Arrests.org WA – Washington Arrest, Inmate & Mugshot Records

Arrests.org WA is a search term many people use when they want to see who went to jail in Washington state. You might want to check if a friend got arrested. You might want to see if a neighbor has a criminal past. This page tells you how to get those records. It shows you the best places to look. You can use third-party sites, but government sites often work better. They cost less and show new data faster. Washington laws say these records belong to the public. You have a right to see them.

Washington state keeps many files on its citizens. Police officers write reports when they catch someone. Courts keep papers about trials. Jails keep lists of who sleeps in a cell. The law lets you look at these papers. You do not need to be a lawyer. You do not need to be a police officer. You just need to know where to look. This page lists the steps to get that data. It covers state police files, county jail lists, and court papers. It also tells you how to fix a mistake on your record.

Washington Public Records Act and Your Rights

The Washington Public Records Act (RCW 42.56) is a state law. It says government papers are for the people. The government works for you. So, their papers are your papers. This law covers almost all state and local offices. It covers police stations. It covers city halls. It covers schools. When you ask for a record, they must help you. They cannot ask why you want it. They just have to give it to you. They must answer you quickly. Usually, they reply within five days.

Some papers stay private. You cannot see everything. You cannot see student grades. You cannot see patient health files. You cannot see files about an open police case if it hurts the investigation. But most arrest logs are open. Jail rosters are open. Court sentences are open. You can see names. You can see dates. You can see the crime written on the sheet.

What Counts as a Public Record

A public record is any file a government office uses. It can be a paper document. It can be an email. It can be a digital file. It can be a video from a police body camera. If the government keeps it, you can ask for it. This includes arrest warrants. It includes mugshots. It includes bail amounts. You can copy these files. You can take photos of them. You can ask the office to mail them to you.

Washington State Patrol WATCH System

The Washington State Patrol runs a system called WATCH. This stands for Washington Access to Criminal History. This is the best place for a statewide check. It covers the whole state. Local jail lists only show one county. WATCH shows everything. It shows convictions. It shows arrests from the last year if the court case is still open. Employers use this site. Landlords use this site. You can use it too.

The WATCH system is online. You can use it from your house. You need a credit card. Each name search costs a small fee. Usually, it is around $11 to $12. You type in a name. You type in a birth date. The system searches its database. It gives you a report right away. You can print this report. It is an official document. It has a seal on it. This proves the data is real.

How to Use the WATCH System

Go to the Washington State Patrol website. Look for the WATCH link. Create an account if you plan to search often. Or just do a one-time search. Type the last name first. Then type the first name. Add the middle initial if you know it. Add the date of birth. This helps the system pick the right person. Many people have the same name. The birth date separates them. Pay the fee. Download the PDF file. Keep this file safe.

County Jail Rosters and Inmate Lists

Most arrests happen at the county level. A sheriff’s deputy or city police officer takes the person to the county jail. The jail writes down their name. They take a picture. This picture is a mugshot. They put the person on a list. This list is the jail roster. Most counties put this roster on the internet. It is free to look at. It updates very fast. Sometimes it updates every hour. If you want to see recent arrests, look here first.

Each county has its own website. You must know which county made the arrest. Washington has 39 counties. King County is the biggest. It includes Seattle. Pierce County includes Tacoma. Snohomish County includes Everett. Spokane County is in the east. If you do not know the county, you might have to check a few of them. Start with the county where the person lives. Then check the counties nearby.

King County Jail Register

King County has a tool called the Jail Inmate Lookup Service (JILS). It shows people in the King County Correctional Facility. It also shows people in the Maleng Regional Justice Center. You can search by name. You can search by booking number. The results show the charge. They show the bail amount. They show when the person can leave. They also list the next court date. This helps family members know when to go to court.

