Lackawanna County Arrest Records

In Lackawanna County, arrest records typically refer to information concerning arrest events. Such records are created after law enforcement officers apprehend persons suspected of committing crimes against individuals, properties, or society. Officers may also arrest persons to prevent a potential danger or crime. Arrested persons are temporarily held at the county jail, depending on the crime severity or type.

Lackawanna County arrest records are mostly under the purview of local law enforcement agencies. For instance, the county sheriff's office generates and maintains arrest records. To obtain the record, citizens may contact the sheriff's office at:

200 North Washington Avenue
1st floor
Scranton, PA 18503
Phone: (570) 963-6719

Citizens may also find Lackawanna arrest records in public documents, such as criminal history or inmate records. Lackawanna County court records may also feature arrest information, such as warrants and bond conditions.

Are Arrest Records Public in Lackawanna County?

Arrest records in Lackawanna County are mostly accessible to the general public. According to Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know law, the public can request, view, and obtain copies of Lackawanna arrest records from specific government entities. The state law appoints these entities as record custodians and permits them to release records upon request from the public.

However, the law restricts the disclosure of certain arrest information. Exempted arrest information may contain data that may violate the safety and privacy of concerned persons. Under Section 708, the following arrest records are not public documents:

• Arrest documents that contain information concerning potential criminal conduct
• Documents concerning the identities of confidential sources
• Records made confidential by court order or state law
• Arrest data on crime victims’ identities or information that may violate their safety.
• Documents that, if disclosed, will reveal the progress or outcome of a criminal investigation
• Records that may deprive an individual of the right to a fair trial or adjudication.
• Arrest data that may endanger a person’s life or physical safety
• Documents that, if disclosed, will hinder law enforcement agencies from locating a defendant or co-defendant.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

In Lackawanna County, public arrest records may include the following information:

• Arrestee's name, aliases, and physical features like race, gender, height, and eye color
• Arrest charge and description
• Booking number
• Commitment date
• Mugshot
• Arresting agency's name

Lackawanna County Crime Rate

Pennsylvania’s Crime Reporting System maintains an annual statistics report for all documented crimes. According to the 2018 crime report, Lackawanna County documented a total of 3,922 index crimes at a rate of 1,867.5 per 100,000 residents. The report covers index crimes like manslaughter, aggravated assaults, and arson. Larceny thefts and aggravated assaults were the most reported crimes at 2,094 and 925, respectively.

Lackawanna County Arrest Statistics

According to Pennsylvania’s UCR, Lackawanna County’s law enforcement agencies conducted 967 arrests in 2023. The county’s correctional facilities housed 691 inmates in the same years.

Find Lackawanna County Arrest Records

To find Lackawanna County arrest records, interested persons or entities must direct their request to the local law enforcement agency that documented the incident. The agency may save arrest records as incident reports. In Lackawanna County, arrest records are accessible at the county sheriff's office. Thus, record seekers can request such records by contacting the county sheriff's office at:

200 North Washington Avenue
1st floor
Scranton, PA 18503
Phone: (570) 963-6719

Conversely, inmate records are also sources of obtaining arrest information. Such records are mostly publicly accessible and under the purview of state and federal-level agencies. At the state level, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections hosts an online database of all current inmates and parolees in the state's correctional system. To find inmate records on the database, users must input search data like the inmate's name, inmate number, gender, birth date, and incarceration location.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons is an alternative option for finding Lackawanna arrest records. The agency also maintains an online search portal for inmate details. To view inmate information, users must search using the inmate's name or prison number.

Free Arrest Record Search in Lackawanna County

Lackawanna County arrest records are accessible for free on government-owned search sites. Such sites may include the state's inmate/parolee locator or the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ inmate search portal.

Besides official search sites, persons or entities may use third-party search sites as alternatives for accessing arrest records. Such sites are generally free to use and do not restrict users based on their location. It is also easy to navigate and conduct searches on the sites. Nevertheless, third-party search sites are mostly unregulated and may not offer accurate information on arrest events in the county.

Get Lackawanna County Criminal Records

Per Title 18 of Pennsylvania state laws, criminal records provide information on an individual's criminal conviction history. Such records typically contain the record subject's identifiable details, arrest dates and notations, formal criminal charges, indictments, and court dispositions.

The Pennsylvania State Police is the designated custodial body for Lackawanna County criminal records. As the record custodian, the agency offers online or offline access to criminal records. To access criminal records online, inquirers must conduct searches on the Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History portal. Note that it costs $22 to search criminal records on the platform.

