Find Terrell County Jail Roster

Terrell County jail roster records track inmates held at the county detention facility in Dawson, Georgia. The sheriff's office runs the jail and keeps booking records that you can access through online tools or by contacting the office directly. Terrell County is a small rural county in southwest Georgia, and the jail handles arrests from across the area. If you need to find someone on the Terrell County jail roster, there are several ways to search. This page covers the main methods for looking up inmates, the laws that govern access, and contact info for the agencies involved.

Terrell County Sheriff Jail Records

The Terrell County Sheriff's Office is the main agency that manages the jail roster in Dawson. The sheriff handles booking, custody, and release for all inmates in the county. When someone is arrested in Terrell County, they get brought to the county jail for processing. The staff logs their name, charges, booking date, and bond amount into the system. That data then becomes part of the Terrell County jail roster, which is available to the public under Georgia law.

Terrell County is part of the Pataula Judicial Circuit. Cases that come through the county jail move to the circuit court for hearings and trials. The county has a small population, so the jail roster does not change as often as in metro areas. Still, bookings happen on a regular basis. You can call the sheriff's office in Dawson during business hours to ask about a specific inmate or to get info on bond and charges.

Search Terrell County Inmates Online

You can look up the Terrell County jail roster without going to the sheriff's office. For the most current jail roster data in Terrell County, contact the sheriff's office by phone. If a person has been moved from the Terrell County jail to a state prison, you need to search the GDC offender search tool. The Georgia Department of Corrections tracks state inmates in a separate system. You can search by name or offender ID for free. The tool shows current facility, charges, and any tentative release dates for state prisoners.

The GDC website also has general info about the state prison system if you need more background on how inmates get transferred from county jails in Georgia.

Terrell County VINE Inmate Alerts

VINE stands for Victim Information and Notification Everyday. It is a free service that tracks custody changes for inmates across Georgia, including the Terrell County jail. You can sign up at VINELink or call 1-800-398-2892 to register. Pick how you want alerts delivered. Phone, text, and email are all options. The system runs around the clock and keeps your identity private.

If someone you are tracking in the Terrell County jail gets released, transferred, or has a status change, VINE sends you a notification right away. Crime victims use this service the most, but anyone can sign up. Georgia supports victim notification through this system statewide. A live person is on the line at all times if you need help setting up your account or have questions about how the alerts work.

Terrell County Jail Records Under Georgia Law

Most Terrell County jail roster records are public under Georgia's Open Records Act, O.C.G.A. Section 50-18-70. You can submit a written request to the sheriff's office for booking data, charges, and related jail records. The law requires a response within three business days. The first 15 minutes of search time cost nothing. After that, the agency can bill you at the hourly rate of the lowest paid staff member who can do the work. Copies run $0.10 per page for standard documents.

Not all records are open. Security procedures, employee personal info, and medical records at the Terrell County jail are exempt from disclosure under O.C.G.A. Section 50-18-72. If the sheriff's office wrongly denies a valid request, O.C.G.A. Section 50-18-74 provides for fines up to $1,000 for the first offense and $2,500 for each additional violation within a year.

O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37 governs criminal history restriction in Georgia. Misdemeanor arrests with no case outcome get restricted after two years. Non-violent felony arrests without a disposition are restricted after four years. Violent felonies wait seven years before restriction applies. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation manages these restrictions through the Georgia Crime Information Center, and the Terrell County jail must comply within 30 days of a written request.

Terrell County Booking Process

When someone is arrested in Terrell County, they get taken to the county jail in Dawson for booking. The process covers fingerprinting, photos, and a record of all charges. Bond amounts are set by a schedule or through a judge. Once the booking is done, the person's info goes on the Terrell County jail roster. Family and friends can then search for them online or by calling the jail.

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association lists contact info for all 159 county sheriffs in the state. You can use their site to find the Terrell County Sheriff's Office phone number and address. The GDC facility directory also lists detention centers across Georgia if you need to find where a specific facility is located.

Note: Booking data can take a few hours to show up on online jail roster sites after an arrest in Terrell County.

Nearby County Jail Rosters

Terrell County sits in southwest Georgia near several other counties. Check these neighbors if you need jail roster data from the surrounding area.