# Can I view my mugshot? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 14, 2006, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-view-my-mugshot/372654 "2006-09-14T08:54:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-view-my-mugshot/372654/1 "2006-09-14T08:54:13Z")
I was arrested once when I was 17. We don’t have to talk about the charges. 🙂 But I was thinking, after looking at the infamous Bill Gates mugshot recently posted in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=388028), that that mugshot they took of me drowsy and pissed off at 3 AM is still on file somewhere, and should be a matter of public record. For obvious reasons, I don’t want to give too many details so I’ll decline to state where I was arrested (though it was in the US). But any general pointers on how I would go about finding this photo? ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-view-my-mugshot/372654/2 "2006-09-14T09:18:51Z")
Oh, god. Don’t look any of mine up either, while you’re at it. ---
**Author:** ![FormerMarineGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/65b543/32.png) [@FormerMarineGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FormerMarineGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-view-my-mugshot/372654/3 "2006-09-14T12:51:08Z")
When I was a recruiter, to access any kind of juvenile records we needed the person’s permission (until I became ‘friendly’ with the lady at the County Clerk’s office). With that being said, your juvenile (age 17) arrest records are not public records by any means (unless you commit certain henious crimes in certain states and were possibly charged as an adult). To access your records, you would probably need to contact the jurisdiction where you were arrested. After five or six forwarded phone calls, a couple of mean ladies, and two voice mails, you will actually get a hold of someone who will tell you to come in and fill out some form/show ID or to mail some stuff in to get something mailed to you. ---
**Author:** ![bkoochin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f04885/32.png) [@bkoochin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bkoochin)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-view-my-mugshot/372654/4 "2006-09-14T16:51:08Z")
Well while we’re at it, how would someone go about getting their mugshots if they were arrested as an adult? Would it be a matter of just visiting the local police station? ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-view-my-mugshot/372654/5 "2006-09-14T17:24:13Z")
[QUOTE=FormerMarineGuy] With that being said, your juvenile (age 17) arrest records are not public records by any means [/QUOTE] Ah, figures. Well at least that’s a plus if I decide to run for president, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![FormerMarineGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/65b543/32.png) [@FormerMarineGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FormerMarineGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-view-my-mugshot/372654/6 "2006-09-14T17:39:29Z")
[QUOTE=Rigamarole] Ah, figures. Well at least that’s a plus if I decide to run for president, I guess. [/QUOTE] Different story, I am sure it would [miraculously](http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=29&art_id=vn20050714080208315C857453) appear all over the place if that were the case. \*if anyone looks I just threw that site in there as a total hijack. I typed in the word miraculously to make sure I was not misspelling it, and that is the first site that pops up.