In contrast, you may access the records by sending a mail request to the agency at this address:

Pennsylvania State Police
Central Repository–RCPU
1800 Elmerton Avenue
Harrisburg, PA 17110-9758

The mail must include the following content:

• One of these request forms:
  • SP4-164 form for citizenship, employment, or adoption.
  • SP4-164A form for volunteer checks for criminal records. You may use this form to waive the required search fee.
  • SP4-170 form for individual access and review of their criminal record
• A $22 search fee enclosed as a money order or check made payable to the “Commonwealth of Pennsylvania”.
• Attach an affidavit or letter of representation if you are not the record subject.
• Include a valid government-issued ID card.

Lackawanna County Arrest Records vs. Criminal Records

In Lackawanna County, arrest records are quite distinct from criminal records. Although both records contain crime-related information, they differ in terms of custodian agencies, content, and the creation process. For instance, arrest records only contain information concerning an arrest event. Arrest data may include the arrestee's identifiable data, charges, arrest date and location, incident report number, and the arresting agency's information. In contrast, criminal records cover all information concerning an individual's criminal history. Such records may include formal charges, court disposition, and arrest information.

The records’ custodian agencies are also different. Arrest information is primarily under the purview of local law enforcement agencies. However, the state police department serves as the record custodian of criminal records.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

According to Pa. Code § 15.59, arrest records have a five-year lifespan if they are not included in criminal records. However, arrest records will permanently remain publicly-visible if included in a criminal record. Note that there are set procedures for erasing such records from public view.

Expunge Lackawanna County Arrest Records

Expungement is a legal procedure for removing your records from public domains. In Lackawanna County, arrestees can expunge or seal their records by filing a petition with the county's clerk of courts.

Who is eligible to expunge arrest records in Lackawanna County

To expunge arrest records, petitioners must fulfill these legal requirements:

• There were no court dispositions within 18 months after the arrest date.
• You were granted unconditional pardon.
• You were convicted as an adult for violating offenses listed in Section 6308.
• You were acquitted.

The Board of Pardons automatically expunges criminal records if:

• The record subject is 70 years old and has not been arrested in the last ten years after completing a court sentence or supervision program.
• The record subject was convicted of an ordinance or municipal violation and has not been convicted for at least five years after the conviction date.
• The record subject has been deceased for three years.

How can I expunge arrest records in Lackawanna County?

You can expunge arrest records in Lackawanna County by using these guidelines:

1. Obtain a copy of your criminal record from the Pennsylvania State Police.
2. Note: You must file a petition within sixty days of receiving the criminal history record.
3. Fill out and print a petition request form along with the corresponding court order. The forms include the following:
   1. Petition 490 and Order 490 (for expunging non-misdemeanor or felony charges or convictions)
   2. Petition 790 and Order 790 (for expunging misdemeanors and felony arrest records or criminal convictions)
4. Send the documents to the Lackawanna County clerk of courts and the district attorney's office at:

Lackawanna County Clerk of Courts
Lackawanna County Courthouse
200 North Washington Avenue
Scranton, PA 1850
Lackawanna County District Attorney's Office
135 Jefferson Avenue
Scranton, PA 18503

Upon receiving the request, the court clerk will send a notice of expungement to the district attorney's office. Next, the court will set a hearing date to determine the outcome of the expungement petition.

Lackawanna County Arrest Warrants

Lackawanna County arrest warrants are court orders that enforce the arrests of suspected offenders. The magisterial district court judge will issue arrest warrants after receiving a complaint or affidavit from law enforcement officers. Under state laws, officers must verify their identity when submitting a complaint or affidavit for arrest warrants.

Lackawanna County arrest warrants may include these data:

• The defendant's name or known aliases, and identifying features
• Offense type and description
• Warrant issuance date
• Case number
• Court judge or magistrate’s signature

Lackawanna County Arrest Warrant Search

Lackawanna County Sheriff's Warrant Unit keeps records of all arrest warrants issued in the county courts. Inquirers may find arrest warrants by contacting the warrant unit at:

123 Wyoming Avenue
Scranton, PA, 18503.
Phone: (570) 963-6719 Ext – 7109
Fax: (570) 496-7756
Email: FordG@lackawannacounty.org

Do Lackawanna County Arrest Warrants Expire?

In Lackawanna County, arrest warrants do not expire but remain valid even after the statute of limitation has elapsed. However, arrest warrants become invalid after the court nullifies them or the defendant gets arrested.