Complete Mugshots Online Guide: How To Find and Remove Them
In this mugshots online guide, we’ll walk you through the process of finding and removing mugshots on the internet.
If you’ve been arrested for any reason, one of the first things that happens during the booking process is that you have your mugshot taken.
While states have varying legal guidelines regarding the public availability of arrest records, many states make mugshots available to the public immediately. That means that your mugshot could be online in less than 24 hours after your arrest.
And once it’s posted, having it taken down can be tough, if not impossible.
To some, being able to publicly access mugshots can seem like a useful community service. However, in many cases, an arrest doesn’t lead to a conviction. Even if you’re never charged with a criminal offense or you have your case dropped, simply having your mugshot online could be enough to damage your reputation.
At RemoveMugshots.com, our removal services will erase your online arrest records and mugshot images from the internet fast. Contact us today at 844-935-1118 to learn more.
Are Mugshots Public Records?
Most U.S. states regard a mugshot as part of the public record. How easy it is to find a mugshot depends on the law enforcement agency’s process of posting the mugshot to their database, how it can be accessed by the public, and even the person who was arrested.
For example, some law enforcement databases are simple to search online. Others may make mugshots available only if you submit a formal request.
Moreover, if the person arrested is high-profile, like a celebrity or lawmaker, it may be easier to find their mugshot online as opposed to someone who’s mostly unknown. That’s because mugshots of well-known people get circulated online via news reports and social media, making it easy to find them with a basic Google search.
The type of charge the individual faced can also factor into how accessible their mugshot is. A person charged with a serious crime may have their mugshot published in the local newspaper, increasing the photo’s circulation. Someone with a small charge, though, may not catch the public interest as much and could go relatively unnoticed.
When it comes to juveniles, their criminal and court records are typically sealed, making them inaccessible to the public.
Are Mugshots Royalty-Free?
Whenever a celebrity gets busted for something, whether or not it’s very serious, you’re bound to see their mugshot circulating online. Is this legal, though?
Most often, mugshots taken by law enforcement agencies are part of the public domain. They’re not protected by copyright law and can therefore be reposted by the media and other sources.
If you’re wondering who owns the rights to a specific photograph, it’s smart to contact an attorney.
We work on behalf of our clients to erase mugshots, arrest records, police reports and other personal information online. Give us a call at 844-935-1118 to get started.
How Can I Find Mugshots Online?
If you or someone you know has been arrested, you’re probably wondering how you can find mugshots online. There are a few ways to go about it.
Search the Prison Handbook Website
Prison Handbook is a service that offers mugshot searches and similar searches online. To find your mugshot or mugshots of others, you can use the inmate search, jail search, mugshot search or prison search tool.
Keep in mind that not every jail is going to provide mugshots to you. However, this is a good starting point when looking for a mugshot online.
Visit a Law Enforcement Agency Website
Many law enforcement agencies provide an online mugshot directory. If you’re looking for mugshots, it’s smart to visit the police department’s or sheriff’s office’s website. They may have an option to search the database online, or you could find more information about requesting public records.
Go To Your State’s Department of Corrections Website
Every U.S. state has an official Department of Corrections website, which provides residents with various services and up-to-date information. In most cases, these kinds of websites also offer access to an online mugshot directory and sex offender registry.
Remember to search the Department of Corrections for the state where the arrest occurred. If someone from New Jersey was arrested in Florida, their data will be on the Florida Department of Corrections website, not New Jersey’s, for example.
Conduct a Simple or Advanced Background Search
One of the quickest and easiest ways to find mugshots online is by using a background check service. Sometimes, a basic search on a people search website will be enough to get you the information you’re after. Other times, you may need to pay for an official background report.
8 Ways To Remove Your Mugshot Online
If your mugshot is causing trouble in your personal or professional life, you may be able to have it removed at the source, from data broker sites or from Google Search results. Here are 8 ways to reduce the likelihood of having your mugshot found online:
1. Contact the Website Directly
Many people search websites and mugshot databases have removal request procedures. Following their outlined process can result in your mugshot and other personal information being removed from the site. However, remember that you’ll have to do this for each instance of your mugshot being online. Removing your information from one site won’t remove it from others.
2. Request Sealing or Expungement of Your File
If your case was dismissed, you may be able to get your file sealed or expunged. Or, if your file was already sealed or expunged, providing proof of this to data broker websites should be enough to have them take down your information.
3. Refer to State Laws
Certain states have laws regarding the public information that you can request for removal from data broker sites. Refer to your state’s laws to determine if mugshot sites are required to remove your information upon request.
4. Send a Takedown Notice
Even if your state doesn’t have specific guidelines about removing mugshot images, you can still send a formal takedown notice. This may be effective if it comes from a legal professional and cites privacy issues, defamation or incorrect information that’s posted.
5. Suppress Negative Search Results
If you’re not able to have your mugshot removed from online sources, content suppression can at least keep it off of Google’s first page. This tactic involves the regular creation of new, positive, optimized content that will rise to the top of search results. As the fresh content ranks higher, older, negative content — such as your mugshots — will be pushed further and further down in the list of results. Eventually, your negative information could be so far down on page one or onto page two or later that very few people will ever find it.
6. Hire an Online Reputation Management Company
Professional online reputation management (ORM) companies have a variety of tactics for cleaning up your digital presence. From content suppression to advanced removal techniques, you can have professionals working on your behalf to improve your online image.
The removal experts at RemoveMugshots.com will analyze search engine results to find and remove your personal information and booking photos online. Call us at 844-935-1118 for more information.
7. Consult an Attorney
If a website refuses to cooperate with you and you feel you have a legitimate case, consider hiring an attorney. They’ll be able to escalate the situation and require removal through legal means.
8. Monitor the Internet for New Uploads
Just because a website removes your mugshot once doesn’t mean it won’t re-upload it in the future. Data broker sites scrape the internet for information that’s missing from their databases. That means that your mugshot or other information could be found again, just like before, and added back to the site. By monitoring for new instances of your name via a free tool like Google Alerts, you’ll know as soon as your mugshot pops up again so you can take steps to remove it.
FAQs About Online Mugshots
Can an attorney remove my mugshot and arrest record from the internet?
While it’s possible for an attorney to remove your mugshot from internet search results, most of them won’t take the time to do it. It can take a lot of time to contact various mugshot sites and request removal. Unless you have a compelling reason to require removal, such as a sealed record, your attorney is likely going to outsource the project to an ORM company.
My record was sealed. Doesn’t the mugshot site have to remove it automatically?
No, mugshot sites are not legally required to automatically remove your mugshot and other information once your record has been sealed or expunged. While you can contact the website with the court order and ask that they remove your information, they don’t have to seek out this information on their own. Also, even submitting a request along with proof of sealing or expungement doesn’t mean the website owner will comply. In this case, you may want to hire a legal representative to send a formal takedown request.
Get Expert Help for Mugshot Removal
At RemoveMugshots.com, we offer removal services to get rid of damaging information online and help you rebuild your personal or professional reputation. Whether you have arrest records, mugshots or police reports that are causing harm, we’ll work on your behalf to remove them from search results.
It doesn’t matter if you were found guilty or if your charges were expunged, dismissed or dropped, either. Our removal strategies will erase or suppress negative content from showing up on mugshot websites and in search engine results.
Do you need help removing your arrest records, mugshots or police records from search results? Get a free mugshot removal analysis today and sign up for a consultation with an expert. Learn more here.
