Will County Arrest Records

Under Illinois Compiled Statutes, law enforcement may stop any individual at any time as long as they reasonably believe such an individual is committing, about to commit, or has committed a crime. The law enforcement agent may also demand the detained individual's personal details.

Following the arrest, the law enforcement agent will take the apprehended individual to the nearest station and process their information. This process is referred to as booking. The detainee’s name, age, ethnicity, and address are all taken down as a matter of public safety. The police station or department then files and records all the captured information.

In addition to Will County Court Records, interested parties may obtain arrest records at the Will County Circuit Clerk's Office and the Will County Sheriff’s Office.

Are Arrest Records Public in Will County?

Since arrest records fall under the definition of public records under the Freedom of Information Act, the public may access them. Section 2 of the FOIA states that “public records” are all records, reports, forms, writings, letters, memoranda, books, and all other recording materials that are under the possession and management of a public agency. Additionally, whether physical or electronic, its form does not matter; it remains a public record. However, not all the information on an arrest record is public. For instance, public entities keep away information that may negatively affect court proceedings from public viewing. Additionally, arrest records that contain details of sexual assault or domestic abuse are usually restricted.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

The information contained in a public arrest record will vary depending on the jurisdiction but generally will include only the following publicly available details:

• Arrestee Information:
  • Name (possibly with a redacted middle name)
  • Date of Birth
  • Arresting Agency
• Arrest Details:
  • Date and Time of Arrest
  • Location of Arrest (usually general area, not specific address)
  • Charges Filed (may be listed by code or statute)

Will County Crime Rate

According to a Will County crime index report, the Sheriff's Office reported 7,578 offenses in 2021. Of the crimes committed, 1,927 were cleared, with a clearance rate of 25.43%. Of the total crimes committed, simple assaults made up 21.6%, with 1,640 cases reported. Other violent crimes saw multiple offenses. For instance, statistics also show that Will County saw 388 instances of aggravated assault, along with seven murders, 154 cases of rape, 50 cases of robbery, and

In regard to property crimes, theft was the most commonly committed offense in Will County, with 1,545 instances in 2021. Eight hundred sixty-eight cases of vandalism followed this. Burglaries and motor vehicle thefts saw 248 and 246 crimes committed, respectively. Additionally, there were 13 instances of arson.

There were also a number of drug-related offenses in Will County in 2021. There were 613 drug or narcotic violations. In addition to that, there were drug equipment violations.

Will County Arrest Statistics

In 2021, there were a total of 3,648 arrests in Will County. Out of all the arrests made, 370 were juvenile. Additionally, 45.6% of arrests were for group A offenses, while 54% were for group B offenses. Arrests for simple assaults and drug violations took a significant portion of total arrests, at 24%, with 462 and 440 arrests, respectively. Larceny had the third most number of arrests, with 162 reported arrests. Murder, negligent manslaughter, and justifiable homicide had 4, 2, and no arrests each. Group B offenses with the most arrests were DUI and disorderly conduct, with 688 arrests.

Find Will County Arrest Records

The Will County Sheriff's Office manages and maintains the Will County jail. It also keeps track of the county's inmate records. The department offers a useful inmate search tool on its website to assist the public in conducting an inmate search and locating anyone detained in the county's correctional facilities. A list of those presently in Will County jails arranged alphabetically is also available on the search page and is updated regularly. The Will County jail's inmate database is open to the public.

Free Arrest Record Search in Will County

Interested parties may look for arrest records in Will County in several ways. They may accomplish this using the Sheriff's Jail Roster. Alternatively, the public may look up Will County arrest records using public databases maintained by third parties. County residents may enter the first and last name of the record subject to conduct a free search on third-party websites. Parties should know getting a more comprehensive report may come with a fee.

Get Will County Criminal Records

Every time an individual commits a crime and gets convicted, law enforcement agencies create and maintain an official summary of the offense. This official summary is what is called a criminal record. All known illegal action by such individuals that the criminal justice system has handled is included in their criminal records. Will County criminal records contain information about arrests, indictments, dispositions, both past and present, convictions a court has finalized, and more.

