Macon County Arrest Records

Law enforcement agencies in Macon County are statutorily authorized to apprehend anyone caught or reported for committing a public offense (725 ILCS 5/Art. 107). While many arrests require a warrant to be valid under the law, an arrest can still occur without a warrant if a police officer has probable cause to believe a person is liable for a criminal offense.

Once an arrest is made, the suspect may be booked at the Macon County Jail or nearest police station. Afterward, the arrestee may be released without charges, held in custody until their arraignment, or released with the obligation to later appear in court to face the charges.

Typically, an arrest leads to a suspect's booking at a police station or jail. Booking involves documenting a suspect's personal information, DNA, fingerprints, photographs, offense details, and personal property. This process creates official documents called "arrest records".

Arrest records offer insight into a person's involvement with police agencies but do not reveal the final result of an arrest, such as whether the suspect was charged or sentenced to jail/prison. For that information, it is usually necessary to examine public documents like the Macon County court records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Macon County?

Yes. According to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), arrest records are publicly accessible in Macon County. Under the FOIA, members of the public are entitled to information about official government affairs, including arrests made by law enforcement agencies.

Nevertheless, certain arrest information is confidential to the public in Macon County. For instance, 5 ILCS 140/2.15 allows the dissemination of arrest information maintained by state or local criminal justice agencies no later than 72 hours after an arrest. Still, records may be withheld if disclosure would interfere with pending law enforcement proceedings, jeopardize a correctional facility's security, or for any legitimate reason under the law.

Moreover, law enforcement agencies may not publish mugshots taken for business offenses, petty offenses, civil offenses, Class C misdemeanors, or Class B misdemeanors on social networking websites. However, such images may be posted to aid the search of a fugitive, person of interest, or individual wanted for a crime other than a petty offense, business offense, Class C misdemeanor, or Class B misdemeanor.

Likewise, juvenile arrest records may not be disclosed to the public per the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

According to 5 ILCS 140/2.15, publicly accessible arrest records in Macon County contain the following information:

• Arrestee Information: Full name, date of birth, occupation, address, photograph, and physical description (eye and hair color, sex, weight, height)
• Charges: Information about the charges the suspect is being held on, including the offense statute
• Arrest Details: Time, location, and date of the arrest.
• Arresting Agency: The name of the arresting law enforcement agency or officer.
• Booking and Bail Information: The time and date the suspect was booked, released, or transferred from custody, and the bail or bond amount.

Macon County Crime Rate

In the Crime in Illinois Annual Uniform Crime Report published by the Illinois State Police (ISP), law enforcement in Macon County recorded 6,359 offenses in 2021, with a 33.61% clearance rate.

In the "Group A" category, the five topmost crimes were larceny, simple assault, vandalism, drug and narcotic violations, and burglary. Larceny constituted 1,311 offenses, followed closely by simple assault, 1,011, and vandalism, 862. Drug and narcotic violations and burglary accounted for 573 and 487 offenses, respectively.

Macon County's 2021 index crime rate was 47 per 100,000 population.

Macon County Arrest Statistics

The ISP's Crime in Illinois (CII) publication showed 1,804 "Group A" arrests occurring in Macon County in 2021. Of this number, 1,665 were adult arrests, while 139 were juvenile arrests. The Group A category crimes that led to the highest number of arrests were simple assault (597 arrests), drug/narcotic violations (277 arrests), and larceny (200 arrests).

Conversely, "Group B" arrests in Macon County totaled 2,018 in 2021. Adult arrests constituted 1,990, while juvenile arrests accounted for 28. Driving under the influence (DUI) (328), trespass (119), and disorderly conduct (85) were the most common Group B arrests.

Summarily, Macon County recorded 3,822 arrests in 2021, leading to a total index crime arrest rate of 7.5 per 100,000 inhabitants.

Find Macon County Arrest Records

The Macon County Sheriff's Office (MSO) and city police departments are the first point of call for anyone seeking Macon County arrest records. Each local law enforcement agency utilizes specific methods for retrieving arrest records, often in person, by mail, via email/fax, or online. For instance, the Sheriff's Office accepts non-confidential arrest record requests via a dedicated FOIA form. Requests are subject to fees and may be made in writing to the following address:

MSO FOIA Officer
333 South Franklin Street
Decatur, IL. 62523

Additionally, individuals can submit arrest record inquiries to city police departments in Macon County, like the Decatur Police Department or Mount Zion Police Department. It is important to note that the requester must provide sufficient information about the record to allow prompt retrieval (this includes names and dates). Also, copies of documents may attract a nominal fee. It is advised to disclose whether a record request is for a commercial purpose since knowingly hiding that intent violates the FOIA.

Note: Members of the public seeking information about persons sent to state prison can access the Illinois Department of Corrections Individual-In-Custody Search. The search parameters are a subject's last name, birth date, or IDOC number.

Meanwhile, one can search the Federal Inmate Locator to find persons arrested in Macon County by federal agents. Moreover, the Online Detainee Locator System provides information regarding arrests made by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Anyone can access these databases by name or number.

Free Arrest Record Search in Macon County

Under the Illinois FOIA, anyone can inspect copies of public records without cost, but duplication charges may apply. For example, the Macon County Sheriff's Office offers an inmate search database for public inquiries regarding people booked into the Macon County Jail. The system provides an inmate's arrest, bail, charge, and other information.

