Union County Arrest Records

In Union County, New Jersey, suspected criminal offenders begin their journey through the criminal justice system through an arrest. An arrest refers to the apprehension of an individual by law enforcement agencies following a suspicion of crime. This typically happens when the law enforcement officer witnesses the crime, has probable cause to believe that the arrestee has committed or is about to commit a crime, or acts on an arrest warrant issued by a judicial officer.

Upon arrest, the suspect is transported to a jail facility, where they pass through a booking process that involves documenting the arrestee's name, mugshot, fingerprints, and circumstances leading to the arrest. This information is compiled into an arrest record that is maintained by the law enforcement agency that generated them. Furthermore, arrest records can be passed to other relevant criminal agencies to form a part of or complement their records. For example, arrest information may be included in Union County Court records to facilitate prosecution and other legal proceedings.

Are Arrest Records Public in Union County?

Yes. In accordance with The State of New Jersey's Open Public Records Act (O.P.R.A.), which is codified in N.J.S.A. 47: 1 A-1 et seq., a public record includes a written memorial generated or kept by a public officer who is directed by law to make it. Union County arrest records fall under this definition.

Furthermore, New Jersey's O.P.R.A. expressly states that these records must be made readily accessible to members of the public for inspection, copying, and examination. To this end, requesters can anonymously file an O.P.R.A. request for arrest records. Requests should be made in writing and conveyed to the record custodian during regular business hours by any means, including by hand, mail, and electronic means. Verbal request for records is prohibited. Also, requesters should be specific when making requests, inputting as much information as possible to enable the record custodian to find the requested documents easily.

This rule, however, is subject to certain exceptions, such as:

• Documents required to be hidden for the protection of public interest
• Certain legislative records
• Criminal investigatory records
• Personal identifying information such as social security numbers, credit card numbers, and driver's license numbers
• Information mandated by court order to be private
• Records pertaining to an ongoing investigation
• Juvenile records

Interested parties can obtain more information about New Jersey's O.P.R.A. by reading through the Citizen's Guide to the Open Public Records Act.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Public arrest records generated in Union County should contain various information pertaining to the arrestee and charge, including:

• The arrestee's name and personal details
• The nature of the offense (details about the charges filed)
• Arrest date
• Bond and bail information
• Information about the arresting agency
• Court dates and other information related to court appearances

Union County Crime Rate

According to the 2020 Uniform Crime Report published on the New Jersey State Police website (the most recent year available), there were a total of 9,224 crimes committed in Union County. The most popular crimes were as follows:

• Larceny- 5,832
• Auto theft- 1,229
• Assault- 843
• Burglary- 745
• Robbery- 455

Union County Arrest Statistics

The 2020 Uniform Crime Report also provides arrest information-based statistics for Union County. According to available data, Union County made 1,325 arrests in 2020. The highest numbers of apprehension were made for:

• Larceny -667
• Assault -417
• Burglary -85
• Robbery -80

Find Union County Arrest Records

Members of the public can find Union County arrest records by following these steps:

• Determining the Record Custodian

Depending on the arresting agency, different custodians may be responsible for generating and maintaining records of arrests executed in Union County. As such, members of the public should begin their search by determining the primary custodian of the arrest record they seek. For example, information about an incarcerated individual arrested by a federal agency such as the F.B.I. will typically be made available through the Federal Bureau of Prisons. On the other hand, requesters can look up records of inmates incarcerated by the New Jersey State Government by querying the New Jersey Department of Corrections. Meanwhile, Union County arrest records of individuals detained by local police departments can be found by contacting the arresting agency or the Union County Sheriff's Office.

• Confirming Methods and Procedures for the Search

After determining the record custodian, the next step is to verify the various avenues for the search. This is necessary as various record custodians may specify different means for obtaining arrest records. For example, the Union County Sheriff's Office provides selected offender information to the public through its Inmate Lookup Tool, which is updated daily. After filling out a Request for Access to Government Records Form, the office also accepts O.P.R.A. requests for arrest records in person, via fax, or email. On the other hand, the Clark Township Police Department provides public arrest record search services through its Records Bureau in person during regular business hours.

• Gathering All Necessary Information and Submitting a Records Request

The information required to facilitate a Union County arrest record search depends on the record custodian and search method. Generally, however, a requester with the arrestee's full name and date of arrest should find it easy to obtain valuable information about a record.

Free Arrest Record Search in Union County

Generally, records inspection (especially electronic records) through a government source is free. However, obtaining copies of documents will attract a reasonable fee. Individuals may also explore third-party websites that offer arrest records search services.

