Under New York law, parties who can view or obtain a nonpublic arrest record include the subject of the record (with ID), someone the subject designates (with ID), and official personnel for approved purposes. Any other party must procure a court order that permits disclosure.
In the United States, criminal records, like most criminal proceedings, are generally considered public. Public court proceedings are meant to hold the justice system accountable by allowing the public and media to see and report justice at work.