Imagine seeing your face online years after an arrest—long after charges were dropped. Mugshots are public records by law, but in today’s search-driven world, they’ve become tools of public shaming and private profit.
Why Are Mugshots Public?
Under U.S. law, mugshots are considered public records. That means they’re accessible through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests at the federal level—and through public records laws at the state level.
Federal Access
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) allows you to request arrest records from federal agencies like the FBI or U.S. Marshals. Agencies typically respond within 20 business days; however, more complex requests can take several months. In 2023, the Department of Justice processed over 800,000 of these requests.
Mugshots can be denied if they involve ongoing investigations or pose a national security risk. But many are released—one well-known example: Jeffrey Epstein’s mugshot, obtained through FOIA in 2019.
State-Level Differences
State laws vary. Some make mugshots available immediately after arrest, while others protect or seal them—especially if charges are dropped or dismissed.
Examples:
- Texas: Mugshots are publicly available after arrest.
- Florida: Offers instant downloads via clerk websites.
- Illinois: Allows record sealing after acquittals.
- New York: Redacts juvenile records.
These differences affect privacy and access. Where mugshots are harder to obtain, studies show a decrease in the stigma surrounding past arrests.
If you want to check or request your mugshot, start with your state Attorney General’s website.
A Brief History of Mugshot Access
Mugshots have been public for over a century. In the 1880s, the New York Police Department adopted a system that photographed arrestees. By the 1920s, the FBI began building a national database.
Then came FOIA in the 1970s, followed by online court record systems in the 2000s. This made it easier for the public—and websites—to access and share mugshots.
A good example is the infamous 1934 mugshot of John Dillinger. It’s now a part of public history. But for ordinary people, this visibility can be damaging.
How Mugshots Became a Business
After 2005, websites started scraping county jail databases and publishing mugshots online. These sites profited by charging removal fees or earning ad revenue from traffic.
How They Work
- Use bots to pull arrest records.
- Optimize pages for Google search.
- Charge fees—often $100 to $500—to remove a photo.
- Monetize traffic through ads or paid takedown services.
Some sites were eventually shut down. But many still operate, sometimes under different names or outside U.S. jurisdiction.
Are Removal Fees Legal?
In many cases, no. Fifteen states now label mugshot removal fees as a form of extortion. Florida, Georgia, and California have passed laws banning or capping these fees. Others require sites to remove images upon request, at no additional cost.
In 2016, Mugshots.com was fined $1.5 million for deceptive practices. Still, some sites exploit legal gray areas or host offshore to avoid U.S. enforcement.
If you’re facing a pay-to-remove situation:
- Document the URL and take screenshots.
- File a complaint with your state’s Attorney General.
- Check for removal help at sites like RemoveMugshot.com
Legal Pushback and Reform
Since 2012, over 20 states have passed laws targeting mugshot websites. Court cases have also started to shift the legal landscape:
- Ferguson v. City of Charleston (2001): Raised privacy concerns about public record access.
- Florida v. Mugshots.com (2014): Shut down the site for breaking consumer protection laws.
- Doe v. Google (2015): Limited some Section 230 protections for exploitative sites.
Many states now allow you to seal or expunge your arrest records if you were acquitted. The process varies, but most involve a petition through the local court.
Ethics, Stigma, and Real-World Consequences
Even if your case was dismissed, your mugshot might still show up online. That affects jobs, housing, and even relationships.
- A RAND study found a 25% increase in unemployment tied to public mugshots.
- The FTC has tracked a 15% rise in identity theft related to exposed arrest data.
Teachers, nurses, and others have lost jobs over decade-old arrests.
Groups like the ACLU argue that public mugshots punish people before they’re convicted—and long after they’ve moved on.
What You Can Do
If your mugshot is public, here are the practical next steps:
- Check if it’s online – Use reverse image search tools or Google your name + “mugshot.”
- Document everything – Keep links, screenshots, and dates.
- Request removal – Start with a free removal request. Avoid paying unless legally advised.
- File for expungement – If eligible, sealing your record can help clear your name.
- Set up alerts – Use tools like Google Alerts to monitor future mentions of your brand or keywords.
What Comes Next?
As AI tools make facial recognition easier, the risks of mugshot misuse grow. But so do efforts to fix the system.
- Colorado passed a law in 2022 that reduced mugshot visibility by 40%.
- Federal reforms are expected by 2025, especially around biometric privacy.
For now, protecting your name means knowing your rights—and acting quickly when your image shows up in the wrong place.