Search Randolph County Arrest Records
Randolph County arrest records are kept by the Randolph County Sheriff's Office in Chester and by local police departments throughout the county. With a population near 29,900, Randolph County is in southwestern Illinois along the Mississippi River. It is part of the 1st Judicial Circuit. The circuit clerk in Chester maintains court records for criminal cases, and the sheriff's office handles booking records at the county jail. Illinois public records laws give you the right to request arrest records from these agencies.
Randolph County Quick Facts
Randolph County Sheriff's Office
The Randolph County Sheriff's Office is located at 155 S Main St, Chester, IL 62233. You can reach them at (618) 826-5484. The sheriff provides law enforcement for all areas of Randolph County that fall outside local police jurisdictions. This includes patrol, criminal investigations, serving warrants, and running the Randolph County Jail.
Booking records are created for every person brought into the jail. These records include intake details and form part of the overall arrest records system in Randolph County. Chester, Sparta, and a few other towns have their own police departments. Arrests made by those agencies generate separate records held by that department. The sheriff's office can help point you to the right place if you are not sure who handled a particular arrest. Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140/1), all Randolph County law enforcement agencies must respond to public records requests.
How to Search Randolph County Arrest Records
The Randolph County Circuit Clerk is the office to check for court records tied to arrests. Criminal cases in the county go through the 1st Judicial Circuit. The clerk keeps records of charges, hearing dates, attorney assignments, plea agreements, and case dispositions. Visit the clerk's office at the Randolph County Courthouse in Chester to look up criminal case files. Online access options vary, and smaller circuits may have limited electronic search tools.
For state-level criminal history searches, go to the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification. The ISP runs the CHIRP system, which offers name-based criminal history checks. Public conviction data is accessible through CHIRP under the Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635/1). Arrests without convictions are not part of the public CHIRP results.
You can check your own full record through the ISP Access and Review process. Get fingerprinted at an approved vendor and the ISP will provide your complete criminal history. This is the only way to see Randolph County arrests on your record that did not result in charges or a conviction.
Filing a FOIA Request in Randolph County
The Freedom of Information Act gives everyone the right to request Randolph County arrest records. You do not need to explain why. Put your request in writing and send it to the FOIA officer at the agency holding the record. For sheriff's records, mail or deliver your request to 155 S Main St, Chester, IL 62233.
Illinois law at 5 ILCS 140/2.15 says basic arrest information must be released within 72 hours of an arrest. This includes the name, age, address, charges, and arresting agency. For a regular FOIA request, agencies have five business days to reply. They may take five additional days for large or complex requests. The first 50 pages of records are usually provided free. Be as specific as you can in your request. Include the person's full name, approximate dates, and what kind of records you need. Specific requests get processed faster.
What Randolph County Arrest Records Include
Arrest records from Randolph County contain the full name and date of birth of the person arrested. They show the charges, the arrest date and time, and the agency that made the arrest. Jail booking records add bond amounts, a booking number, and a physical description. When a case goes to court, the circuit clerk has records with case numbers, hearing dates, attorney names, and the final disposition of the case.
Being arrested is not the same as being convicted. A Randolph County arrest record shows someone was taken into custody, not that they were found guilty. The Uniform Conviction Information Act (20 ILCS 2635/1) governs how the state shares conviction data with the public. Arrest data without a conviction is available from local agencies through FOIA but is not in the public CHIRP system. Sealed and expunged records are not available at all. The Office of the State Appellate Defender has information on eligibility for expungement and sealing in Illinois.
Randolph County Arrest Records Resources
Check the ISP fee schedule for state record check costs. The ISP accepts FOIA requests too. Under 725 ILCS 5/107-2, Illinois law defines when officers have the authority to arrest. This statute applies to all law enforcement in Randolph County.
If you want to clear an arrest from your record, the expungement and sealing process can help in some cases. The eligibility rules depend on how the case was resolved. Dismissed charges and not-guilty verdicts are typically eligible. The State Appellate Defender's office provides free information and forms. Once a Randolph County arrest record is sealed, it disappears from all public databases and search results.
Cities in Randolph County
Randolph County does not have any cities with a population over 100,000. Chester is the county seat, and Sparta is another significant town. For arrest records from either city, contact the local police department. For all other areas, the Randolph County Sheriff's Office is the place to go.
Nearby Counties
These counties are near Randolph County and maintain separate arrest records systems: