Santa Barbara County Arrest Records

Individuals caught committing or suspected of a crime in Santa Barbara County are arrested by law enforcement officers in line with the California Penal Code. Upon arrest, they are taken to the police department for “booking”. Generally, the booking process involves documenting the arrestee’s personal information, location and time of arrest, and conditions surrounding the arrest. Information obtained during booking is used to create an arrest record. After booking, the arrestee may be detained in the Santa Barbara County Main Jail or the Northern Branch Jail (Santa Maria Jail) before trial.

Santa Barbara County arrest records are maintained by the county Sheriff's office. They are an important part of an individual’s criminal history records and may also be included in one’s state or general records, as well as Santa Barbara County Court Records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Santa Barbara County?

Yes. Arrest records are public in Santa Barbara County per the California Public Records Act (CPRA). However, the California Government Code restricts the disclosure of some arrest records to record subjects, attorneys, and government agencies for various reasons. These exempted records include:

• Information that may endanger parties involved in the investigation, especially the victim and witnesses
• Information that would compromise an ongoing investigation or any other related investigation
• The current address of the arrestee
• Information that is restricted due to the victim’s request
• Identifying juvenile information
• Information that may deprive the arrestee of a fair trial
• Information that may expose the investigating officer's analysis or conclusion
• Medical records of the victim

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Public arrest records are arrest records that can be accessed by the public. Per the California Government Code, public arrest records contain the following information:

• Full name of arrestee
• Date of birth and occupation of arrestee
• Physical description of the arrestee (sex, height, weight, and color of eyes)
• The time, date, and location of the arrest and booking
• The reason for the arrest
• The bail amount
• Detention facility where the arrestee is held or the time of release

While the above information may be public, it may not be released to the public if it compromises an ongoing investigation or endangers parties involved in the case.

Santa Barbara County Crime Rate

According to the California Department of Justice, Santa Barbara police departments received 10,540 crime reports in 2022. Property crimes were the most predominant offenses in the said year, as they accounted for up to 82.8% of the total crimes. The most common property crimes were larceny theft with 5,658 cases and motor vehicle theft with 1,881 cases. The police departments also received 1,714 cases of violent crimes, with aggravated assault being the most common (1,117 reports).

Santa Barbara County Arrest Statistics

Data compiled by the California Department of Justice indicate that Santa Barbara police departments made a total of 11,152 arrests in 2022.

Up to 72% (8,125) of these arrests were for misdemeanors like driving under the influence, trespassing, shoplifting, and vandalism.

Only nine arrests were made for status offenses like breaking a curfew. The police departments also made 3,018 arrests for felonies, especially violent crimes (1,157 arrests).

Find Santa Barbara County Arrest Records

The Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office works with two police departments and other local law enforcement agencies to maintain peace and order in the county. Officers of these agencies are responsible for most arrests. However, state and federal agencies may also arrest violators of state and federal laws in the county.

Individuals who are incarcerated by Santa Barbara police departments and other local law enforcement agencies are detained in either the Santa Barbara County Main Jail or the Northern Branch Jail. One can approach the Sheriff's office, any of the county jails, or the arresting agency to obtain details of an inmate’s arrest and detention. These agencies may require you to provide at least a full name for an effective search to be conducted.

Persons who were arrested by state and federal agencies may be detained in the Santa Barbara Main Jail or any federal prison in California or the United States. Details of such arrests can be obtained via any of the following means:

• You can search the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) online portal to obtain details of a federal inmate, including their location.
• For state inmates, you can make inquiries at the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s office, as it also handles booking for state arrests.
• You can search the CDCR California Incarcerated Records and Information Search (CIRIS) portal to obtain records of inmates incarcerated by state agencies in California.
• You can also opt to visit the arresting agency in person or use its inmate locator tool if it is available.

Free Arrest Record Search in Santa Barbara County

Arrest records are public under the California Public Records Act. Therefore, anyone can request them from the Sheriff's office or the arresting agency. While inspection of Santa Barbara arrest records is free, you may be charged a fee for duplication of arrest records.

The Sheriff's Who’s in Custody page is a free tool one can use to find inmates who have been detained by Santa Barbara police departments. Interested individuals can use it to obtain arrest details like booking dates, reasons for arrest, and custody status. Notably, a full name is required for an effective search on the system.

Alternatively, you can approach the Record Bureau of the Sheriff's Office to request an arrest report. Before approaching the unit, it is advisable to call them at (805) 681-4180 to determine if your desired report is available. If it is available, you can go ahead and complete a report request form and submit it to the Bureau in person, by Fax: ((805) 681-5346), via email, or by U.S. mail to:

Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office,
P.O. Box 6427,
Santa Barbara, CA 93110

You are required to provide a valid government-issued ID and pay the sum of $15 in cash, check, or debit/credit card. An extra $0.10 will be charged if your desired report exceeds ten pages.

