In the last decade, Mississippi's crime rate consistently remained below the national average, with violent crimes ranging between 27 to 30 percent below the standard of the most violent states.
The Federal Bureau of Intelligence reports show that the most common crimes in the state are homicides, most of which occurred in Jackson County.
The government has since implemented justice reforms to reduce crime, including homicide trends. Warrants have always been an excellent way to catch and detain offenders in the state, and several residents receive them annually due to violent and non-violent crimes.
You must conduct a Mississippi warrant search to know if you or someone you like has one and what to do to cleanse your records.
Delving into Outstanding Warrants in Mississippi
Warrants are legal orders that give law enforcement officers the power to make an arrest, search, or seizure. In Mississippi, you can access active warrants as well as resolved warrants.
As in other states, the judicial branch approves warrants when there is suspicion that someone has committed a crime.
Nevertheless, warrants can also be issued for things like not showing up in court or not paying a fine. Active warrants are outstanding orders that haven't been executed, while resolved warrants are orders that have been settled by the suspect or managed by the police officers.
With an active warrant, law enforcement holds the authority to do what's necessary to capture the person or search the object named in the warrant.
Common Types of Warrants in Mississippi
There are various kinds of warrants issued in Mississippi; these six are the most common:
1. Arrest warrants: It is a warrant issued by a magistrate or grand jury to authorize a team of law enforcement officials to apprehend and detain an individual who allegedly committed a crime within the state's jurisdictions.
2. Search warrant: It is a warrant issued by the judicial branch to legalize a search operation by the police department. These searches focus on obtaining evidence on a person, object, or location to help the department's investigation.
3. Bench warrant: It is issued when a defendant fails to comply with court orders or refuses to attend court hearings.
4. Fugitive warrant: It is issued when an alleged criminal flees Mississippi to another state. The warrant authorizes law enforcement in the other state to apprehend, detain, and deport the suspect back to Mississippi whenever they find them.
5. Capias warrant: It is a warrant authorized against a court defendant when they refuse to comply or fulfill the conditions of their release from jail.
6. Alias warrant: It is a warrant issued by a grand jury or magistrate when a defendant fails to come from their scheduled court hearings despite being summoned with regular warrants.
Anyone Can Obtain Warrant Information in Mississippi
Warrants are public records. As such, anyone interested can seek them for the state organizations maintaining the records. You can also check for yourself or someone you know. Employers can obtain non-private criminal records of potential employees, while landlords can do the same for potential tenants.
Locating Warrants in Mississippi Using the State's Most Wanted List
If you're searching for outstanding warrants in Mississippi, a helpful resource, to begin with, is the Most Wanted List, published regularly by the Mississippi Department of Public Safety.
The list is a comprehensive database of wanted individuals featuring their names, photographs, birth dates, genders, and addresses. Additionally, the database provides details about suspects, including their names, pictures, birth dates, genders, and addresses.
Retrieving Warrants in Mississippi Through the Local Sheriff's Department
If you choose to start from your local county, the local sheriff's office, specifically the warrant division, is the next place to inquire about outstanding warrants.
Visit the agency in person or log into their official website if they have one. You may find the address and contact information of all Mississippi county Sheriff's offices here.
Meanwhile, the Desoto County Sheriff's warrant division has one of Mississippi's most updated and accurate warrant lists.
The Clerk Offers Warrant Information Also
Another good option is contacting the Mississippi County court clerk to request information about outstanding criminal history records formally.
Each county has a personal clerk of court office, but you can also go to the supreme court offices at 450 High Street, Jackson, Mississippi 39201, or call them through their phone number (601) 359-3694.
Truepeoplesearch Offers Warrant Information for Free!
Truepeoplesearch.io is a third-party public records website that compiles warrant information from all record holders in the state, such as the judicial branches and the law enforcement agency.
They keep and maintain this information in a comprehensive database, offering requesters to retrieve the data whenever they want.
Once you enter the necessary keyword, the record name, and the person's address, you will get the results in seconds. The service is free and up-to-date.
Do This if You Find a Warrant for Your Arrest
Mississippi law enforcement officials are diligent workers who are always on the lookout to apprehend wanted criminals and offenders. To avoid holding the short stick in this situation, do the following as soon as you confirm there's a warrant for your arrest:
1. Contact your legal advisor if you have one. If you don't, hire one immediately. They have the resources to resolve a minor offense warrant without police detention. While they can negotiate on your behalf on more serious warrants.
2. Turn yourself in to the issuing law enforcement agency. Check the information on your warrant to know the office that issued the warrant. It would help if you went with your legal advisor when surrendering to the authorities.
Bottom Line
Here's a quick warning if you plan to flee the state or ignore your warrants, it's not worth it. The warrant will always hang over your head wherever you find yourself because they remain active indefinitely.
Not to mention a fugitive warrant will have you extradited to the state in no time.
Prosecutors can wait days, weeks, months, and even years to apprehend, detain and lawfully present you before the court for trial.