Jennings County Arrest Records

Arrest records are official documents generated by peace officers after someone's arrest. They explain the circumstances of an arrest, identify the offender, and state the crime(s) they are suspected of perpetrating.

Key actors within the criminal justice system—prosecutors, judges, police officers, defense lawyers—may review Jennings County arrest records in different scenarios, including when charging suspects, deciding sentences, and investigating crimes. Citizens may also access these records when seeking expungements or checking local crime trends.

However, even if a person were arrested in Jennings, the arrest record will not indicate if they were later indicted or charged for the stated offense. Jennings County court records can be reviewed for such information.

Are Arrest Records Public in Jennings County?

Yes, Indiana's Access to Public Records Act (APRA), indexed in Indiana Code (IC) 5-14-3, sanctions the general inspection and copying of many government entity records, including law enforcement records. Under the Act, members of the public can obtain arrest records in Jennings County, except where access is prohibited by law, court rule, or court order.

Per IC 5-14-3-5.2, a law enforcement agency may refuse to disclose an arrest record if it would:

• cause substantial harm to any person or the general public
• interfere with a suspect's ability to receive a fair trial
• jeopardize an ongoing investigation; or
• be against the public interest.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Section 5-14-3-5 of the Indiana Code highlights information that is available to the public after a person's arrest:

• The accused's name, age, address, and other identifying information
• The charges on which the arrest was made
• The circumstances of the arrest, including the arrest time and location, the investigating or arresting police agency, and the investigating or arresting officer (except an undercover officer or agent)

Additionally, if a suspect is received in a jail or lock-up, the following information can also be obtained about them:

• Their name, age, and address
• Reason for detention, including the name of the individual who ordered the suspect's holding.
• The time and date of the suspect's booking
• The time and date of the suspect's discharge or release
• Bond amount, if fixed

Jennings County Arrest Statistics

The Indiana State Police (ISP) collates and publishes crime and arrest statistics for the County of Jennings and other Indiana jurisdictions. Data from the agency's Indiana Arrests Dashboard reveals that 348 arrests occurred in Jennings County in 2024. That year, the county's arrest rate was 122 per 10,000 residents, and drug, traffic, and violent offenses caused more arrests, accounting for 134, 127, and 48 arrests, respectively. Further, a higher frequency of arrests made in the county—calculated at 70.7% or 246—had male suspects, with the remaining 29.3% (or 102) classified as female arrests.

Find Jennings County Arrest Records

One method for finding arrest records in Jennings County is to send an APRA request to the arresting agency. This request can be made in person, by phone, or using any other office-recommended channels, and each requester will need to provide at least an arrestee's first and last name or the arrest date. Under the APRA, members of the public may inspect arrest records at no cost, but fees may apply to obtain copies of documents.

If the request pertains to someone arrested and taken to the county jail, the inquirer can contact the Jennings County Sheriff's Office:

Jennings County Sheriff
925 South State Street
North Vernon, IN 47265
Phone: (812) 346-4911

However, if the arrestee has been tried, convicted, and sent to a state penitentiary, the inquirer should contact the Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) or access its Indiana Incarcerated Database Search using the arrestee's last name or DOC number.

In the same way, persons released to a federal agency cannot be located by local law enforcement agencies. In such cases, one may write to the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) or access the Federal Inmate Locator with a person's name or inmate number. The BOP's Inmate Locator Information page has information about the federal inmate locator system and the data it provides.

Free Arrest Record Search in Jennings County

Besides submitting APRA inspection requests to police agencies to inspect Jennings arrest records for free, individuals can access third-party aggregator systems for a free arrest record search. Third-party sites typically require a person's name to return matching records. However, unlike official repositories, these sites may produce records from jurisdictions outside Jennings, making them valuable resources when researching multiple regions. Individuals who access third-party sites may be liable for any fees assessed for search services.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In Indiana, arrests stay on a person's criminal record throughout their lifetime. This means the record may be accessible to the public through government and private sources. However, Indiana law allows eligible parties to expunge "records of any collateral action", which includes records of arrests, criminal charges, juvenile delinquency allegations, and convictions (IC 35-38-9).

Expunge Jennings County Arrest Records

IC 35-38-9, often called the Second Chance Law, governs expungements of arrest records in Jennings County. The law permits expungement when an arrest, criminal charge, or juvenile delinquency allegation:

• did not lead to a conviction or juvenile adjudication, or
• resulted in a conviction or juvenile adjudication that was vacated on appeal, and
• the accused is not currently participating in a pretrial diversion program.

Individuals who meet the above requirements can file a petition for expungement in the circuit or superior court in Jennings. The presiding court is either the one where the charges were filed or the court with criminal jurisdiction where the arrest occurred if no charges were filed. However, a one-year waiting period after the date of arrest, charge, or juvenile delinquency allegation applies before a person can petition the court.

Anyone who files a petition to expunge arrest records under IC 35-38-9 is not required to pay a filing fee. They may also not need to attend any hearing, as the court can summarily deny the petition if it does not meet state requirements or the petitioner is not entitled to relief. However, the court will approve expungement if the petitioner meets all state requirements and has no pending criminal charges.

It should be noted that an expungement does not delete or physically destroy a record. The expunged record is only sealed or restricted from public access. Further, a person may not need to file for expungement in court. IC 35-38-9-1 (b) provides for automatic expungements of arrests in certain circumstances, such as when the court dismisses all criminal charges or juvenile delinquency allegations filed against a person, or a person is acquitted of the charges or their conviction later vacated.

The Indiana judiciary's Expungements manual provides more information about the Indiana expungement process, including how to expunge conviction records and any related collateral action.

Jennings County Arrest Warrants

Arrest warrants in Jennings County are written orders issued by courts under Title 35, Article 33, Chapter 2 of the Indiana Code. These warrants direct law enforcement to arrest an individual suspected of committing a crime and bring them into the court's custody. Per IC 35-33-2-1, a judge must determine probable cause before issuing an arrest warrant in Jennings, and it is the responsibility of the officer/official who requests the warrant to set forth probable cause.

IC 35-33-2-2 requires all Jennings arrest warrants to:

• Be in writing
• Name or describe the person to be apprehended
• State the alleged offense
• State the county and date of issuance
• Be signed by the clerk, or signed by the judge with their title of office
• Specify the bail amount set, if any
• Order the accused's arrest and their speedy appearance in court
• Be directed to the county sheriff's office

Do Jennings County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, Generally, most Jennings County arrest warrants do not expire until executed. That is to say, a warrant subject can either be arrested when they encounter the police or surrender to local authorities to begin proceedings to resolve their warrant. The court may also withdraw an arrest warrant upon finding new evidence that exonerates a suspect or for any other legitimate reason.

However, IC 35-33-2-4 limits the validity of a misdemeanor arrest warrant to 180 days after its issuance. Still, the court can reissue misdemeanor warrants upon a prosecuting attorney's request.