Arrests.org GA – Georgia Arrest, Inmate & Mugshot Records

Arrests.org GA collects public data from police departments and displays it online. Many people use this website to see recent mugshots or check if someone has gone to jail. But this site is not a government agency. It grabs data from other places. Sometimes the data is old or wrong. You must check official government sources to get the correct facts. Official sources include the county sheriff, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), and the Georgia Department of Corrections. These agencies keep the real files. They update their lists every day. Using official sources protects you from bad data. It also helps you follow the law when you need records for jobs or housing.

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Real Government Sources vs. Third-Party Websites

Websites like Arrests.org GA are data brokers. They use computer programs to copy names and photos from sheriff websites. This process is called scraping. The program might miss a record. It might copy the wrong name. Sometimes a sheriff removes a mugshot because the person was innocent. The third-party site might keep showing that photo for years. This causes problems for the person in the photo.

Official government records work differently. A police officer types the report when they arrest someone. The jail staff updates the computer when they book the person. The court clerk adds notes when the judge makes a decision. This chain of custody makes government records reliable. You can trust them because the law controls them. If a judge orders a record sealed, the government hides it immediately. Third-party sites often ignore these orders because they do not know about them.

Risks of Using Non-Official Sites for Background Checks

You cannot use sites like Arrests.org GA to hire employees. You cannot use them to choose a tenant for your rental house. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a federal law. It says you must use a certified background check company for these decisions. Certified companies must follow strict rules. They must verify the data. If you use a free mugshot site to deny someone a job, you break the law. The person can sue you. Always use official GBI reports or FCRA-compliant services for serious checks.

Georgia Open Records Act Explained

The Georgia Open Records Act (O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70) gives you the right to see public documents. The law says government business should be open. Citizens have a right to know what the police do. This includes seeing who the police arrest. Most arrest reports, jail logs, and incident reports are public. You do not need a special reason to ask for them. You can ask just because you are curious.

Some records stay private. The law protects sensitive details. You cannot see:

• Active Investigation Files: Police keep records secret while they try to solve a crime. Releasing clues could help the criminal escape.
• Juvenile Records: Georgia protects children. Records for kids under 17 are usually sealed. Only parents and lawyers can see them.
• Medical History: Jail medical records are private under HIPAA laws.
• Security Plans: You cannot see blueprints of the jail or police tactical plans.
• Victim Data: The law hides the names and addresses of sexual assault victims to keep them safe.

Locate Inmates in County Jails

Georgia jail list searches start at the county level. The sheriff runs the county jail. If police arrest someone today, that person goes to the county jail first. They stay there until they pay bail or go to court. Large counties like Fulton, Gwinnett, and Cobb have their own online search tools. Smaller counties might not have a website. You must call them directly.

How to Search a Sheriff Booking Log

Follow these steps to check a local jail:

• Know the County: You must know where the police arrested the person. An arrest in Atlanta might be in the Fulton County Jail or the DeKalb County Jail.
• Visit the Sheriff’s Website: Look for a button that says “Inmate Search,” “Jail Roster,” or “Current Inmates.”
• Enter the Name: Type the last name and first name. Some systems let you search by booking date.
• Read the Status: The results show if the person is “In Custody” or “Released.” It lists the bond amount.

The Georgia sheriff’s custody feed updates often. Some updates every hour. Others update once a day. If you do not see the name, try again later. The booking process takes time. Staff must take fingerprints and photos before the name appears online.

Search State Prison Inmates

The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) manages state prisons. People go to prison after a judge convicts them of a felony. They serve sentences longer than one year. The GDC website has a “Find an Offender” tool. This tool covers the whole state. It does not show people in county jails. It only shows people in state prisons.

You can search by:

• Name: Common names return many results. Use other details to narrow it down.
• GDC ID: Every prisoner has a unique ID number. This is the most accurate way to search.
• Case Number: You can use the court case number.

The profile shows the prisoner’s photo. It lists their crimes. It shows which prison holds them. It also lists their maximum release date. This date can change based on good behavior or parole.

Get Official Criminal History Reports

A Georgia arrest lookup on a sheriff’s site only shows one event. A criminal history report shows everything. This report lists every arrest, charge, and conviction in Georgia. The Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) manages this database. The GBI runs the GCIC.

How to Request Your Own Record

You can ask for a copy of your own criminal history. You might do this to fix errors. You might want to see what an employer will see. You must go to a local police station or sheriff’s office. You cannot do this online. You must bring a valid ID. They will take your fingerprints. They charge a fee, usually between $10 and $25. They will print the report for you.

Getting Someone Else’s Record

Georgia law protects privacy. You cannot get someone else’s full criminal history without their permission. They must sign a consent form. This form tells the police that they agree to let them see the record. Many employers use this form for job applicants. Without a signed form, you can only see felony convictions. You cannot see arrests that did not lead to a conviction.

Mugshot Laws and Privacy

Georgia mugshot search sites often charge money to remove photos. Georgia passed a law to stop this. O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19 makes it illegal to charge a fee to remove a mugshot. If a website asks for money to take down your picture, they are breaking the law. You can send them a written request to remove it. They must remove it within 30 days if you meet certain rules. These rules include cases where the police dropped the charges or the court found you not guilty.

Police departments also follow new rules. Many departments stopped posting mugshots on Facebook for minor crimes. They want to protect people’s reputations. A mugshot stays on the internet forever. It can hurt your chances of getting a job, even if you are innocent. The law tries to balance public safety with fairness.

Restrict and Seal Arrest Records

You might want to hide an old arrest from your record. Georgia calls this “Record Restriction.” People used to call it expungement. Restriction does not delete the record. It makes the record invisible to the public. Police and judges can still see it. Employers and landlords cannot see it.

