How to Find Just Busted Mugshots Online?

Do you have some qualms about a new co-worker? Was someone arrested in your hometown? You may be eager to find arrest records or information about an incident that could have involved a particular person or within your community. While combing through public records can take a ton of time, there are easier ways than ever to help you track down the mugshot associated with the event you’re searching for.

What is a mugshot?

When a person is brought into police custody, they traditionally have their fingerprints taken and are required to stand facing forward and at profile for a booking photo. That booking photo, known as a mugshot, is a clear photo identifier for law enforcement agencies. These photos are processed quickly but can hit a snag in release depending on the jurisdiction. If you’re in search of just busted mugshots, there are now easy-to-use search engines like GoLookUp that collect and aggregate busted mugshots from inmates in real-time across the United States.

These searches help direct users to the right authorities to learn more information about a potential defendant in a criminal case. Photos can be linked up to a criminal record, or the recent occurrence of an arrest in the area that you’re searching. Depending on the city, county, or state, it can take longer to go through the booking process, leaving little information to public knowledge. However, these booking photos offer a quick look at the suspects in a case, which can put you on the path to the details that you’re searching for.

How are mugshots processed?

Mugshots from recent arrests provide information about what suspects may be facing criminal charges on. As part of this arrest data, you’ll get simple information as a first name and last name, as well as an identifier like a number to register them within their database. This number can be used for an inmate search in prisons and regional jails, as well as through a district attorney’s office to understand the severity of the charges against that person. Remember, mugshots are not an indication of guilt. They are simply a matter of record of an arrest, not a conviction.

In some states, these arrest records and mugshots are public documents that can be easily obtained. However, a just busted search can help you in the event of potential hurdles in getting this needed information. This can lead you down a path to come across the arrest history of suspects in a case, understanding the potential dangers that could come from this person being in your backyard. This can also spare you having to wait on results from jurisdictions that have no involvement in this case, or having to comb through national databases like a sex offender registry.

Why are these mugshots a matter of public record?

While there have been arguments to keep mugshots confidential, there is just as much of a push to continue to make these just busted photos a matter of public record. These mugshots are needed for a police computer system, and other registered databases linked to the arrest to make sure you have the right person in custody. That’s why there is clarity on names, making sure the wrong John Smith isn’t behind bars right now.

These booking photos are also kept on record in the event that an inmate escapes police custody or incarceration. These pictures are distributed immediately to news outlets to allow them to alert news of the suspect on the loose. Mugshots and arrest records may be expunged and sealed to remove certain elements of information. However, the goal of these photos and public information is to provide residents of a community with peace of mind.