Scott County Arrest Records

An arrest in Scott County becomes necessary when a peace officer has enough factual evidence or witnesses the perpetration of a criminal action by a suspect. An issued arrest warrant could also be the basis for an arrest in Scott County, Mississippi.

After an arrest, the individual is usually booked and held in the Scott County Jail, where information about the individual and the arrest is retrieved to create an arrest record. Scott County arrest records typically contain personal details of the arrested individual, information about the circumstances that necessitated the arrest, and other information about the arresting agency or officer in charge of the arrest.

The Sheriff's Office is usually responsible for creating and maintaining arrest records in Scott County. These arrest records are publicly available and form the basis for other criminal justice records, such as Scott County court records and criminal history records. Interested persons may query the relevant record custodian to request them.

Are Arrest Records Public in Scott County?

Yes. According to Miss. Code Ann. §§ 25-61-1 et seq (the Mississippi Public Records Act), arrest records, and other records maintained by public agencies are presumed open for public inspection. Nonetheless, certain restrictions and exemptions may apply to the public access of Scott County arrest records.

Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-5 contains the exemptions and restrictions attached to the public access of Scott County arrest records under State laws. Some examples of exempt arrest records and information include:

• Records whose disclosure may negatively influence an ongoing investigation
• Arrest records of active investigations and pending criminal court proceedings
• Records that contain sensitive personal information
• Records that may reveal the subject's medical history, mental health evaluation reports, or diagnostic results
• Records sealed or expunged under law
• Confidential records, especially those on juveniles, child abuse victims, or sexual assault victims
• Arrest records that include personal identifying information such as license numbers, security numbers, or financial statements
• Records that may reveal the identity of a witness/ victim, threaten public peace, or endanger the life of the subject.

Under certain circumstances, record seekers with legal interests may petition a court for access to restricted arrest records. A court order may also be sufficient to grant requestors access to prohibited arrest records.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Public arrest records in Scott County generally contain the following information:

• The name, birth date, and race of the arrested individual
• A physical description stating the identifying characteristics of the arrestee
• The location, date, and time of the arrest
• A summary of the incidents surrounding the arrest
• The criminal offense warranting the arrest
• The personal items and illegal possessions retrieved at the point of arrest
• Booking/ bail information (if available)
• The name, agency, status, and badge number of the officer(s) involved in the arrest

Scott County Arrest Statistics

Based on data published by the State's Department of Public Safety, Scott County recorded 61 arrests for society crimes and 13 arrests for violent crimes in 2024. Compared to 2024, crimes against society were reduced by 12.75%, while violent crimes increased by 18.18%.

Find Scott County Arrest Records

The Scott County Sheriff's Office maintains arrest records and makes them available to interested persons on request. Interested parties may send requests to the Sheriff's Office at:

Scott County Sheriff's Office
531 Airport Road
Forest, MS 39074
Phone: (601) 469-1511
Fax: (601) 469-5224

The Mississippi Department of Public Safety’s Criminal Information Center (CIC) is another custodian of arrest records created in Scott County. Record seekers may visit the nearest CIC regional office or utilize the online search tools provided to search for Scott County arrest records.

Free Arrest Record Search in Scott County

Interested persons may search Scott County arrest records for free by visiting the Sheriff's Office within regular hours to inspect the desired records. While inspection is typically free, requesting copies may require additional fees. The Mississippi State Department of Corrections also provides free public access to arrest records and inmate information via its Inmate Locator tool. The search criteria to use this tool is a first/last name or an inmate ID number.

Alternatively, inquirers may review Scott County arrest records for free using online third-party websites. These sites are usually privately owned for commercial purposes. They provide records that cut across different states and jurisdictions and are suitable for a wide range of searches. However, most of these sites require paid subscriptions for comprehensive reports.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Forever, unless expunged. Scott County arrest records filed with the Mississippi Criminal Information Center will typically remain on an individual's criminal record for life. The retention period of an arrest record does not depend on the nature of the crime for which the record was created. State laws, however, allow eligible record subjects to either seal or expunge their records, making them unavailable for public access.

Expunge Scott County Arrest Records

Scott County residents may request the expungement of arrest records that satisfy the state’s eligibility requirements. Expunging an arrest record does not entail its physical destruction; instead, it exempts such records from public access.

To qualify for an expungement under Mississippi State laws, a record subject must confirm that the arrest record they want to expunge does not fall into the list of offenses ineligible for expungement as stated in Miss. Code Ann. § 99-19-71.

Some examples of arrest records that may qualify for expungement include:

• Records of persons that were arrested but released (Mississippi Code § 99–19–71).
• Records whose subjects were issued a citation or detained for a misdemeanor (Mississippi Code § 99–15–59).
• Records of subjects who were participants of a pretrial or diversion program (Mississippi Code §99–15–123)
• Records for a misdemeanor charge where the subject was acquitted, charges were dismissed, or no disposition was entered(Miss. Code Ann. §§ 99-15-26(5), 99-19-71(4))
• Records of first-time DUI offenders (Miss. Code Ann. § 63-11-30)
• Records of minors in possession of alcohol (Miss. Code Ann. § 67-3-70).

To process an expungement, eligible record subjects may follow the steps outlined below:

• Confirm the eligibility of their arrest record(s) for expungement
• Obtain and fill out the appropriate expungement application form from the court of jurisdiction
• File the petition alongside other supporting documents to the court where the case was decided
• Pay the expungement fee of $150.

After successfully filing a petition for expungement, the applicant will wait for the court's response. If the court grants the petition at the fixed court hearing, an order is issued mandating relevant record custodians to expunge the affected record and prohibit it from public disclosure.

Scott County Arrest Warrants

Scott County arrest warrants are court documents issued by a judge or magistrate instructing a law enforcement officer to apprehend and detain a suspect in relation to a criminal action. Arrest warrants are typically issued based on established probable cause, which is usually established by presenting reasonable information/evidence that the suspect has either committed a crime or is about to commit one.

Per state laws, the law enforcement officer requesting an arrest warrant must submit a sworn statement and affidavit alongside the probable cause to the issuing judge. Arrest warrants issued in Scott County reveal the subject's identity, the alleged offense, the suspect's current known location, and a directive requesting the apprehension and arraignment of the suspect (Mississippi Criminal Rule 3.2).

Do Scott County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Not really, Most arrest warrants issued by Scott County judicial officials remain valid until they are resolved or recalled. An arrest warrant is said to be resolved when the subject is arrested and brought before the issuing judicial official. However, certain factors, such as the subject's demise, the discovery of new evidence, or the use of falsified information, may impact the validity of an arrest warrant.