typically contains the following:

• The individual's name (if known, but may be left empty if unknown)
• The charges they are being arrested for
• The date and location of the alleged offense
• Any specific conditions related to the arrest
• Judge or magistrate’s signature, name, and initials of office.

Warrants become necessary when an individual is suspected of a crime but has not yet been arrested by law enforcement. This warrant then gives the law enforcement agency the authority to detain the individual.

However, a law enforcement officer is authorized to arrest without warrant a suspect on certain conditions, which are:

• On the ground that he witnessed the crime being committed by the suspect
• Upon reasonable conviction, the person stands charged with an offense punishable by death or life imprisonment in the Court of Law.

In any of these cases, the officer may arrest without a warrant and charge the suspect to culture as soon as possible, with all the available evidence.

Do Houston County Arrest Warrants Expire?

In most cases, arrest warrants in Houston County do not expire. They remain valid until the person is arrested or the warrant is recalled by the court. However, certain factors like errors in warrant issuance, the status of limitations on certain offenses, or changes in law.