Hattiesburg, Mississippi Public Records

If you are arrested in the City of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, you will be transported to the Forrest County Jail for booking and processing. During booking, officers will record your personal information, take fingerprints and photographs, and log personal belongings. After booking, you may be held pending arraignment before the Forrest County Court. Under Mississippi law, you have the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney; if you cannot afford legal representation, a public defender will be appointed. Bail may be set at arraignment depending on the charges, your criminal history, and flight risk. Criminal history records are maintained by the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol. The Forrest County Sheriff's Office maintains an online inmate roster at https://www.mdoc.ms.gov/Pages/Inmate-Search.aspx where you can look up current detainees.

The Hattiesburg Public School District serves the city of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. According to the Mississippi Department of Education, the district's overall performance rating for the 2019-2020 school year was a "C". The district's graduation rate was 81.2%, and the district's average ACT score was 17.7.

According to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, the crime rate in Hattiesburg, Mississippi for 2019 was 2,845.7 per 100,000 people. This is higher than the national average of 2,476.7 per 100,000 people. The most common crimes in Hattiesburg were larceny/theft (1,541.3 per 100,000 people), burglary (541.2 per 100,000 people), and motor vehicle theft (179.2 per 100,000 people).

The Hattiesburg Public Library in Forrest County, Mississippi provides residents with access to public records and government document resources. Library cardholders can access online databases including genealogy services, historical newspapers, and Mississippi government records. The reference staff can assist with locating court records, property records, and vital records through the library's online catalog and interlibrary loan network. The library maintains materials on how to submit public records requests under the Mississippi Public Records Act, which governs access to government documents in Mississippi. The library also offers access to genealogy resources including the Hattiesburg Mississippi Archives and Genealogy at https://www.mdah.ms.gov/new/research/genealogy/. Contact the Hattiesburg Public Library reference desk at (601) for assistance or to confirm hours and services.

The Hattiesburg, Mississippi Library is located at 329 Hardy Street, Hattiesburg, MS 39401.

Fingerprinting services in Hattiesburg, Forrest County, Mississippi are available through the Hattiesburg Police Department and the Forrest County Sheriff's Office. Services are provided for employment background checks, licensing applications, immigration purposes, and personal record requests. You will typically need to bring a valid government-issued photo ID and, where applicable, a completed fingerprint card from the requesting agency. Appointments can often be scheduled by calling (601) or by visiting the department's website. Fingerprints are submitted to the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol and the FBI for identity verification and criminal history review. Statewide criminal history checks can also be requested through the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol.

Fingerprinting services for Hattiesburg, Mississippi residents are provided at the Hattiesburg Police Department, which serves Forrest County. Fingerprinting is required for a variety of purposes, including pre-employment background checks, professional licensing (nursing, teaching, law, real estate), volunteer work with children or the elderly, immigration and naturalization applications, firearm purchases, and FBI Identity History Summary requests. To schedule fingerprinting, call the Hattiesburg Police Department at (601) or visit in person. Bring a valid, government-issued photo ID (driver's license or passport) and any required agency forms. Fingerprint cards are typically forwarded to the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol for processing. For statewide fingerprint-based background checks, visit the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol at https://www.dps.state.ms.us/criminal-information-center/.

The City of Hattiesburg, Mississippi offers vital records such as birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, and divorce decrees. To obtain these records, you must submit a written request to the City Clerk's Office at 200 Forrest Street, Hattiesburg, MS 39401.

The request must include the following information:

* Full name of the person on the record
* Date of the event
* Place of the event
* Relationship to the person on the record
* Reason for the request
* Your name, address, and phone number

The City Clerk's Office will provide a certified copy of the requested record, which includes the full name of the person on the record, the date and place of the event, and the names of the parents or spouse, if applicable.

A background check in Hattiesburg, Forrest County, Mississippi typically includes a review of criminal history, driving records, credit history, employment verification, education verification, and sex offender registry status. Employers, landlords, and licensing boards commonly request background checks in Mississippi. Criminal background checks are processed through the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol, which maintains arrest records, convictions, and disposition data for Mississippi residents. The Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol provides official criminal history checks at https://www.dps.state.ms.us/criminal-information-center/. Under the Mississippi Public Records Act, individuals have the right to request their own records. Federal background checks are available through the FBI's Identity History Summary program. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) governs how background check information may be used by employers and landlords.