Franklin County Arrest Records
Franklin County arrest records are stored at the Franklin County Sheriff's Office in Benton. This southern Illinois county has a population of about 37,000 and is part of the Second Judicial Circuit. The sheriff handles arrests in unincorporated areas while police departments in Benton, West Frankfort, and other towns manage their own. Court records from criminal cases in Franklin County go through the circuit clerk's office at the courthouse. All arrest records generated in Franklin County fall under public access rules set by the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.
Franklin County Quick Facts
Franklin County Sheriff's Office
The Franklin County Sheriff's Office is at 403 E 2nd St, Benton, IL 62812. Reach them by phone at (618) 438-8211. The sheriff provides law enforcement for the areas of Franklin County outside city limits. Arrest records for incidents that deputies handle are kept at this office. The county jail is also run by the sheriff, and booking records are produced whenever someone is brought in for processing.
West Frankfort is the largest city in Franklin County. Benton serves as the county seat. Both have their own police departments that handle arrests within their city limits. Smaller communities like Christopher, Sesser, and Zeigler may have local police as well or rely on the sheriff for coverage. This means arrest records in Franklin County can end up in several different places. The sheriff's office is a good first stop if you are not sure which agency handled a particular arrest. They deal with a large share of the cases in the county and can point you in the right direction if needed.
How to Search Franklin County Arrest Records
Call or visit the Franklin County Sheriff's Office to start your search. Provide the name of the person and any dates you know. The staff can check whether they have a record on file. For court records tied to criminal cases, the Franklin County Circuit Clerk in Benton is the right contact. The clerk keeps records of all charges, hearings, and outcomes from the Second Judicial Circuit court.
Online search options for Franklin County may be limited compared to larger counties. However, the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification maintains criminal history data from the entire state. The CHIRP system allows name-based searches for conviction information. Conviction data from Franklin County arrests that led to guilty findings may show up in this system. The Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635/1) controls what the state shares through CHIRP.
Fingerprint-based criminal history searches offer the most thorough results. Use an approved fingerprint vendor to submit prints to the ISP. The fee schedule lists the cost for this type of search.
FOIA Requests for Franklin County Arrest Records
The Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140/1) gives the public access to government records in Franklin County, including arrest records. Write your request and send it to the FOIA officer at the Franklin County Sheriff's Office. Include the person's name, any dates, and what you need. No reason is required. You do not have to be a Franklin County resident to make the request.
The sheriff's office has five business days to respond. They can take an extra five days for complicated requests. Basic arrest information must be available within 72 hours of an arrest under 5 ILCS 140/2.15. This means the name of the arrested person, charges, and the arresting agency. Copies of records are free for the first 50 pages in most cases. Beyond that, a per-page fee may apply.
Certain records are exempt. Sealed and expunged arrest records cannot be released to the public. Juvenile records are also protected from disclosure. The Office of the State Appellate Defender can help if you want to learn more about sealing or expunging a record in Franklin County.
What Franklin County Arrest Records Show
Franklin County arrest records contain the full name and date of birth of the person arrested. They list the charges, the date and time of the arrest, and the arresting officer or agency. Booking records from the county jail add a booking number, bond amount, and intake details. A mugshot is typically part of the booking file.
Court records add depth to what the arrest record shows. Case numbers, hearing dates, plea entries, and final dispositions all appear in the circuit clerk's files. If a case was dismissed, that information is in the record. An arrest does not equal a conviction. These are separate legal events. The state shares conviction data under the Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635/1) through CHIRP. Arrest records without convictions must be requested through FOIA from the agency that made the arrest. Records sealed or expunged by a Franklin County court are removed from public access entirely.
Franklin County Arrest Records Resources
The main statutes that apply to arrest records in Franklin County are the Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140/1), the Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635/1), and 725 ILCS 5/107-2 which defines arrest authority for Illinois law enforcement. These laws work the same across every county in the state.
The ISP FOIA page is useful for state-level records requests. Locally, the Franklin County Sheriff's Office and circuit clerk handle records. If an agency denies a FOIA request, the Illinois Attorney General's Public Access Counselor reviews complaints and can issue a binding opinion forcing disclosure.
Cities in Franklin County
Franklin County includes Benton, West Frankfort, Christopher, and other small towns. No cities in the county have the population for a separate arrest records page on this site. Contact the relevant city police department or the Franklin County Sheriff's Office for arrest records involving any community in the county.
Nearby Counties
Franklin County borders several other southern Illinois counties that have their own arrest records systems: