Find Dawson County Jail Roster

The Dawson County jail roster shows who is currently held at the detention center in Dawsonville, Georgia. Dawson County sits in the north Georgia mountains and has grown fast in recent years. The sheriff's office manages the jail and updates the roster as inmates are booked in or released. You can check the Dawson County jail roster using online search tools, by calling the sheriff's office, or by going in person. This page covers each search method and how to get the records you need from this county.

Dawson County Sheriff's Office

The Dawson County Sheriff's Office is in charge of the jail and the inmate roster for the area. The office is based in Dawsonville, which serves as the county seat. Staff handle patrol, investigations, court security, and all detention operations. If you need to ask about someone on the Dawson County jail roster, the sheriff's office is the first place to call. They can look up an inmate by name and tell you the current status.

Dawson County has seen steady population growth over the past decade. The area draws people from the north Atlanta metro region who want more space. As the population has gone up, so has the workload at the jail. More arrests mean more names on the Dawson County jail roster at any given time. The sheriff's office has had to adjust staffing to keep up with the pace of bookings.

The jail runs around the clock. Booking happens at any time of day or night. Once a person is processed, their name, charges, and bond info show up on the Dawson County jail roster.

Search Dawson County Inmate Records

There are a few ways to search the Dawson County jail roster. Calling the sheriff's office is the most direct. They can check the roster while you wait on the phone. For online searches, third-party sites that collect Georgia jail data are a solid option. These tools pull booking data from county jails and let you search by name.

You can also use VINELink to track an inmate in the Dawson County jail. VINE is free and sends you alerts when a person's custody status changes. Sign up online or call 1-800-398-2892. You pick whether to get alerts by phone, email, or text. The system works around the clock and is fully confidential.

Dawson County Jail Records and the Law

Georgia's Open Records Act, O.C.G.A. Section 50-18-70, gives the public a right to access most jail roster data in Dawson County. Booking records, arrest info, and inmate details are public unless they fall under a specific exemption. To get formal copies, send a written request to the Dawson County Sheriff's Office. Cite O.C.G.A. Section 50-18-71 in your letter. The office has three business days to respond. The first 15 minutes of search time are free.

Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37, some Dawson County jail records get restricted after a certain amount of time. Misdemeanor arrests with no conviction are restricted after two years. Non-violent felony arrests that never resulted in a case outcome are restricted after four years. Violent felony arrests wait seven years. Once the GCIC restricts a record at the state level, the Dawson County jail must restrict its copy within 30 days of a written request from the individual.

The GDC offender search is the tool to use if someone has been moved from the Dawson County jail to a state prison. It covers all Georgia Department of Corrections facilities but does not include county jail inmates. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation keeps criminal history records at the state level if you need more than what is on the local jail roster.

Note: Agencies that wrongly deny open records requests face fines up to $1,000 under O.C.G.A. Section 50-18-74.

Dawson County Booking Process

When a person is arrested in Dawson County, they are brought to the jail for booking. The process starts with paperwork. Staff take fingerprints and a booking photo. A health screening follows. The person's name, charges, arresting agency, and other details are entered into the system. Once booking is complete, the inmate appears on the Dawson County jail roster.

Bond amounts in Dawson County depend on the charges. Some offenses have a preset bond schedule. Others require a judge to set the amount at a hearing. If bond is posted, the inmate gets released and their name comes off the jail roster. If they can't make bond, they stay in custody until their court date. Bond info is usually visible on the jail roster along with the charges.

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association can help you find the right contact at the Dawson County Sheriff's Office. They represent all 159 elected sheriffs in Georgia and have a directory on their site. For open records from state facilities, the GDC open records page is the place to start.

Nearby County Jail Rosters

Dawson County is in the north Georgia mountains. If you need to check jail rosters in nearby areas, use the links below.