Sarasota County Crime Numbers
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) publishes annual crime statistics for all the counties in the state. Its latest reports are for 2017. In that year, Sarasota County recorded 8 murders, 82 rapes, 166 robberies, and 715 aggravated assaults. Reported incidences of property crime include 1,204 burglaries, 6,013 larcenies, and 325 motor vehicle thefts.
Compared to the 2013 crime data for the county, these figures indicate that murder was the only Part I crime to record a higher incidence (8 versus 7) in 2017. The five-year crime trend for Sarasota County reveals falling rape (4.7%), robbery (36.4%), and aggravated assault (6.8%) rates. Burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft reports also declined by 47.4%, 17.9%, and 13.6% respectively.
Sarasota County Criminal Records
The Division of Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) of the FDLE provides criminal background checks for Florida. Citizens can search criminal history records online, submit requests for background checks online, or send mail requests for criminal history records. The first option is the quickest and ideal for preliminary or exploratory background checks. Simply use Instant Search function on the CJIS Criminal History Information webpage. This generates non-certified criminal history reports that anyone can view and download.
For a more detailed background check, submit a request for a criminal history report on the FDLE SHIELD webpage. The CJIS sends the complete report to the requester’s mailing address. You can order certified, non-certified, and notarized criminal history records with this option. To submit a background check request by mail, complete the Criminal History Information Request Form and send it to:
Florida Department of Law Enforcement
Criminal History Services
P.O. Box 1489
Tallahassee, FL 32302
The FDLE charges a $24 fee for background checks regardless of the option selected. It accepts credit/debit card payments for online requests and checks and money orders for mail requests.
While the FDLE provides statewide background checks, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office provides local criminal history upon request. You can request for a background check in person at the Records Section of the Sheriff’s Office. The Records Section is on the first floor of the Criminal Justice Center located at 2071 Ringling Boulevard, Sarasota. It opens to the public from Monday through Friday between 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Alternatively, you can send a written request by mail to:
Attention: Records
Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office
P.O. Box 4115
Sarasota, FL 34230-4115
If you require further assistance or have questions, call the Records Section at (941) 861-4025. The Sheriff’s Office does not charge for local background checks.
Citizens can also search for active warrants in Sarasota County from the website of the Sheriff’s Office. Use the Warrant Search feature to look up wanted individuals by name.
The Sheriff’s Office accepts requests for public records, such as incident and accident reports, prepared by its officers. Visit the Public Records Center to submit your request. You must register on the website and then log in to use this service.
Sarasota County Sex Offender Information
The FDLE maintains a central database of registered sex offenders in Florida and makes this registry available to the public. Visit the Florida Sex Offender Registry to search for registered sex offenders living in Sarasota County. Select Sarasota from the county list to restrict your search to the communities in this county. You can also use the Neighborhood Search function to identify registered sex offenders living in your neighborhood. The University/Campus Search tool is for looking up offenders attending or working in institutions of higher learning located in the county.
Sarasota County Inmate Search
The Sarasota County Jail is located at 2020 Main Street, Sarasota, FL 34237. Its phone number is (941) 861-4165. The Sheriff’s Office oversees the county jail and provides a handy inmate roster to help the public located individuals incarcerated in this facility. A Sarasota County Inmate Search is performed using the inmate’s name or details of their arrest or incarceration.
Friends and family can deposit money in inmates’ commissary accounts at the automated kiosk located in the jail lobby. This kiosk is available 24/7 and accepts credit/debit cards as well as cash (no $1 bills). It charges $4 per cash or credit/debit card deposit. You can also send money to an inmate by mailing a money order to:
Access Corrections
P.O. Box 12486
St. Louis, MO 63132
Sarasota County Court Records
Sarasota County has a Circuit Court and a County Court. Both are located at:
Historic Courthouse
2000 Main Street
Sarasota, FL 34237
(941) 861-7400
The County Court hears civil cases involving up to $15,000 as well as misdemeanor, small claims, and traffic court cases. The Circuit Court handles appeals from the County Court as well as felonies and civil cases involving amounts greater than $15,000. Its jurisdiction also covers family law matters and probate cases as well as juvenile, guardianship, and mental health cases.
The Sarasota County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller maintains the records of both courts, provides public access to case records online, and provides copies on request. To access case information online, visit ClerkNet to search through the records of the courts. Note that users must register and then log in to conduct searches. This portal provides access to civil, criminal, probate, family, wills, guardianship, and traffic case records.
You can also view Sarasota County Court Records at the Clerk’s Sarasota main office and the Venice branch. Below are the addresses of these Public Access Departments:
Sarasota Main Office
Historic Courthouse
2000 Main Street, Room 103
Sarasota, FL 34237
Venice Full-Service Office
R.L. Anderson Administration Center
4000 S. Tamiami Trail, 2nd Floor
Venice, FL 34293
Both locations are open to the public from Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Members of the public can submit requests for court records to the Clerk’s Office by phone, fax, and mail. Call (941) 861-7400 or fax (941) 861-7738 to place a request. Only credit cards are accepted for service fees when requesting records by phone or fax. When requesting court records by mail, send a written request containing a name, case number, years to search, documents needed, and whether you need plain or certified copies. Send this request along with payment to:
Public Access Department
P.O. Box 3079
Sarasota, FL
Check and money orders are accepted for mail requests. Make your check or money order payable to Sarasota County Clerk and Comptroller. The Clerk charges $2 per name per year as a search fee. Copy fee is $1 per page. When requesting certified records, include $2 per document.
Sarasota County Vital Records
Divorce records for Sarasota County are maintained by the Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller. Contact the Clerk’s Office by calling (941) 861-7400 or visiting:
Public Access Department
2000 Main Street, Room 103
Sarasota, FL 34237
While the Sarasota County Clerk provides copies of divorce decrees/judgements, the Bureau of Vital Statistics of the Florida Department of Health issues divorce certificates. Request for a Florida divorce certificate by completing and mailing an Application for Dissolution of Marriage to:
Attn: Vital Record Section
Bureau of Vital Statistics
P.O. 210
Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042
The Bureau of Vital Statistics charges $5 for each certified copy of a divorce certificate and $4 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. These fees are payable with check and money order. Send your check or money along with the application and make it payable to Vital Statistics.
The Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller hosts an index of marriage licenses issued in Sarasota County from 1982 to the present on its website. Find a marriage license issued in the county by searching the Marriage Records portal. You can order copies of marriage records from the Public Access Department of the Clerk’s Office by phone, mail, or fax. Follow the same procedure described above for court records. Fees are also the same.
The Bureau of Vital Statistics of the Florida Department of Health issues marriage certificates as well as birth and death certificates. The steps and fees required to obtain copies of marriage certificate are the same as those described above for divorce certificates. However, you need to submit a completed Application for Marriage Certificate Form.
To obtain a Florida birth or death certificate, visit the Bureau of Vital Statistics at:
1217 N Pearl Street
Jacksonville, FL 32202
(904) 359-6900, ext. 9000
The office opens to the public between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (EST) from Monday through Friday. Search fees are $9 for birth records and $5 for death records. These cover searches for one calendar year and include one certified copy of the record requested. The Bureau of Vital Statistics charges $2 for each additional calendar year searched and $4 for each additional copy of birth or death certificate ordered.
If you choose to submit a mail request for a birth or death record, start by completing an Application for a Florida Birth Record (also in Spanish) or an Application for a Death Record (Spanish). Send this to:
Attn: Vital Records Section
Bureau of Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 210
Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042
Include a photocopy of a valid photo ID with your application as well as a check or money order for search and copy fees. Make your check or money order payable to Vital Statistics.
