Crime Numbers
In 2017, there were 663 crimes reported in Ashtabula County. Out of this number, 49 were violent crimes: 11 rapes, 5 robberies, and 33 aggravated assaults. While 614 were property crimes: 178 burglaries, 390 larcenies, 46 motor vehicle thefts, and 1 arson. There were no reports of murder.
Crime statistics recorded by the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services (OCJS) in 2013 show an overall decline in property crimes (-54.28%) and violent crimes (-3.92%) within the five-year period. However, a breakdown of the categories shows that robbery (-50%), aggravated assault (-8.33%), burglary (-47.33%), larceny (-58.77%), motor vehicle theft (-22.03%), and arson (-66.67%) rates declined in 2017 compared to 2013. However, rape rate rose by 175% in the same period while there was only one incident of murder in the county.
Criminal Records
The Ashtabula County Sheriff’s Office provides criminal history records and checks for residents of Ashtabula County. To obtain a criminal record, schedule an appointment with the office by calling (440) 576-3545. Then, pay a visit to the office in person with a valid photo ID and a completed ap application form during office hours anytime from Monday to Thursday, at this address:
25 W. Jefferson Street
Jefferson, OH 44047
(440) 576-9090
Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Hours: 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The fees are $48 for FBI Web Check, $40 for BCI Web Check, and $15 for an Ink Fingerprint Card. FBI and BCI checks cost $88. There is only one acceptable payment method: money order.
Ohio’s Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) maintains and provides copies of criminal history records to anyone who wants to verify the information on their records. To obtain a record, applicants must submit the identifying information of the person named on the record such as
- Full name
- Valid address
- Complete set of fingerprints
- A signature or signed consent
The cost per request is $22. This fee is payable by money order, electronic payment, or business check. Make out payments to the Treasurer of the State of Ohio.
Submit the fingerprints electronically to a licensed provider or at one of the following BCI locations:
BCI London
1560 State Route 56 SW
London, OH 43140
BCI Bowling Green
750 North College Drive
Bowling Green, OH 43402
BCI Richfield
4055 Highlander Parkway
Richfield, OH 44286
BCI Youngstown
20 West Federal Street
Youngstown, OH 44503
Come with a valid photo ID when visiting the fingerprinting service provider. Minors are required to have a waiver signed by a parent or legal guardian. The BCI also provides a WebCheck Letter Verifier tool where interested parties can verify the results of background checks.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol provides police records on request. Members of the public in Ashtabula County can order crash reports, criminal investigation reports, and other public records. To order any of these records, email the agency or mail, fax, or phone in the request using the following contact details:
Ohio State Highway Patrol
Central Records
P.O. Box 182074
Columbus, OH 43218-2074
Phone: (614) 466-3536
Fax: (614) 644-9749
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCI&I) provides access to the Offender Search. It is a registry where members of the public can search sex offenders by name, county or city, phone number, or email.
Ashtabula County has one jail run by the Sheriff’s Office. This facility is located at 25 W. Jefferson St. Jefferson, Ohio. Its contact phone number is (440) 576-3539. Interested parties may call this number for inmate information and facility policies.
To fund an inmate's account, visit a kiosk at the jail’s booking office. Acceptable methods of payment include cash, debit card, and credit card.
Court Records
Ashtabula County has 5 Courts. They include a Western County Court, an Eastern County Court, and a Court of Common Pleas, a Juvenile Division, and a Probate Division. The last two Courts are under the Court of Common Pleas.
Find below the businesses hours, contact numbers, and addresses of Courts in Ashtabula County:
Ashtabula County Court - Western Area
117 West Main Street
Geneva, OH 44041
Phone: (440) 466-1184
Fax: (440) 466-7171
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Ashtabula County Court - Eastern Area
25 West Jefferson Street
Jefferson, OH 44047
Phone: (440) 576-3617
Fax: (440) 576-3441
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Ashtabula Court of Common Pleas
25 West Jefferson Street
Jefferson, OH 44047
Phone: (440) 576-3686
Fax: (440) 576-1426
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Ashtabula Juvenile Court
3816 Donahoe Drive
Ashtabula, OH 44004
Phone: (440) 994-6000
Fax: (440) 994-6020
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Ashtabula Probate Court
25 West Jefferson Street
Jefferson, OH 44047
Phone: (440) 576-3453
Fax: (440) 576-3633
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Clerk of Court’s offices in Ashtabula County maintains a website where interested parties can search and inspect court records, except domestic violence records. Note that court records before May 1993 are not available on the website. Neither are records before January 1995 from the Eastern and Western Area Courts.
To obtain domestic violence records, visit the County Clerk of Court’s office during office hours.
The Recorder’s office issues property records in Ashtabula County. It is located at 25 W. Jefferson St. Jefferson, OH 44047. Walk-in to the address to request records or contact the office on (440) 576-3767. It is open on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The office also maintains an index where members of the public can search property records.
Vital Records
Visit the Ashtabula County Court that granted the divorce to obtain copies of divorce records. Certified copies of marriage records may be obtained at the county’s Probate Court.
Interested parties may obtain marriage records by providing the full names of the spouses and date of marriage. To obtain copies of marriage records, visit the Probate Court with a completed Application for Search & Certified Copies of Marriage License. Each copy of this record costs $10. Acceptable forms of payment include cash, money order m and check. The office is open Mondays to Fridays, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The Probate Court in Ashtabula County maintains birth and death records from 1867 to 1908. Interested parties can request these records at the County Clerk’s office.
Residents of Conneaut or Ashtabula City seeking birth or death records from 1909 to present may obtain them at the local health department where the birth or death occurred.
Ashtabula City Health Department
4717 Main Ave.
Ashtabula, OH 44004
(440) 992-7123
Conneaut City Health Department
327 Mill St.
Conneaut, OH 44030
(440) 593-3087
People born in other locales of the county should contact the Ashtabula County Health Department. To order from the Ashtabula County Health Department, submit a written request or Application for Certified Copies in person during office hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays) to the following address:
Ashtabula County Health Department
12 West Jefferson Street
Jefferson, OH 44047
(440) 576-6010
Written requests for birth records must contain the following information about the person named on the record:
- Full name
- Date of birth
- Place of birth
- Name of parents (including mother's maiden name)
- Parents' State of birth
Written requests for death records must contain the following information about the deceased person:
- Full name
- Date of death
- Place of death
Applicants should include their legal names, addresses, phone numbers, signatures, and valid mailing addresses with the request.
The process for ordering these records by mail is the same as that for in-person requests. Mail the request to the Ashtabula County Health Department main office.
The fee is $25 per request. Acceptable payment methods are cash, money order, or certified bank check.