The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification handles statewide criminal history records collection, preservation, and distribution. The Uniform Conviction Information Act requires the Illinois State Bureau of Identification to make all conviction data related to criminal histories that it has gathered and is keeping public. Requesters may be required to pay a charge to the Illinois Bureau of Identification to get criminal records. The Criminal History Information Response Process (CHIRP) allows for name-based inquiries. Illinois criminal records are also accessible to interested parties via the Illinois Courts website and the court that generated the data.

Will County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

In Will County, arrest and criminal records represent different stages of the legal process. They differ in what they document, their availability to the public, and their potential for expungement.

Arrest Records:

• They are created when someone is apprehended by law enforcement for a suspected crime.
• They contain basic details like name, date of arrest, charges filed, and arresting agency.
• They do not indicate guilt or innocence. An arrest is simply the start of the legal process.
• Publicly available with some redactions to protect privacy and ongoing investigations.
• This may include booking photos or mugshots.

Criminal Records:

• It is established after a person has been convicted of a crime in court.
• Include details of the arrest, charges, trial (if any), and sentencing (if applicable).
• It's only sometimes publicly available. In some cases, juvenile records or records for misdemeanors with successful completion of probation programs may be sealed or expunged, meaning they are no longer accessible to the public.
• It may significantly impact a person's future, affecting employment opportunities, housing applications, and professional licensing.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In Will County, there is no statutory timeline for how long an arrest will stay on an individual’s record. A person would typically have to apply for their records to be sealed or expunged.

Expunge Will County Arrest Records

People who do not want the public to view their arrest records may apply for them to be sealed or expunged. This also applies to arrests where the charges were dismissed or dropped. A person must file a petition with the circuit court in each county where or have an arrest or court records to request the sealing or expungement of criminal records. You provide every police department or prosecutor an opportunity to object to your request. The court ought to grant your petition if no objections are raised.

Unlike adult arrest records, the County Clerk’s and the Sheriff’s office immediately seal juvenile records. Furthermore, as of January 1, 2018, Illinois government entities must automatically erase many juvenile records after a predetermined time. Nevertheless, it is impossible to guarantee that this automatic expungement procedure will be effective. To ensure their records are expunged, a juvenile found guilty of a Class A misdemeanor or a felony should speak with a lawyer about filing a petition.

Will County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant is a legal order issued by a judge of a court of law permitting law enforcement agents to detain a person suspected of committing or planning to commit a crime. The police must have probable cause to believe the individual has committed or is about to commit a crime, and such person must be apprehended to maintain public safety. This typically involves providing evidence and an affidavit outlining the details of a crime. Once probable cause is established, the judge issues the warrant. Arrest warrants would contain the following information:

• Name of suspect
• Date of birth
• Possibly identifying features like height and weight.
• The specific crime(s) the person is suspected of committing.
• Warrant type
• Issuing judge

Law enforcement uses warrants when there is a need to ensure the suspect appears in court and does not threaten the public. Many circumstances justify the issuance of a warrant. For instance, where someone commits or is suspected of committing a felony, warrants tend to be issued quickly. Also, in cases where the subject is a flight risk, the judge may issue a warrant to stop the subject from fleeing the country. Lastly, courts also issue warrants for individuals considered a potential threat to themselves or others.

Will County Arrest Warrant Search

The Will County Sheriff’s Office allows people to search for active arrest warrants. For an individual to find out if they or someone has been issued an arrest warrant, they need to complete a search on the Will County Warrants website. All that is required is for the requester to input the name of the warrant subject.

Do Will County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Arrest warrants in Will County do not expire until the magistrate or court that issued the warrant recalls it. Anytime there is an active warrant, Will County police have the right to make an arrest. On the other hand, the issuing authority may establish an expiration date for some warrants, such as search warrants.