Pierce County Inmate Search

The Pierce County Sheriff maintains a corrections roster. You can see a list of everyone in jail right now. You can also see a list of people booked today. This is good for finding fresh arrests. The site lists the police agency that made the arrest. It could be the Sheriff. It could be Tacoma Police. It could be Lakewood Police. The roster shows the bail amount for each charge. Sometimes a person has many charges. You must add up the bail amounts to know the total cost to get them out.

Snohomish County Jail Register

Snohomish County provides a clear online list. You accept a disclaimer first. Then you search. The list shows the booking photo. It shows a physical description. It lists height, weight, hair color, and eye color. It lists the crime. It tells you if the person is sentenced or waiting for trial. Sentenced inmates serve time for a crime. Others are just waiting to see a judge. The site also tells you if you can visit them.

Department of Corrections Offender Search

Prisons differ from jails. Jails hold people for short times. Prisons hold people for long times. People go to prison after a judge sentences them. Usually, the sentence is more than one year. The Washington Department of Corrections (DOC) manages prisons. They have a search tool too. It is for finding prison inmates. It does not show people in the county jail.

Use the DOC number to search. This is a six-digit number. Every prisoner gets one. It stays with them forever. If you do not have the number, use the name. The search shows where the person lives now. It shows which prison they are in. It shows their release date. Some dates are estimates. Good behavior can change the date. The site also lists the crimes that put them in prison. It does not list old crimes from long ago.

Warrant Searches in Washington

A warrant is an order from a judge. It tells police to arrest someone. You might want to know if you have a warrant. You might want to check a family member. Washington does not have one big list for all warrants. You must check different places. Some counties list warrants on their website. Others do not. You can call the court clerk. They can tell you. But be careful. If you call the police and ask about your own warrant, they might come to get you.

Federal databases also list warrants. The National Crime Information Center (NCIC) has this data. But the public cannot look at NCIC. Only police can see it. Third-party sites claim to check warrants nationwide. They scan many public lists. They can help you find a warrant from another state. But they might miss a new warrant issued today. The best way is to check with the specific court that handles the case.

Mugshots and Police Photos

A mugshot is a police photo. They take it when you arrive at jail. It shows your face. It shows your side profile. In Washington, these photos are public records. Anyone can see them. Jail rosters often show them. News sites use them. Third-party data sites copy them. They put them on their own pages. This can hurt your reputation. Even if the court drops the charges, the photo might stay online.

Some laws try to limit this. They stop companies from charging money to remove photos. You cannot pay to delete a mugshot. If a site asks for money, report them. That is illegal. But the photo can still stay up if they do not ask for money. To remove it, you often need a court order. Or you need to show the record is sealed. This is hard to do. The best way is to keep your record clean.

Sex Offender Registry Checks

Washington tracks sex offenders. The law says they must register. They must give their address to the sheriff. The sheriff shares this data with the public. This keeps communities safe. You can search the registry online. You can search by city. You can search by zip code. You can see photos. You can see addresses. You can see the crime they committed.

Offenders have levels. Level 1 is low risk. Their data is not always on the public website. Level 2 is moderate risk. Level 3 is high risk. The website shows Level 2 and Level 3 offenders. You can sign up for email alerts. The system sends an email when an offender moves near you. This helps parents keep kids safe. It helps you know your neighbors.

Juvenile Record Privacy

Kids make mistakes. Washington law protects them. Records for people under 18 are private. You cannot search for them online. The public cannot see them. Only police, courts, and victims can see them. This helps young people get a job later. It helps them go to college. A mistake at age 15 should not ruin a life at age 25.

Some serious crimes open the record. If a teenager commits a very bad crime, the court might treat them as an adult. Then the record becomes public. But this is rare. Most juvenile files stay sealed. They stay sealed until the person turns 18. Then the person can ask to seal them forever. They must show good behavior. They must pay all fines. Then the court hides the file from everyone.

Vital Records: Birth, Death, Marriage, Divorce

Vital records are different from criminal records. They track life events. The Washington Department of Health keeps these files. You can get a birth certificate. You can get a death certificate. You can get marriage papers. You can get divorce papers. These papers prove who you are. You need them for a passport. You need them for a driver’s license.