Admittedly, residents can perform arrest record searches on third-party aggregator websites at no cost. These platforms are run by private entities that compile public records from various government repositories for public review. However, consumers may need to pay a one-time fee or subscribe to obtain or print records.

Get Macon County Criminal Records

Illinois state law identifies two classes of criminal offenses: serious crimes (felonies) and minor crimes (misdemeanors). Anyone caught or reported for disregarding the law may be arrested, indicted, or sentenced for a criminal offense, leading to the generation of criminal records. A criminal record in Macon County is a comprehensive history of a person's run-ins with criminal justice agencies.

There are different places to access Macon County criminal records. Individuals can inspect or obtain copies of these records from state attorney's offices, correctional facilities, law enforcement divisions, and courts. However, the Illinois State Police's Bureau of Identification (BOI) maintains the most extensive records.

One way to request information from the BOI is as a member of the public. The Uniform Conviction Information Act (UCIA) allows the Illinois State Police to disseminate criminal conviction information to the public. "Conviction information" means criminal history information related to a judgment of guilt or nolo contendere in court. To obtain such information, anyone can submit a Uniform Conviction Information Act (UCIA) form to the BOI.

On the other hand, eligible requesters (subject of records) can access their rap sheets through the BOI's Record Access and Review Process for free. Each applicant must submit their fingerprints to the BOI through a vendor, often the county sheriff's office or another local police department. Fingerprint vendors usually charge processing fees. Applicable fees and instructions are available on the ISP's website.

Admittedly, one can also query the Macon County Sheriff's Office or another police agency for background checks within Macon County. Usually, police departments only disclose information about adult criminal histories, including arrests and charges that occurred within Macon County. A fee may apply for a local criminal background check.

Moreover, for $18, a person can request a nationwide rap sheet from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Ordering instructions are also available on the ISP's website.

Macon County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

The terms "arrest record" and "criminal record" are often used interchangeably to refer to a person's criminal history, but they have distinct meanings.

An arrest record bears information about an arrest incident. It may detail events surrounding a single or series of arrests, but it does not include the filed charges or case disposition. In Macon, law enforcement agencies are the original custodians of these records.

On the other hand, a criminal record sums up a person's criminal history. It typically includes a person's arrest, charge, and conviction information.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Forever. Any arrest incident on a person's record in Macon County stays there indefinitely. However, Illinois grants record subjects the ability to expunge or seal their records to destroy or conceal criminal information, including arrests, from the public.

Expunge Macon County Arrest Records

Any adult person with a qualifying arrest or conviction may petition the Macon Circuit County Court under 20 ILCS 2630/5.2 to expunge or seal their records. An order of expungement physically eradicates a record—like it never existed. Meanwhile, sealing hides the record from the public but provides access to some criminal justice agencies and employers.

Generally, a person can expunge arrests or charges that did not result in a conviction. Where there is a conviction, the offender may qualify for sealing instead. (If the conviction was reversed, vacated, or pardoned by the Governor, it is advised to seek legal advice for the legal process.)

Before submitting an expungement petition to the court, one must obtain copies of their criminal records, which include court dispositions and rap sheets. This part is essential for reviewing offenses eligible for expungement or sealing. A lawyer may also be consulted when determining eligibility.

The next step after verifying eligibility is to complete the applicable expungement or sealing forms and file them with the Macon County Circuit Court Clerk's Office. If having arrests outside Macon, the petitioner must file in each applicable county. Applicants must also pay the filing costs unless fees are waived.

The State Appellate Defender's website provides comprehensive information and booklets on How to Expunge or Seal Adult Criminal Records and How to Expunge Juvenile Records in Macon County.

Note: Certain arrest records, such as juvenile arrests and minor cannabis offenses, are automatically expunged in Illinois after a specific period. However, the expungement or sealing process does not erase records from public websites. Individuals may still need to write to specific third-party websites to delete their records.

Macon County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant is a formal directive from a judge commanding a peace officer to arrest a named individual. Typically, arrest warrants are issued when the court finds reasonable grounds or probable cause—based on a prosecutor or police officer's complaint—that a member of the society committed a crime. The court can also approve an arrest warrant if someone violated a judicial order or failed to attend their court appointment (725 ILCS 5/110-3).

Macon County arrest warrants contain the following information, per 725 ILCS 5/107-9:

• The county or city of issuance
• The name or description of the accused
• The alleged crime
• The issuing judge's signature and title of office
• Specific conditions for pretrial release, if applicable
• Any geographical limitations on the execution of the warrant

Macon County Arrest Warrant Search

Interested persons may visit or call the Macon County Sheriff's Office or a local police department to find active Macon County arrest warrants. The Sheriff's Warrants Unit can be reached at (217) 424-1322 for inquiries.

An alternative option for locating active arrest warrants is to query the Macon Circuit Court Clerk's office. The Circuit Clerk maintains a public Online Case Search database for residents and other parties looking for court case information, including whether a warrant was issued in an open case.

Do Macon County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, Macon County arrest warrants never expire. Unless executed by a police officer or the subject's voluntary surrender, an arrest warrant remains active. However, the court may rescind an arrest warrant when good cause is found, such as if finding new evidence that absolves a suspect of any wrongdoing.