Howell County Arrest Records

According to Missouri law (Section 610.100(1), RSMo), an arrest occurs when a peace officer restrains an individual due to a criminal violation or under the authority of an arrest warrant.

A report is created whenever a person is taken into custody in Howell County to document the reason for the arrest and the arrested individual's details. Other information, like booking numbers and release details, is also generated after arrests. Some of these data are available in the Howell County court records, especially if a defendant is charged with the crime that warranted their arrest.

Arrest records are essential for criminal prosecution and defense, crime research, and background searches. Prosecutors and defense attorneys review them to build and support case arguments. Arrest records also help members of the public uncover the reasons for arrests, where arrestees are being held, and how inmates can be released pending trial. Interested parties can approach local arresting agencies to find Howell arrest information.

Are Arrest Records Public in Howell County?

Yes. The public can access arrest records in Howell County per Section 610.100, RSMo (the Missouri Sunshine Law). The law states that records (arrests, incident reports, and investigations) maintained by law enforcement shall be considered open records. However, the law and other state and federal statutes protect certain information from public access. These restricted records include:

• Juvenile arrest details
• Certain witness and victim data
• Criminal investigation tactics and files
• Financial records
• Medical information
• Personal identification numbers
• Sealed records

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Public arrest records describe a category of documents/information about an arrest that can be released to anyone without restrictions. These include the following:

• Personal information (Arrestee's full name, age, race, sex, and physical description)
• Arrestee's photograph
• Arresting agency
• Offenses and charges
• Release date
• Bond type and amount
• Detention facility
• Booking date
• Court appearance dates

Howell County Arrest Statistics

Members of the public can find annual arrest statistics on Missouri's National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) provided by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. According to the database, 747 arrests were made in Howell County in 2023.

Of these, 319 arrests were categorized as Group A offenses, while 428 were Group B offenses (bad checks, drunkenness, driving under the influence, etc.). Of the Group A Offenses, 120 arrests were attributed to Crimes Against Persons (murder, assault, abduction, etc.), 76 to Crimes Against Property (arson, robbery, burglary, motor vehicle theft, etc.), and 123 to Crimes Against Society (drug violations, prostitution, animal cruelty, etc.).

Find Howell County Arrest Records

Arrests in Howell County are primarily executed by the Howell County Sheriff's Office and local police agencies like the West Plains PD and Willow Springs PD. The sheriff's office can apprehend people throughout the county, while police departments operate within city boundaries. Members of the public can contact these arresting agencies for information about recent arrests within specific jurisdictions.

At the same time, local law enforcement agencies generally transfer suspects to the Howell County Adult Detention Center pending court appearances. One can contact the sheriff's office to inquire about people held at the jail. The office publishes an inmate roster that indicates people serving time in holding, minimum, medium, and maximum security levels.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol maintains records of arrests made by its highway troops, including Troop G, which serves Howell County. Individuals can access the patrol's online Arrest Reports portal for free to view each arrested person's age, gender, full name, alleged offenses, arrest date and time, holding location, and release details. Selecting G on the map will list arrests executed by Troop G. Individuals can also use the MSHP's online records request portal to order physical copies of publicly available documents. Moreover, interested parties can contact the Troop using the following details for more inquiries:

Troop G
1226 West Business US-60/63
Willow Springs, MO 65793-9222
Phone: (417) 469-3121
Fax: (978) 367-8853

Court records are also valuable resources for finding arrest information. Individuals can use the Missouri Case Records portal to view details about criminal trial cases in Howell County, including any public arrest and charge information. The database can be searched by litigant name, filing date, case number, or hearing schedule. Be that as it may, researchers should understand that filed charges may differ from the initial arrest allegations in some cases, as prosecutors can aggravate or reduce charges.

It should be noted that state and federal correctional agencies, such as the Missouri Department of Corrections and the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, maintain information about inmates in their custody. However, most of these records pertain to offenses for which inmates were convicted. Individuals can use resources provided by these agencies to view these details. They include the BOP's Federal Inmate Search portal and the DOC's Offender Web Search.

Free Arrest Record Search in Howell County

Law enforcement and other government agencies provide multiple free resources for finding arrest information, including online court record search systems and inmate lookup tools.

However, one can also visit websites run by independent vendors to view arrest information from different police agencies. While these websites may not have official connections to the government, they contain data sourced from public databases.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

If an individual is convicted of a serious felony in Howell County, their arrest can remain on file indefinitely. However, people who were arrested and not convicted can, in some cases, ask the Howell County Court to expunge their records.

Expunge Howell County Arrest Records

Former arrestees who meet certain criteria can submit petitions to the Howell County Circuit Court to expunge their records. Once the expungement is granted, their records will be permanently destroyed. Expungements for non-convictions are regulated under Section 610.22, RSMo, and eligible petitioners include the following:

• Individuals who were deemed erroneously arrested and:
  • No evidence or probable cause exists to connect the person to the crime
  • Did not obtain a suspended imposition of sentence (SIS)
  • Will not be charged to court by prosecutors,
  • And do not have pending ongoing civil suits related to their arrests.
• People charged with misdemeanor offenses and certain traffic violations outlined in Section 610.122(2), RSMo where:
  • The charges were dismissed or not pursued
  • They were found not guilty
  • They were not operating commercial vehicles when arrested and do not own commercial driver's licenses

When applying for expungement, one must complete and submit Form CR145 (Petition for Expungement of Arrest Records). If the person is a resident of Howell County but arrested in a different county, they must submit the petition in the county of arrest. The petition must contain the following:

• The applicant's personal information (full name, sex, social security number, date of birth, address when arrested, and driver's license number)
• Name of the arresting county or municipality
• Date of arrest
• Alleged offenses
• Name of arresting agency
• Case number
• Name of the court where the charges were filed
• Applicant's fingerprints (must be presented on a standard fingerprint card)

Petitioners are expected to name all the public agencies that possess their records (courts, law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, etc.) as defendants in the petition. Anyone not named in the petition will not be obligated to follow the court's expungement order.

In some cases, a defendant who was found guilty can ask a court to expunge records of their conviction, trial, pleas, and arrests. However, the crime involved must meet the requirements laid out in Section 610.140, RSMo. In this case, eligible persons can complete and submit Form CR360 (Petition for Expungement).

Howell County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant in Howell County is a court document that legally sanctions the arrest of people accused of violating the law. Judges can issue these documents after reviewing probable cause complaints submitted by law enforcement agencies or receiving grand jury indictments. However, judges can still issue warrants without reviewing complaints when people are deemed in contempt of court.

The public can view issued warrants for free through the online case records portal. They can also visit courthouses or contact the Sheriff's Office for arrest warrant information.

Do Howell County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Arrest warrants authorized in Howell County are valid until law enforcement authorities take the subjects into custody. Judges can also recall a warrant when new evidence establishes a person's innocence.