Birth certificates are private for a while. Only family can get them. After 100 years, they become public. Death certificates are easier to get. Marriage and divorce records are public right away. You can order them online. You can use a service called VitalChek. Or you can mail a form to the state office in Olympia. You must pay a fee. It costs around $25 for a certified copy.

Court Records and Case Search

Courts handle legal fights. They handle criminal cases. They handle civil cases. They handle traffic tickets. Washington courts put their calendar online. You can search for a case by name. You can search by case number. The system is called Odyssey Portal or Washington Courts Search. It shows the list of papers filed in the case. It shows the judge’s name. It shows the lawyers’ names.

You cannot read the actual papers online for free. You only see the list of actions. To read the papers, you must go to the courthouse. Or you can pay for an electronic copy. Some counties use their own system. Pierce County has LINX. King County has an electronic court records portal. These systems let you download PDF files of motions and orders. This is how you see the details of a crime. The police report is often in the court file.

Background Checks for Employment

Employers check records before hiring. They want honest workers. Washington has rules for this. An employer cannot ask about arrests that did not lead to a conviction. They can only ask about convictions. They must wait until they decide you are qualified. Then they ask about your record. This is the Fair Chance Act. It gives people with a record a fair shot.

There are two types of checks. A name-based check is fast. It uses the WATCH system. A fingerprint check is better. It checks state and federal files. It costs more. It takes longer. Jobs with kids or vulnerable adults require fingerprints. Schools use this. Hospitals use this. It makes sure the person has no hidden history in another state.

Federal Background Checks

Sometimes you need a national check. The FBI handles this. You must submit fingerprints. You can go to a police station to get printed. Or you can go to a private shop. You send the card to the FBI. Or you send it electronically. The FBI checks its database. It sends back a report. This report covers the whole country. It shows federal crimes. It shows state crimes from all 50 states.

You can review your own FBI file. This is an “Identity History Summary.” You can check it for errors. If you find a mistake, you can challenge it. You send proof to the FBI. They fix the record. This is smart to do before applying for a big job. It ensures the employer sees the right data.

Inmate Communication and Money

When a friend is in jail, you might want to talk to them. You cannot call them. They must call you. These are collect calls. Or you can set up a prepaid account. Companies like Securus or GTL run these phone systems. You put money on the account. The inmate uses that money to call. The rates are set by the state. They used to be very high. Now they are lower.

You can also send money for commissary. Inmates use this to buy soap, snacks, and paper. You can use a kiosk in the jail lobby. You can use a website online. You need the inmate’s name and ID number. Be careful with fees. The websites charge a fee to send money. Cash at the lobby kiosk is often cheaper. Do not send cash in the mail. The jail will reject it.

Sealing and Vacating Records

A criminal record makes life hard. It stops you from renting a house. It stops you from getting a loan. Washington lets you clear your record. This is called “vacating” a conviction. If you vacate a conviction, it disappears. You can say you were never convicted. The law treats you like it never happened.

You must qualify. You must finish your sentence. You must pay all fines. You must wait a specific time. For a misdemeanor, you usually wait three years. For a felony, you wait five or ten years. You cannot have new crimes. If you get arrested again, the clock restarts. You cannot vacate sex crimes or violent crimes. You need a judge to sign an order. It is smart to get a lawyer for this. They know the forms. They know the judges.

If you were arrested but not convicted, you can delete the record. This is non-conviction data. You ask the police to delete it. You ask the court to seal the file. You have a right to privacy if you are innocent. This clears your name on background checks.

Washington Bankruptcy Records

Bankruptcy is a federal case. It is not a state case. So, you look in federal court. Washington has two districts. The Eastern District covers Spokane and Yakima. The Western District covers Seattle and Tacoma. You use a system called PACER. PACER stands for Public Access to Court Electronic Records. It costs money to view pages. It costs 10 cents per page.