Get Union County Criminal Records

A Union County criminal record or criminal history information is a compilation of all the times an individual has been arrested, prosecuted, convicted, incarcerated, or passed through the criminal system in the county. Members of the public should note that criminal history information in New Jersey is not a public record and is only made available to the subject of the record and a few authorized persons, including a prospective employer carrying out a background check.

Qualified parties can obtain a criminal record in Union County through the Division of State Police's Criminal Information Unit (C.I.U.). These records are specific to criminal information originating in New Jersey and require the subject's fingerprints captured via an electronic live scan from an approved fingerprinting capturing site. More information on obtaining criminal records from the C.I.U. can be obtained on the New Jersey State Police's Criminal History Records Information page.

Union County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Although Union County arrest and criminal records are related documents, they differ in numerous aspects, including:

• Scope and Content

Arrest records are details of a person's interaction with a law enforcement agency and contain information regarding the subject's apprehension and detention in a jail facility. On the other hand,

• Availability

While Union County arrest records are available to members of the public, access to criminal history information is restricted to the subject of the record and a few other qualified persons

• Criminal Justice Agencies Involved

Only arresting agencies are responsible for generating arrest records. However, criminal records require the joint efforts of several criminal justice agencies to compile.

• Significance

An arrest record is proof that an individual was apprehended by a law enforcement agent upon suspicion of committing a crime. It does not prove the arrestee's guilt. However, criminal records detail more comprehensive information regarding the subject's interactions with criminal justice agencies, including whether they were convicted for a crime.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Forever. Arrest records will only be deleted from a person's criminal history information upon expungement (a process whereby an individual's criminal details are permanently removed from public databases). The effect of an expungement is that the erased information will be deemed to never have occurred.

Expunge Union County Arrest Records

In many cases, convicted individuals will have to wait 4 or 5 years after serving their sentence to file for expungement. They must have also paid all fines and fees attached to their sentencing before qualifying for expungement. Also, individuals cannot expunge more than one indictable conviction and three disorderly person offenses or petty disorderly person offenses.

Other individuals eligible for record expungement include:

• Those whose arrests did not result in a conviction (this is the case when the defendant's case was dismissed or the defendant was acquitted and found innocent of the charges)
• Persons who graduate from a Recovery Court program (while individuals who graduated before April 18, 2016 must apply for expungement, the court may order the expungement of criminal records of graduants on its own accord)
• Individuals who wish to expunge certain marijuana or harshish offenses
• Persons applying under Clean Slate Expungement (N.J.S.A. 2C:52-5.3)

Parties can visit the N.J. Courts website to apply for expungement online via the eCourts Expungement System. Applicants will need to create an eCourts account with their case number to access the platform.

The following steps are necessary for expunging an arrest or criminal record in Union County:

• Conduct a fingerprint check for criminal history records from the state police (discussed above)
• Fill out, notarize, and make three copies of the necessary forms (Form A-Petition for Expungement, Form B-Order for Hearing, and Form C-Expungement Order)
• File two copies of the above documents with the court; one copy will remain with the applicant (They should also fill out a Form D-Cover Letter and attach it to the forms above)
• Two large self-addressed envelopes must be attached to the forms and mailed to the criminal case management office in Union County (this attracts a filing fee of $52)

Individuals can find more information on record expungement by reading New Jersey's comprehensive guide on "How to Expunge Your Criminal and/or Juvenile Record".

Union County Arrest Warrants

A Union County arrest warrant is a legal document endorsed by a judge, permitting a law enforcement officer to arrest a subject and deliver them to the issuing court. Ordinarily, individuals are protected from unlawful arrests by the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution. An arrest warrant gives legal authority to apprehend an individual when an arrest would have been illegal without it.

Union County arrest warrants are issued when a judicial officer determines that there is probable cause (usually based on evidence from a police investigation) for its issuance. This is typically the case under the following circumstances:

• Parole violation
• Probation violation
• When the defendant fails to appear in court on a scheduled date (also called a bench warrant)
• When a criminal complaint has been filed
• Upon filing of a an indictment or accusation involving an indictable offense (N.J. Court Rule 7:2-2)

Generally, one can find the following information in a Union County arrest warrant:

• The defendant's name
• Details of the issuing court
• The court administrator or judge's signature
• Bail conditions or amounts

Union County Arrest Warrant Search

Individuals can find active arrest warrants in Union County by querying the local police station or Union County Sheriff's Department. The Sheriff's Department provides avenues for members of the public to search active arrest warrants and also provides public access to their most wanted list. The Department's contact details are as follows:

10 Elizabethtown Plaza
Elizabeth, NJ 07207
Phone: (908) 527-4450
Fax: (908) 527-4455

Do Union County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Typically, an unexecuted Union County arrest warrant will remain valid until the suspect is apprehended.