Arkansas Public Records

In Arkansas, background checks are governed by the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (Arkansas Code Annotated § 25-19-101 through § 25-19-119). They may include criminal history, sex offender status, court filings, arrest records, and vital statistics. Agencies must respond within 3 business days. The law is administered by Arkansas Attorney General's Office, (800) 482-8982.

Police reports in Arkansas are public records under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Submit your request to the agency that generated the report. Who may request: Any citizen (no residency requirement enforced in practice). Response deadline: 3 business days. If access is denied, you may appeal to district or circuit court. The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-105) generally permits any person to request police reports. Submit a written request to the records division of the agency that filed the report, including the date, location, and report number if available. The Arkansas State Police (ASP) in Little Rock processes state-level report requests. Fees and turnaround times vary by agency; many departments in Arkansas offer online request portals for faster service.

Vital records (birth, death, marriage, divorce) in Arkansas are maintained by the state Department of Health or Vital Statistics. Standard fees: Actual cost of duplication; agencies may charge for staff time at prevailing wag. Certified copies carry separate fee schedules. Fee waivers may be available for journalists, nonprofits, and public-interest requesters - always ask.

The Arkansas Department of Education provides school district and performance data for all public schools in the state. This data includes information on student enrollment, test scores, graduation rates, and other measures of school performance. The data can be accessed through the Arkansas School Performance Reports website. School performance data in Arkansas is collected and published by the Arkansas Department of Education (dese.ade.arkansas.gov). The agency's annual State Report Card covers student achievement, teacher qualifications, per-pupil spending, and demographic breakdowns. Data is disaggregated by student subgroup in compliance with federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requirements. The report card is accessible free of charge through the Arkansas Department of Education (dese.ade.arkansas.gov) website.

According to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, in 2019, Arkansas had a total of 81,945 reported crimes. Of those, there were 6,845 violent crimes and 75,100 property crimes. The violent crime rate in Arkansas was 4.3 per 1,000 people, and the property crime rate was 45.2 per 1,000 people. The Arkansas State Police (ASP), based in Little Rock, AR, publishes Arkansas's official annual crime report. The report breaks down incidents by crime type, county, and municipality, enabling year-over-year trend analysis. Crime rates are expressed per 100,000 residents. Researchers and journalists can download raw data sets from the Arkansas State Police (ASP) website or access aggregated national comparisons via the FBI's National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS).

If arrested in Arkansas, you would be taken to the local county jail. Court appearances are scheduled in the county where the arrest occurred. Under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), arrest records and booking information are generally public. Oversight: Arkansas Attorney General's Office, (800) 482-8982. Appeals go to district or circuit court.

Yes. Arkansas state and public libraries provide access to public records databases. The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (Arkansas Code Annotated § 25-19-101 through § 25-19-119) guarantees public access to government documents. Many libraries offer free access to LexisNexis, court records portals, and vital record indexes. Arkansas public libraries, including the state library in Little Rock, offer free access to public records databases. Patrons can access court dockets, property records, vital statistics indexes, and census microfilm. The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-105) ensures that government records are available for inspection; librarians can assist with formal records requests and guide users to online state portals for birth, death, marriage, and divorce records.

The Arkansas State Library is located in Little Rock, Arkansas. The address is 900 West Capitol Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72201. The Arkansas State Library serves as the official depository for state government publications and provides research assistance to the public, legislators, and state agencies. Collections include historical newspapers, legislative history, court records indexes, and genealogy resources such as Ancestry Library Edition. The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-105) guarantees public access to government documents maintained at the library. Remote access to digital collections is available to Arkansas residents with a library card through the state library's online portal.

Arkansas fingerprinting services are available through the Arkansas State Police, Identification Bureau, at 1 State Police Plaza Dr, Little Rock, AR 72209. Phone: (501) 618-8500. IdentoGO (MorphoTrust) provides statewide fingerprinting appointments at identogo.com or 1-888-483-4632. Local police departments and sheriff offices in Little Rock, Fort Smith, and Fayetteville also offer fingerprinting for employment, licensing, and volunteer background checks.