Georgia Inmate Search

According to the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC), more than 47,000 offenders are housed in Georgia prisons. As of December 31, 2022, the state's incarceration rate is estimated at 435 per 100,000 residents, indicating a higher percentage of incarcerated persons compared to many other states in the nation. Similarly, Calhoun and Stewart counties have more than a quarter of their population incarcerated.

The State of Georgia provides an inmate search tool to help friends and relatives seeking information about loved ones housed in Georgia prisons find them. The Department of Corrections provides an online offender query system, allowing users to perform an inmate search in Georgia to locate inmates, view their current status, and find facility contact information.

What is Georgia Inmate Lookup?

Georgia inmate lookup refers to the process of accessing detailed information about individuals incarcerated in Georgia's correctional facilities. This service is provided by the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) through its online inmate search tool. The purpose of the inmate lookup is to provide a user-friendly platform for families, legal representatives, and the general public to find specific details about inmates, including their current location, charges, sentencing information, and incarceration status.

The Georgia inmate lookup tool is proof that the state considers transparency critical in gaining and maintaining the trust of the public in Georgia's correctional system. Consequently, families and loved ones may use this service to maintain communication and plan for visitations, which may be vital for an inmate's successful reintegration into society after release.

What Information Can You Find in a Georgia Inmate Search?

You may find the following information when you conduct an inmate search in Georgia:

• Inmate's full name
• Inmate's GDC ID number
• Inmate's physical description (year of birth, race, gender, height, weight, eye color, and hair color)
• Inmate's scars, marks, and tattoos
• Inmate's incarceration details
• Inmate's actual release date
• Inmate's known aliases
• Inmate's offense information
• Inmate's Georgia incarceration history

How Are Inmate Records in Georgia Created and Stored?

Georgia inmate records are created when someone is arrested by local law enforcement. The initial paperwork is commonly referred to as a RAP sheet, where the person's name, address, physical description, and criminal activity are recorded. These records are kept in an online database so that later other members of law enforcement, corrections authorities, and the general public can perform an inmate lookup. These records change with each event that takes place in the inmate's life and they are updated frequently, usually daily.

What Does Georgia's Prison System Look Like?

The Georgia prison system comprises different correctional facilities, including state prisons, county jails, transitional centers, private correctional centers, and special detention facilities. The state determines where to put an inmate depending on the type of crime committed and the penalty imposed by law for such a crime.

State-operated prisons play a vital role as they typically house individuals who committed serious offenses and have been punished with lengthy jail terms. The Georgia Diagnostic Class Prison, housing adult male felons and close security, has the highest inmate capacity among state prisons in the state, accommodating up to 2,487 inmates. This facility serves as the primary intake center for male offenders in the state, conducting diagnostic evaluations before assigning inmates to permanent facilities. Georgia state prisons are categorized per security levels, including minimum, medium, and maximum security, based on the severity of inmates' crimes and behavior.

In addition to state prisons, county jails, such as the Fulton County Jail and Gwinnett County Jail, house pretrial detainees and individuals serving short-term sentences. These jails are managed by county sheriff departments and often collaborate with the GDC to transfer inmates as required.

The state also utilizes transitional centers, which serve as halfway houses for inmates nearing the end of their sentences. These centers, like the Atlanta Transitional Center, focus on reentry programs, helping inmates secure employment, housing, and life skills training to ease their reintegration into society.

Private correctional facilities may further supplement Georgia's prison infrastructure. Such facilities typically operate under state-approved contracts and handle overflow populations from state-operated correctional facilities.

Types of Correctional Facilities in Georgia

The state of Georgia has the traditional state prisons which house the majority of inmates. They also have specialized treatment programs for inmates suffering from addictions and substance abuse issues. Additionally, they also have reentry programs called "Transitional Centers" to help inmates readjust to society before being released. They have seven probation detention centers for offenders who were sentenced to probation but violated the terms or were sent to probation before being released under supervision. Georgia also has juvenile detention centers for underage offenders and federal prisons for federal inmates.

Georgia State Prisons

Georgia has 34 state-operated prisons. These include:

• Arrendale State Prison
• Augusta State Medical Prison
• Baldwin State Prison
• Burruss Correctional Training Center
• Calhoun State Prison
• Central State Prison
• Coastal State Prison
• Dodge State Prison
• Dooly State Prison
• Emanuel Women's Facility
• Georgia Diagnostic and Classification State Prison
• Hancock State Prison
• Hays State Prison
• Johnson State Prison
• Lee Arrendale State Prison
• Macon State Prison
• Montgomery State Prison
• Phillips State Prison
• Pulaski State Prison
• Rogers State Prison
• Rutledge State Prison
• Smith State Prison
• Telfair State Prison
• Valdosta State Prison
• Walker State Prison
• Ware State Prison
• Washington State Prison
• Whitworth Women's Facility
• Wilcox State Prison
• Women's Probation Detention Center

Georgia County Jails

Georgia has over 100 county jails in the state. These include:

