Indiana County Arrest Records

Indiana County arrest records provide information about individuals incarcerated by law enforcement in Indiana County, PA. These documents provide the details and circumstances leading to law enforcement detentions.

Pennsylvania and United States laws empower law officers to take individuals who commit arrestable offenses into custody. Also, arrest becomes necessary if the courts issue arrest warrants.

Indiana County arrest records may become part of Indiana County court records. These documents are crucial for the early stages of criminal trials within the Indiana County Common Pleas and Magisterial District Courts. The Indiana County Sheriff's Office, Pennsylvania State Police (Troop A, Indiana Station), local police departments, and other state and federal law enforcement agencies within Indiana County create arrest records as evidence of arrests within the county.

The Indiana County Jail is the primary correctional facility within Indiana County; it holds individuals awaiting trials, on short-term detention, or serving sentences for various crimes.

Are Arrest Records Public in Indiana County?

Yes, Indiana County arrest records are public. According to the Board of Commissioners of Indiana County Resolution 2009-0114, the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, and the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act (Open Meetings Law), unless the law states otherwise, it is the right of interested individuals to inspect or duplicate public, legislative, or financial records in the possession local or Commonwealth agencies. However, the broad access to government records does not guarantee unhindered access to Indiana County arrest records. There is restricted access to Indiana County arrest records if they relate to:

• Juvenile arrest
• Sealed or expunged records
• Active law enforcement or judicial investigations
• Confidential informant information
• Medical or mental health information
• Law enforcement personnel information
• State or federally protected information.

Access to exempted Indiana County arrest records is limited to the record owners, legally authorized persons, and individuals with judicial orders.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Public arrest records typically contain publicly accessible information about arrests. Generally, this information includes:

• The name, date of birth, gender, ethnicity, and physical description of the record owners
• Date, time, and location of arrests
• Name of the arresting agencies
• Charges against the owners of the records
• Booking numbers and mugshots
• Bail/Bond information
• Case numbers and court appearance dates (if applicable).

Indiana County Arrest Statistics

According to the FBI UCR arrest statistics, there was an increase in the number of arrests within Indiana County between 2020 and 2023. Indiana County law enforcement agencies participating in the Uniform Crime Reporting program reported 1,915 arrests in 2023. In comparison, the same agencies reported 1,663 arrest incidents in 2022. Also, there were 1,383 and 392 cases in 2021 and 2020.

Between 2020 and 2023, simple assault incidents accounted for the most arrests. Within this period, there were 1,317 arrests for simple assault incidents. The table below outlines the number of the various arrest incidents within Indiana County between 2020 and 2023.

Find Indiana County Arrest Records

Indiana County arrest records are accessible online or offline. To find Indiana County arrest records online, log in to the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Inmate & Parole Locator and use the online tools to search for Indiana County arrest records through inmate records. Also, Indiana County arrest records seekers should visit the Indiana County Sheriff's Office or other Indiana County local law enforcement agency offices and make Right-to-Know requests to access arrest records in their possession.

Free Arrest Record Search in Indiana County

For free access to Indiana County arrest information, log in to the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Inmate/Parole Locator and search for Indiana County arrest information by names, inmate numbers, or other identifying information. Alternatively, search for Indiana County arrest records online; these documents and information may be free of charge through third-party websites.

Indiana County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Indiana County arrests and criminal records are distinct documents with different functions. Arrest records are official documents detailing the arrest of individuals by law enforcement agencies; they provide information about the circumstances surrounding arrests and the conditions for the release. On the other hand, criminal records are documents generated by the courts as evidence of criminal prosecutions. These documents are the comprehensive crime histories of individuals under the criminal justice system.

Having an arrest record does not confirm the guilt or innocence of an individual; by the law, arrestees are innocent of charges until the court convicts them. Contrariwise, a criminal record is a legal confirmation of guilt for a crime. It is evidence that the person finds the owner of the record guilty of a criminal offense.

An Indiana County arrest record may not significantly impact an individual if it does not result in a criminal conviction. The Indiana County Common Pleas or Magisterial District Courts may order its removal if the owner of the record is not not guilty of a crime. In contrast, Indiana County criminal records may negatively impact employment, housing, and social status.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In the U.S. (including Indiana County), arrest information will stay indefinitely on a record if nothing is done to remove them. However, Pennsylvania laws (and those of other U.S. states) allow for sealing or removing arrest information for some types of crimes if the owners of the records fulfill the eligibility criteria.

