Wayne County Arrest Records

Wayne County arrest records contain information regarding arrest events that occurred in the county. Arrests become necessary when there’s sufficient evidence that a person violated state or federal laws. There are also instances when peace officers arrest people to prevent a potential crime from happening. Note that officers may temporarily hold arrested persons at the county jail.

In Wayne County, local law enforcement agencies are mostly responsible for generating arrest records. The agencies may store arrest records in document formats like incident or accident reports. Note that the agencies also provide access to arrest records.

Alternatively, arrest records may be available in crime-related public documents. For instance, Wayne County court records may include arrest information, such as the arrestee’s name, charges, and bond information. Citizens may also find arrest details in criminal and inmate records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Wayne County?

Yes, a majority of Wayne County arrest records are publicly accessible. Under Pennsylvania’s Right to Know Law, the general public can legally request, inspect, and obtain copies of such records from designated record custodians. In turn, custodians must maintain and release public arrest information upon requests from the public.

Note that record custodians may set requirements that must be fulfilled before the public can obtain records. For instance, citizens seeking to obtain confidential arrest records must present a valid ID before they can obtain such records.

Section 708 of Pennsylvania laws state that certain records are not accessible to the public. Record custodians may withhold or exempt such records from public view. In most cases, the exempt record may contain information whose disclosure will violate an individual’s right to safety. Examples of arrest records in Wayne County include the following:

• Record that contains complaints about potential criminal conduct
• Information about a confidential source in criminal investigations
• Crime victims’ information that may jeopardize their safety.
• Arrest-related information that is made confidential under state or federal laws.
• Records that may reveal information about an ongoing criminal investigation
• DNA and RNA records.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Public arrest records in Wayne County may contain the following details:

• The arrestee’s name, aliases, and physical features, such as age, height, gender, and complexion.
• Arrest charges and description
• Arresting agency’s name and location.
• Mugshot.

Wayne County Arrest Statistics

According to the Pennsylvania General Attorney report, Wayne County’s law enforcement agencies carried out 1,098 arrests in 2018. The arrest rate was at 21.16 per 1,000 residents. As of August 31, 2024, the Waymart Correctional facility in Wayne County had a total inmate population of 1,003.

Find Wayne County Arrest Records

In Wayne County, inmate records typically contain information on arrest events. Such records may include arrest details like the arrestee’s name, aliases, physical features, arrest charges, bond, and booking information.

Interested parties can obtain inmate records by using resources provided by record custodians. For instance, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections hosts a searchable database for current or past inmates in the state’s correctional institutions. To view records on the portal, users must provide the following details:

• Inmate’s full name
• Inmate number
• Committing county
• Gender
• Citizenship
• Birth date.

Likewise, the Federal Bureau of Prisons maintains a search portal for offenders currently held at federal penal institutions. The search portal enables name- or number-based searches for inmate records.

Free Arrest Record Search in Wayne County

Interested parties can conduct free searches for arrest records via these government-owned search sites:

• Pennsylvania Department of Corrections’ inmate/parolee locator.
• The Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator.

Besides accessing the records online, record seekers may opt to view arrest records in person at local law enforcement agencies. The agencies mostly store arrest records as incident or arrest reports. Note that the agencies may charge a copy fee to print out the records.

Third-party online search sites are an alternative means of accessing arrest records for free. The sites may provide access to arrest information through crime-related records like case files and inmate records. However, inquirers must exercise caution while using these sites since they are mostly unregulated and, as such, may not provide accurate information.

Wayne County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Wayne County arrests and criminal records provide information on criminal activities. However, the records are not the same in terms of their content, creation process, implication, and accessibility.

Arrest records only contain information received or stored in relation to an arrest event. Such information may include arrest warrants, the arrestee's personal details, arrest charges, and the arresting agency’s details. However, criminal records contain more than arrest information; the records also include court-generated data and inmate information.

The records also differ based on how they are created. Law enforcement agencies create arrest records only after detaining a suspected offender. The record may also include information received before the arrest. In contrast, criminal records come into existence after an arrest leads to a court conviction.

The social implication is also a differentiating factor. Arrest records do not indicate if the arrestee is guilty of the offense. However, criminal records serve as evidence of the offender’s criminal activities and may have negative social implications. For instance, criminal records may hinder the record subject from being employed in certain industries or sectors.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Under Pa. Code § 15.59, arrest records will remain publicly visible for a specific timeframe, depending on the document type. For example, detention reports are publicly accessible for three years if they are not part of criminal history case files. Alternatively, arrestees can remove or expunge their arrest records before the set timeframe. Note that there are legal procedures for expunging arrest records in Wayne County.

Expunge Wayne County Arrest Records

In Wayne County, expungement is a legal process for removing records from publicly accessible domains. Interested parties can expunge arrest records by filing a petition with Wayne County’s court of common pleas.

Who is eligible to expunge Wayne County arrest records?

You can expunge arrest records by fulfilling these legal requirements:

• You were acquitted.
• There was no court disposition within 18 months after the arrest date.
• You received an unconditional pardon.
• You were convicted as an adult for committing offenses listed under Section 6308.

The PA Board of Pardons may automatically expunge conviction records under these conditions:

• It is more than five years since the record bearer was convicted of a municipal or ordinance violation.
• The record bearer has been dead for three years.
• The record bearer is 70 years old and has not been arrested in the last ten years after completing a court sentence or probation program.

How can I expunge or seal arrest records in Wayne County?

Follow these steps to expunge arrest records in Wayne County:

1. Request for a certified criminal record from the Pennsylvania State Police Department. You can obtain the record by sending a completed SP 4-170 form via mail to the agency at:
   Pennsylvania State Police
   Central Repository – RCPU
   1800 Elmerton Avenue
   Harrisburg, PA 17110-9758
2. The request must also include a valid government-issued ID and a $20 certified check or money order made payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
3. Next, print and fill out the required petition form along with the corresponding court order:
   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 petition and arrest record to the county’s clerk of court and the district attorney’s office at:

Wayne County Court of Common Pleas
2 East Airy Street
Norristown, PA 19401
Phone: (610) 278-3224

Wayne County District Attorney’s Office
925 Court Street
Honesdale, PA 18431
Phone: (570) 253-4912

Note: You must file the petition within sixty days of getting the arrest record from the state police department.

Upon receiving the petition, the court clerk will forward a notice of expungement to the district attorney’s office. The court will then set up a hearing date to review and determine the outcome of the petition.

Wayne County Arrest Warrants

Wayne County arrest warrants are court documents that authorize the arrests of suspected offenders. The court magistrate issues arrest warrants after receiving an affidavit from law enforcement officers.

In Wayne County, arrest warrants must provide information on the following:

• The defendant’s names or aliases and physical features.
• Case number
• Warrant issuance date
• Offense type and description
• Court judge or magistrate’s signature

Do Wayne County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Wayne County arrest warrants do not have an expiration date and may remain valid after the statute of limitation has elapsed. However, warrants expire when the defendant is arrested, or the court nullifies them.