Automatic Restriction for New Cases

The law changed on July 1, 2013. For arrests after this date, restriction happens automatically if you qualify. You qualify if the prosecutor drops the charges. You also qualify if the jury finds you not guilty. The clerk of the court enters the restriction code. You do not have to apply. You do not have to pay a fee.

Applying for Old Cases

For arrests before July 1, 2013, you must apply. You must go to the police department that arrested you. You fill out a Request to Restrict Arrest Record form. The police sent the form to the prosecutor. The prosecutor decides if you qualify. If they approve, they tell the GBI. The GBI restricts the record. This process costs money. You pay an application fee to the police. You pay a processing fee to the GBI.

Check for Arrest Warrants

A warrant is a judge’s order to arrest someone. You might want to know if you have a warrant. This is tricky. Some sheriff websites list active warrants. Most do not. Police do not want to warn criminals. If you call the police to ask about a warrant, they might arrest you on the spot. A lawyer can check for you. A lawyer can call the court without risking your immediate arrest.

Types of warrants include:

• Bench Warrant: The judge issues this when you miss court. It is common for traffic tickets.
• Arrest Warrant: Police get this when they suspect you committed a crime.
• Probation Warrant: This happens when you break probation rules.

Search the Sex Offender Registry

The GBI keeps a list of registered sex offenders. The law requires this list to be public. You can search by city, county, or zip code. The map shows where offenders live. It shows their photos and addresses. It lists the crime they committed. You can sign up for email alerts. The system sends an email when a sex offender moves into your neighborhood. This tool helps families stay safe.

Georgia Vital Records Data

Vital records verify life events. These include birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates. The Georgia Department of Public Health manages these files. These are different from criminal records. But they are often part of a background investigation.

Birth and Death Certificates

Birth certificates are not public records in Georgia. Only the person on the certificate can get a copy. Parents and children can also get copies. You must prove who you are. Death certificates are public, but the Social Security number is hidden. You can order these online through the ROVER system or third-party vendors like VitalChek.

Marriage and Divorce Documents

Marriage licenses are public records. You can view them at the probate court. Divorce decrees are court records. You can view them at the Superior Court clerk’s office. Anyone can look at these documents. They often contain financial details and family information.

Contact Georgia Sheriff Offices

Use this list to contact local authorities for Georgia detention lookup and jail information. Always call during business hours for administrative questions. Call the jail directly for bond information.

Official Contact Information

Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI)
3121 Panthersville Road
Decatur, GA 30034
Phone: 404-244-2600
Visiting Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC)
300 Patrol Road
Forsyth, GA 31029
Phone: 478-992-5000

Frequently Asked Questions

This section answers common concerns about Arrests.org GA and how arrest details are collected, shown, and updated. Many readers use this information to check recent bookings, review charge listings, or confirm custody records. Since data is pulled from public sources across Georgia, clarity about reliability, timing, and verification helps readers avoid confusion and rely on correct records before making any decision.

How accurate is the data on Arrests.org GA?

The data on Arrests.org GA comes from automated scraping tools. These tools copy information from official sheriff websites. The accuracy depends on when the site last copied the data. If a sheriff updates a record to show a dismissal, the third-party site might not update its file for weeks or months. You might see a mugshot for a charge that police already dropped. Always verify what you see by checking the official county sheriff’s website or requesting a formal report from the GBI. Official sources carry the legal weight. Third-party sites do not.

Can I remove my mugshot from a Google search?

Removing a mugshot from Google requires removing the source image. If the image is on a commercial website, you can send a removal request. Georgia law prohibits these sites from charging you a fee. If the image is on a sheriff’s website, it is a public record. However, many sheriffs remove photos from their online rosters after the person is released from jail. Google takes time to update its search results. You can use Google’s “Remove Outdated Content” tool if the original image is gone, but the search result remains.

Does a “nolo contendere” plea show up on my record?

Yes, a plea of “nolo contendere” (no contest) appears on your Georgia criminal history. It means you do not admit guilt but accept the punishment. While it is not a guilty plea, it is a conviction for record-keeping purposes. It will show on background checks. In some cases, a judge might treat a nolo plea differently for sentencing, but the record entry remains visible. Employers will see it and can ask about it.

What is the “First Offender Act” in Georgia?

The First Offender Act allows certain people to avoid a conviction on their permanent record. If you plead guilty under this act, the judge withholds the conviction. You must complete your sentence and probation successfully. Once you finish, the court exonerates you. The case does not count as a conviction. The record changes to show the exoneration. This helps you keep your rights and pass background checks. You can only use this status once in your life. If you get arrested again while on probation, the judge can revoke the status and convict you for the original crime.

How do I check if someone is on probation in Georgia?

Probation records are harder to find online than prison records. The Georgia Department of Community Supervision (DCS) manages probationers. They do not have a public, searchable database for all probationers as the GDC does for prisoners. You often need to contact the local probation office in the county where the person lives. Some court dockets show probation terms. You can search the court clerk’s records in the county where the judge sentenced the person.

Is a DUI a felony in Georgia?

Most first and second DUI offenses in Georgia are misdemeanors. However, a DUI becomes a felony in specific situations. A fourth DUI within ten years is a felony. If the DUI caused serious injury or death to another person, it is a felony. Being a habitual violator can also upgrade the charge. Felony charges carry prison time and higher fines. Arrest records will clearly mark the charge as “Misdemeanor” or “Felony.” This distinction matters greatly for future employment.

Why can’t I find a recent arrest online?

Several reasons might explain a missing record. The booking process takes hours. The jail staff might not have entered the data yet. The person might be in a city jail that does not publish an online roster. If the person is a juvenile, the law forbids publishing the record. Sometimes, the system is down for maintenance. If you know the person is in custody, call the jail booking desk directly. They can confirm the status over the phone even if the website is slow.