• Appling County Jail
• Bacon County Jail
• Baker County Jail
• Baldwin County Jail
• Banks County Jail
• Barrow County Jail
• Bartow County Jail
• Ben Hill County Jail
• Bibb County Jail
• Brantley County Jail
• Brooks County Jail
• Bryan County Jail
• Bulloch County Jail
• Burke County Jail
• Butts County Jail
• Calhoun County Jail
• Camden County Jail
• Carroll County Jail
• Catoosa County Jail
• Charlton County Jail
• Chatham County Jail
• Chattahoochee County Jail
• Chattooga County Jail
• Cherokee County Jail

Georgia Juvenile Detention Centers

The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) oversees several Regional Youth Detention Centers (RYDCs) and Youth Development Campuses (YDCs) across the state. These facilities provide secure care, supervision, and treatment services to youth who have been charged with offenses or are awaiting court proceedings. Georgia typically places committed youth in one of the following YDCs:

• Atlanta YDC
• Augusta YDC
• Eastman YDC
• Macon YDC (girls are usually held here)
• Milledgeville YDC
• Muscogee YDC

RYDCs usually provide temporary care and supervision to youth charged with offenses or adjudicated delinquent who are awaiting placement. On the other hand, YDCs provide care and treatment to youth committed to the DJJ's custody for long-term programs.

Georgia Community Correctional Facilities

The Georgia Department of Community Supervision (DCS) oversees community correctional facilities across the state, operating programs designed to provide alternatives to support offender reintegration. Some of the DCS programs may organize supervised community work projects as an intermediate sanction for offenders within the criminal justice system. While these programs ensure public safety, they also allow offenders to contribute positively to society as part of their rehabilitation process.

Additionally, Georgia operates Day Reporting Centers (DRCs), which serve as structured environments where offenders receive treatment, education, and support tailored to address specific challenges. Participation in a DRC may be mandated as part of parole, probation, or pre-release supervision. Georgia has several DRCs strategically located across the state.

Why are People Incarcerated in Georgia?

Offenders in Georgia are incarcerated for a variety of offenses, which are often grouped into nonviolent and violent crimes. Nonviolent crimes do not typically involve harm to life and they include drug possession, theft, fraud, and property-related offenses. These crimes often result in shorter sentences or alternative correctional programs focused on rehabilitation, such as probation or participation in community service. Violent crimes, including assault, homicide, armed robbery, and sexual offenses, require stricter penalties and longer incarceration periods to protect public safety and ensure justice for victims.

Georgia emphasizes rehabilitation for nonviolent offenders, providing programs designed to tackle the root causes of criminal behaviors, such as substance abuse treatment, vocational training, and educational support. These initiatives aim to help individuals reintegrate into society successfully and reduce recidivism.

Members of the general public interested in conducting an inmate search to find an incarcerated individual may use the Georgia inmate search tool provided on the GDC's website. This resource allows users to access details about offenders, including their charges, sentencing, and current location. Families and concerned parties may use this tool to stay informed and maintain connections with incarcerated individuals.

Georgia's Incarceration Rate and Statistics

Georgia state prison population is typically around 50,000 annually. The incarceration rate per 100,000 population has also been above 400 in recent years. The table below shows prison population and incarceration rates in the state between 2018 and 2022.

Life After Incarceration in Georgia

Inmates released after serving time in Georgia prisons and county jails in the state usually go home to family or friends. However, there may be challenges in reintegrating into society due to the stigma often associated with ex-inmates. In response to this, the state has implemented reentry programs aimed at facilitating this re-transition into society. Reentry programs in the state are generally handled by the Reentry and Cognitive Programming Unit of the Georgia Department of Corrections.

The Reentry and Cognitive Programming Unit also aims to reduce recidivism via collaborative partnerships supporting offender placement into evidence-based interventions. Some of the initiatives of the Unit include:

• Fatherhood Program
• Community Coalitions
• Vital Records Partnership
• Reentry Partnership Housing Program
• Veterans Administration
• Atlanta DOC TC/Atlanta Watershed Partnership

Despite the best intentions of the Reentry and Cognitive Programming Unit of the GDC, Georgia reports an over 30% recidivism rate.

How Does Parole Work in Georgia?

Parole in Georgia is a supervised release program allowing eligible inmates to serve part of their sentence outside prison under specific conditions. Managed by the State Board of Pardons and Paroles, it aims to reintegrate offenders into society while ensuring public safety.

Eligibility for parole in Georgia depends on the type of offense and behavior during incarceration. The parole board evaluates each case, considering factors such as the inmate's rehabilitation progress and risk to the community. Parolees must adhere to conditions like maintaining employment, avoiding criminal activity, and meeting regularly with a parole officer. Violations of parole terms may lead to revocation and a return to prison.

Georgia Parole Population in 2022

How Does Someone Get Probation in Georgia?

Probation is a court-ordered alternative to incarceration that allows individuals to serve their sentence under supervision in the community. It is typically granted to individuals convicted of nonviolent offenses or first-time offenders to encourage rehabilitation while reducing prison overcrowding.

To receive probation, the Georgia court evaluates factors such as the nature of the crime, the offender's criminal history, and their likelihood of reoffending. Judges may impose probation during sentencing or as part of a plea agreement. Conditions of probation often include regular meetings with a probation officer, community service, restitution payments, and participation in treatment programs.

Georgia Probation Population in 2022