Note that the Sheriff's Records Bureau only releases reports to the record subject or any of these individuals:

• A person with a written authorization signed by the subject
• The victim or the victim's authorized representative
• The insurance carrier whom a claim has been made against

Get Santa Barbara County Criminal Records

In California, criminal records are called criminal history records. These records give a history of an individual’s involvement with the criminal justice system, including arrests, probations, and court dispositions. It may also include a summary of the subject’s history before the incidence of a criminal case. Per the California Penal Code, criminal history records are not public records. Therefore, they can only be obtained by the record subject, parties with the subject’s consent, government agencies, and the subject's employers.

The Records Bureau of the Sheriff's Office maintains a local criminal history record for its citizens. Eligible persons can request this by submitting a complete Local Criminal History form to the unit in person, by Fax: ((805) 681-5346), via email, or U.S. mail to:

Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office,
P.O. Box 6427,
Santa Barbara, CA 93110

Record subjects in Santa Barbara can also request their criminal history records from the California Department of Justice (DOJ). Before the requests are processed, requesters based in California are required to submit Live Scan fingerprints. Non-residents, on the other hand, are required to submit manual fingerprint cards (Form FD258). More information on these fingerprints, how to submit them, and how to obtain criminal history records are available on the DOJ website.

Santa Barbara County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

The fact that “arrest records” and “criminal records” are used interchangeably does not dispute the fact that both terms have distinct definitions.

Arrest records highlight details concerning a specific arrest, including the subject’s information, the incident report, the offense, the arresting officer, and the detention facility where the arrestee was held. Arrest records do not contain information or details of court hearings or court dispositions. Santa Barbara arrest records are generated by the booking division of the arresting agency, and they are maintained by the arresting agency and the Sheriff’s office.

On the other hand, Santa Barbara's criminal history records contain details of every contact the subject has had with the criminal justice system, including arrests, trials, probations, and pending warrants. Criminal history records are generated by contributions from different law enforcement agencies, court systems, and correctional facilities, and they are maintained by the California Department of Justice.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Forever. There is no timeline for removing an arrest from one’s records in Santa Barbara County. However, the California Department of Justice may remove a record from its system when the subject turns 100 years old. Individuals who wish to erase an arrest record may opt for expungement or sealing.

Expunge Santa Barbara County Arrest Records

Though used interchangeably, sealing and expungement refer to two distinct processes. Sealing involves restricting the disclosure of a record to government agencies and some law enforcement agencies. Expungement, on the other hand, refers to the total removal of the record from the system.

Santa Barbara’s Public Defender Office developed the Fresh Start system to enable citizens of the county to seal or expunge their arrest/criminal records. Interested individuals can apply for it through a variety of methods. The first option is to submit a completed Intake Form to the Public Defender’s office via email, by Fax: ((805) 568-3564), or in-person to any of these locations:

• Santa Barbara: 1100 Anacapa St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, USA
• Santa Maria: 312 E Cook St, Santa Maria, CA 93454, USA
• Lompoc: 115 Civic Center Plaza, Lompoc, CA 93436, USA

Alternatively, you can sign up on the Public Defender's official website. Notably, application for the Fresh Start program is free regardless of your method of application.

Concerning juvenile records, many of them are sealed once the subject completes their probation. Subjects whose records were not sealed after completion of probation can apply to the Probation Department once they turn 18 years old. Notably, the process is free, but requesters are required to provide a valid identification during application.

Santa Barbara County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant is an official document that authorizes a law enforcement officer to apprehend an individual. Typically, it is issued by a judge or magistrate before an arrest is made. Nevertheless, law enforcement officers in Santa Barbara County are authorized by the California Penal Code to arrest an individual without a warrant if there is probable cause.

Per the California Penal Code, the following details must be included in an arrest warrant:

• The name of the arrestee (any name can be used if the arrestee's name is unknown to the judge)
• The time of issuance
• The location of issuance
• The signature and title of the judge/magistrate
• The name of the court or issuing authority

Santa Barbara County Arrest Warrant Search

Santa Barbara arrest warrants are maintained by the Sheriff's Office. Therefore, you can contact them at (805) 681-4330 to inquire if you have a pending arrest warrant. Ensure to choose Warrants from the Voice Menu and follow the instructions.

If you are involved in an ongoing trial, you can request criminal court records from the Superior Court to determine if a warrant has been issued against you. You can also request your criminal records from the DOJ, as your criminal history records contain a list of all pending arrest warrants.

Do Santa Barbara County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, arrest warrants in Santa Barbara County do not expire until the subject dies, is incarcerated, or the warrant is dismissed.