You can also go to the federal courthouse. They have computers in the lobby. These computers are free to use. You can search for a name. You can see the debts. You can see the creditors. You can see if the judge discharged the debt. Bankruptcy stays on your credit report for 7 to 10 years. But the court file is public forever.

Directory of Washington Sheriff Offices

This list helps you contact local authorities. Call them to check on an inmate. Call them to ask about warrants. Visit their website for the jail roster.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are clear answers that address common points people search for about Washington arrest records. This section explains record availability, time coverage, and access limits so readers know what to expect before starting a search. It helps clarify how far records extend, where the data comes from, and which state sources maintain long-term history.

How far back do Washington arrest records go?

Washington arrest records can go back many decades. The state does not delete them automatically. If a police department digitized their old paper files, you can see records from the 1970s or 1980s. However, most online jail rosters only show current inmates or people booked in the last year. For older records, you must ask the Washington State Patrol. Their WATCH system keeps conviction data indefinitely. This means a crime from 20 years ago will still show up unless you vacated it. If the arrest did not lead to a conviction, the record still exists in the police archives. You can request it through the Public Records Act.

Can I see if someone has a warrant for free?

Yes, you can often check for warrants without paying. Many county sheriff websites list active warrants. You can look at the “Most Wanted” list or the “Active Warrants” database on their site. This is free. However, not every county puts this data online. If the county does not have a list, you can call the court clerk. Ask them to search the name. This is also free. Be aware that third-party sites might ask for money to search warrants nationwide. You do not have to pay them. You can check the local sources yourself. If you have a warrant, contacting the police might lead to your arrest.

What happens if I find a mistake on my criminal record?

Mistakes happen. A clerk might type a name wrong. A thief might use your name when arrested. If you see an error, you must fix it fast. Contact the agency that created the record. If the mistake is on the Washington State Patrol report, fill out a “Request for Correction” form. You might need to submit fingerprints. This proves you are not the other person. The State Patrol will review the fingerprints against the arrest card. If they do not match, they will remove the bad data. If the mistake is at the court, file a motion to correct the record. The judge will sign an order to fix the file.

Are mugshots legal to publish in Washington?

Yes, mugshots are public records in Washington. The police take them. The law classifies them as government data. Therefore, news sites and data brokers can publish them. They have a free speech right to do so. However, Washington law forbids companies from demanding money to remove them. This is extortion. If a website posts your photo and asks for $500 to take it down, they are breaking the law. You can report them to the Attorney General. You can also sue them for damages. But if they just post it for news or information without asking for money, it is usually legal.

Can my landlord see my arrest record?

Yes, landlords can check your background. They want to know if you are a safe tenant. They usually use a tenant screening service. This service checks the WATCH system and court records. They look for felonies, drug crimes, and violent acts. They also look for evictions. If you have a criminal record, the landlord might deny your application. However, they must follow the Fair Housing Act. They cannot discriminate based on race or religion. Some cities, like Seattle, have stricter rules. In Seattle, landlords cannot reject you for an old arrest record. They must look at your current behavior.

How do I visit an inmate in a Washington jail?

Visiting rules depend on the jail. Most jails require you to register first. You must show a valid photo ID. You cannot have a warrant. You cannot be on probation. Some jails allow face-to-face visits through glass. Others only allow video visits. Video visits can happen at the jail or from your home computer. You often have to schedule the visit 24 hours in advance. Dress codes are strict. Do not wear revealing clothes. Do not bring cell phones into the visiting area. If you break the rules, the jail will ban you from visiting.

What is the difference between a jail and a prison in Washington?

Jails and prisons are different places. Counties run jails. The Sheriff manages them. Jails hold people who were just arrested. They also hold people serving short sentences, usually less than one year. Prisons are state facilities. The Department of Corrections runs them. Prisons hold people convicted of felonies. These sentences are longer than one year. Prisons have more programs for work and education. Jails are temporary holding spots. If you search for an inmate, you must know if they are in a county jail or a state prison. The search tools are different for each one.