Expunge Indiana County Arrest Records

According to Title 18, Section 9122 of the Pennsylvania Criminal Code, individuals can petition the courts to seal or remove arrest records under the following conditions:

• The arrests do not result in convictions
• The arrest is for a summary offense such as traffic infraction or disorderly conduct
• The owner of the record is 70 years or older
• The record owner has been deceased for three years or longer
• The arrestee completes an Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD)
• The arrestee is a minor, qualifies under the Pennsylvania Juvenile Act and 18 Pa.C.S. § 9123, and completes the punishment for the crime.

In addition, Pennsylvania law allows for restriction of access to Indiana County arrest records under the limited access orders. Petitioners must observe the following waiting period before applying to seal Indiana County arrest records:

• For arrests without conviction - there is no waiting period. Individuals can petition for removal of records after the conclusion of the case
• Expungement after summary offense conviction - 5 years after the conviction
• Expungement of records for individuals 70 years and older - 10 years after completing the sentence for the offense
• Expungement for a deceased individual - 3 years from the time of death
• Expungement after completing an Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition - after completing the ARD program.

The waiting period for expunging juvenile arrest records in Indiana County and the rest of Pennsylvania depends on the nature and outcome of the arrest, as shown below.

• Expungement of juvenile arrests after dismissal, discharge, or acquittal - immediately after the case is closed
• Expungement after completion of a consent decree - six months after the completion of the consent decree
• Expungement of juvenile delinquency adjudication - 5 years after discharge from supervision
• Expungement of juvenile records - upon attaining the age of 18 years.

Also, to seal or remove Indiana County arrest records, convicts must not have pending criminal trials or subsequent convictions within the waiting periods.

Individuals seeking to seal or remove Indiana County arrest information from their records should apply the following steps:

• Determine eligibility for sealing or removal of arrest information
• Gather supporting documents that will aid the sealing or removal request (this includes disposition documents and documents relating to the completion of any court-imposed program)
• Download a Pennsylvania State Police Request For Individual Access and Review Form (Form SP 4-170):
  • Complete the request form with the necessary information
  • Enclose a check/money order for $20 payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a photocopy of a government-issued ID, and mail it to:
    The Pennsylvania State Police
    Central Repository – RCPU
    1800 Elmerton Avenue
    Harrisburg, PA 17110-9758
• Wait for the arrest records to arrive by mail from the Pennsylvania State Police ‌
• ‌Download a Petition for Expungement Pursuant to Pa.R.Crim.P. 490 or Petition for Expungement Pursuant to Pa.R.Crim.P. 790 Form or obtain them through the Indiana County Clerk of Courts Office:
  • Complete the expungement form, attach the arrest records from the Pennsylvania State Police and the supporting documents, and file a petition at the Indiana County Clerk of Courts Office at the Indiana County Courthouse at:
    825 Philadelphia Street
    Indiana, PA 15701
• Pay all applicable filing fees
• Serve notice of the petition to the Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, the arresting law enforcement agency, and other parties that have interests in the case
• Attend any court hearing relating to the review of the petition to answer questions and counter any objections from the District Attorney's Office or other interested parties.
• Wait for the court to review and decide on the request. If the petition is successful, the court will order the sealing or removal of the arrest information.
• Confirm the sealing of the arrest information through a criminal background check.

Indiana County Arrest Warrants

Arrest warrants are court documents that authorize law enforcement to take individuals into custody. In Indiana County, magistrates/judges of the Common Pleas and Magisterial District Courts may issue arrest warrants to law enforcement if they prove probable cause. Also, a judge/magistrate may issue an arrest warrant if an individual:

• Flouts court orders
• Fails to appear before the court for a scheduled hearing
• Violates terms of parole or probation
• Refuses to respond to a summon or citation
• Is indicted by a grand jury
• Intends to flee to another jurisdiction to avoid prosecution for a crime
• Disregard subpoenas for depositions.

A valid arrest warrant must the following information:

• The name, known aliases, and physical description of the subject
• Date and time of issuance of the warrant
• Charges against the subject and the second of the law allegedly violated
• Location of the crime
• The name and signature of the issuing judge/magistrate
• Statement/affidavit of probable cause
• The name of the originating court
• Instructions on how to execute the warrant
• The deadline for executing and returning the warrant to the court.

Do Indiana County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, Indiana County arrest warrants do not expire. Once a judge/magistrate of the Indiana County Common Pleas or Magisterial District Courts issues an arrest warrant, it will remain active until law enforcement takes the subject into custody. Nonetheless, these documents will become inactive at the demise of the subjects or if the courts cancel them.