Forest County Booking Reports
Forest County booking reports document arrests processed through the county's law enforcement system in Tionesta, Pennsylvania. Forest County is the least populated county in the state, with fewer than 7,000 residents. The county does not operate its own full-service jail. Instead, inmates are housed in neighboring county facilities after booking. Despite its small size, Forest County maintains public arrest records that anyone can access under Pennsylvania law.
Forest County Quick Facts
How Forest County Creates Booking Reports
Arrests in Forest County follow the same general process as the rest of Pennsylvania. An officer takes the person into custody and begins the booking procedure. Staff collect the person's name, date of birth, and address. Fingerprints are captured through the LiveScan system. A mugshot is taken. Medical questions are asked. All personal belongings are inventoried and stored.
What makes Forest County different is what happens next. The county does not run a full-service jail. After booking, inmates are transferred to a neighboring county facility for housing. Clarion, Venango, and other nearby jails hold Forest County inmates under agreement. The booking report itself stays on file with Forest County, but the person is held elsewhere.
The Forest County Sheriff's Office at 526 Elm Street in Tionesta handles law enforcement duties. State Police also serve the area. Arrests from both agencies go through the Forest County booking system before transfer. Call 814-755-3541 for questions about arrests or bookings in Forest County.
Find Forest County Arrest Records
Because Forest County is small and has no local jail roster, searching for booking reports works a bit differently here. The UJS Portal is the best online tool for finding Forest County court records. You can search by name or case number. The portal is free and covers every county in the state. It shows charges, court dates, and outcomes for cases filed in Forest County.
You can also call the Forest County Sheriff at 814-755-3541. Staff can answer questions about recent arrests and direct you to the right resource. For inmates held in another county's jail, you may need to contact that facility for current custody details. The Forest County website has contact information for county offices.
Note: Since Forest County inmates are housed in neighboring facilities, check the jail rosters of Clarion, Venango, or Warren counties for current custody status.
Forest County Booking Reports and Public Records Law
Under 65 P.S. § 67.301, Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law gives the public access to government records. This includes Forest County booking reports. You can submit a request to the county's open records officer for any booking report on file. The county must respond within five business days. You do not need to be a Forest County resident or provide a reason for the request.
The image below shows the Forest County area law enforcement resources that process arrests and generate booking reports for the county.
Small copy fees may apply when you request records. The records themselves are open to anyone. This is often the best way to get older Forest County booking reports that predate online systems.
Forest County Criminal History Searches
Booking reports are just one part of a person's criminal record. The Criminal History Record Information Act under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9101 governs how criminal data is managed in Pennsylvania. It sets rules for access, storage, and sharing of records that go beyond what a single booking report shows.
The Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History system at epatch.pa.gov lets you run a statewide search. Results include convictions and pending cases from all 67 counties, including Forest County. The search uses a person's name and date of birth. Sealed and expunged records do not appear.
Expungement in Forest County follows 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122. A person can petition the Forest County Court of Common Pleas to have certain records removed. Cases that ended in dismissal, acquittal, or successful diversion may qualify. The court in Tionesta handles these petitions.
Sealed Records and Clean Slate in Forest County
Act 5 of 2019 created the Clean Slate law. It allows automatic sealing of certain misdemeanor and summary offense records after a period with no new charges. Once sealed, Forest County booking reports tied to those cases are hidden from public view. Law enforcement and a few other agencies can still access them, but the general public cannot.
Juvenile records in Forest County follow 42 Pa.C.S. § 6308. These records are private by default. They do not show up on any public roster or in standard record searches. Only courts, law enforcement, and authorized agencies have access. Parents or guardians can request their child's records through the Forest County court system.
Tracking Forest County Inmates
Because Forest County sends inmates to other facilities, tracking them can take an extra step. VINELink is the best tool for this. Register at vinelink.com and you can receive alerts when an inmate's status changes. Alerts come by phone, text, or email. The system works across all Pennsylvania counties.
VINELink will notify you if a person is released, moved, or escapes. This is especially useful in Forest County, where an inmate may be held in Clarion, Venango, or another county's jail. The alerts cover the actual holding facility, not just the county of arrest. It runs around the clock and is free to use.
Note: When searching VINELink for a Forest County arrest, try the neighboring county facilities where the person may be housed.
Forest County Court and Booking Records
The Forest County Court of Common Pleas sits in Tionesta. All criminal cases that begin with a Forest County booking report move through this court. Arraignments, preliminary hearings, trials, and sentencing happen here. The court also handles petitions for expungement and record sealing.
For basic case information, the UJS Portal provides free access to Forest County court dockets. If you need certified copies of court documents, contact the Clerk of Courts in Tionesta. The office can provide copies of filings, orders, and dispositions tied to Forest County criminal cases.
Nearby Counties
Forest County borders several counties in northwestern Pennsylvania. Since Forest County does not have its own jail, inmates may be held in one of these neighboring facilities. Check their rosters if you cannot find a person in the Forest County system.