How to Find Recent Arrests

Arrests are a matter of public record, so unless the related documents are sealed or deleted by a court, anyone is free to access the information. The rules on reading these records may vary from place to place, but in Gainesville, Florida, you only need the basics to get started.

How to find arrest records online

DIY

Arrest records, including mugshots, are kept by state and local authorities, and many counties in the Sunshine State maintain their own websites, like this one. Official state websites for local jurisdictions are often detailed and thorough, but these records take time to update, and not every local record is offered all the time. To access complete local arrest records, your best bet is to go to the county website directly where the arrest occurred.

For Gainesville, the website of the Alachua County Clerk holds all the records. Like other databases across the state, this is an actively-maintained local website, but the website makes a very clear reality check up front that administrators cannot guarantee all records are accurate or even available. Often helpful, such online indexes should not be considered the official, final source of arrest record and mugshot information.

DIY Downside

To be absolutely sure you've found what you're looking for, you'll have to go in person to county courthouses and state records’ offices. In some cases, jurisdictions are still in the process of digitizing records and have not uploaded everything online. In other cases, there are simply errors in how files are saved or uploaded, but a problem nonetheless.


Another problem with searching for arrest records online is how easy it is to overlook the information: You probably don't know about every arrest in a person's background—otherwise you wouldn't be looking. When you're using the DIY method, you won’t get far if you don’t already have an idea of what you need.

For example, the person you're attempting to investigate might live in Gainesville, but what if they were arrested in another part of the state, or even another state entirely? Those records likely won’t be in a local database or archive, and it wouldn’t be uncommon that you wouldn’t know where to start to find them.

Some Safeguards

If you want to save yourself time or a serious trip down an arrest records rabbit hole, private investigators agree that commercial search assistance is the way to go. From some services proactively collecting Gainesville mugshots, to combing through and categorizing other records, even sometimes for out-of-state incidents, professional investigative groups have made it their business to ensure nothing goes overlooked.

Like we mentioned above, all you need is the right information—in many cases, the name alone will do. From there, you can then narrow your search to just one state or look for mugshots, arrest records, and criminal history in practically any state.

Before you Google all of Gainesville

Coming up short on your search so far? If someone was arrested and then pardoned, or if they were later found to be not guilty, their records may be expunged, or, in other words, deleted entirely. Most juvenile records are sealed and regularly eventually deleted once the minor becomes a legal adult, and courts or a judge may limit access to records if they believe public access could place anyone in danger.

Taking your search to a professional level, a little more knowledge of the law may be required; arrest records are public in nature, and accessing or handling information within can have major impacts on an individual's quality of life.

This is why, in Florida, the law forbids employers from discriminating and refusing to employ someone solely because of an arrest or even a conviction. An exception exists if the conviction was for a felony or a first-degree misdemeanor directly related to the job description; and relatedly, for landlords, you're free to look for arrest records for potential tenants in Gainesville, but you must first receive consent.

Bottom line, regular people are essentially free to look for arrest records whenever they’d like. Potential employers, on the other hand: If you're looking to hire someone, even on an informal basis, like when you hire a housekeeper or babysitter, remember to limit your searches to legitimate ones, and keep things legal by getting consent or utilizing a professional firm.

Of course, if permission is denied, there's a good chance you don't want them on any job—even if you’ve tricked them into watching your kids!