Official Resources, State Law, and Victim Cases
Louisiana doesn’t have a single all-in-one commercial arrest database, but there are several official government sources where you can search for or request records of arrests and people currently in custody:
- Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections (DPS&C) Offender Locator
https://doc.louisiana.gov/
This is the official state portal for looking up inmates and recent arrests. You can search by name, DOC number, or case number.
The system is connected with the Louisiana Automated Victim Notification System (LAVNS) to provide current info on inmate status. - LAVNS – Louisiana Automated Victim Notification System / VINELink
Vinelink Person
This automated system lets anyone check who is currently in jail, out on release, or has had their status changed.
It tracks people held in parish jails and state prisons for public safety and transparency. - Local Parish Sheriff and Police Department Websites
Many Louisiana sheriffs and police departments publish daily or weekly arrest reports, or offer an online inmate search.
For example, the Shreveport Police Department posts daily arrest logs with names and charges; East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office has a searchable online roster; and the Orleans Parish Sheriff offers an Inmate Inquiry on their site:These resources are free for basic information (name, date, charges), but there may be a fee for certified official records.
- Louisiana State Police Bureau of Criminal Identification
https://www.lsp.org/services/criminal-records/
This office keeps the central database of criminal histories in Louisiana (LACCH), including arrests and court results.
Public access is limited — law enforcement can request full reports, but regular citizens can only request their own record (for a fee) via the official portal.
All these sources are official and non-commercial. They operate under the Louisiana Public Records Law, making most arrest data open to the public — except for protected categories outlined by law.
Why do we publish?
We believe that access to accurate public records is a key part of public safety and transparency. That’s why we maintain and publish the Domestic Violence Offender Database — making information about domestic violence offenders available to everyone, not just officials. Our goal is to help the community stay informed, support victims, and encourage accountability at every level.
See Who's Been Arrested: Offender Lookup - Louisiana (LA)
Looking for names and details of individuals arrested for domestic violence in Louisiana?
Visit our Offender Lookup - Louisiana (LA) page, where you can browse recent and archived records by parish.
We currently cover these Louisiana parishes:
- Acadia
- Allen
- Ascension
- Assumption
- Bossier
- Caddo
- DeSoto
- Iberia
- Iberville
- Jefferson Davis
- Lafayette
- Lafourche
- Lincoln
- Livingston
- Orleans
- Ouachita
- St. Charles
- St. James
- St. John the Baptist
- St. Mary
- St. Tammany
- Terrebonne
- Vermilion
- Washington
You can search by parish to find arrest records and offender details.
Go to Offender Lookup - Louisiana (LA)
Louisiana Law on Publication and Access to Arrest Information
Public Access: Under Louisiana’s Public Records Law, most arrest records are open to anyone who asks. This principle of transparency helps ensure police and courts stay accountable. But, like everywhere, there are some exceptions — Louisiana Revised Statute RS 44:3 spells out what info is off-limits:
- Juvenile Arrests: Any record involving a person under 18 is confidential.
- Active Investigations: Info about open cases or ongoing police investigations isn’t released to the public.
- Victims of Sex Crimes: Arrest records that could identify the victim of a sex crime are not released.
- Arrests in Cases Still in Court: If a criminal case hasn’t been resolved, the arrest report might be withheld until the process is complete.
- Status Offenders: Certain minor offenses (like truancy, running away, etc.) involving youth are never released.
- Undercover Officers/Informants: Any details that could reveal the identity of undercover police or confidential informants are always removed.
- Unconvicted Arrests: If someone is arrested but hasn’t been found guilty, those records can be withheld.
- Bodycam/Audio Footage: Videos or audio that violate privacy (like footage inside private homes) are generally not released unless absolutely necessary.
The law tries to balance public access to crime info with personal privacy and the right to a fair trial. For example, sexual assault victims and minors are shielded from exposure, and people who haven’t been convicted are protected from being publicly shamed before a verdict.
Mugshots and Recent Changes
Louisiana’s rules on mugshots (arrest photos) have changed several times in recent years. In 2022, the state passed a law that banned police from publishing most mugshots before conviction. The idea was to stop ruining people’s reputations when they might be innocent. Exceptions were made for fugitives, threats to public safety, or serious crimes (like sex crimes or human trafficking).
The law also forced commercial mugshot sites to remove a person’s photo within 7 days — and for free — if they were acquitted or the charges were dropped. This was meant to stop the “pay to remove your mugshot” extortion racket.
But in 2024, those restrictions were rolled back. As of August 1, 2024, Louisiana law once again lets police and sheriffs publish mugshots for any type of arrest, at their discretion. The reason? Too much red tape for local law enforcement. Still, many news outlets now choose not to publish mugshots unless it’s in the public interest.
Expungement and Confidentiality
Louisiana allows people to “expunge” (seal) their arrest or conviction record in certain circumstances (like after the statute of limitations runs out or after completing a court diversion program). Once a record is expunged, it’s no longer public and becomes confidential — only law enforcement, courts, or certain licensing boards can see it.
Bottom line: Most arrest records are public in Louisiana, but some are protected for privacy or fairness. Sharing arrest info from open sources is legal, but you can’t publish info about protected categories (victims, minors, undercover cops, etc.) or use it to harass or defame. The state has taken steps to stop mugshot abuse and to help people move on after acquittal or expungement.