Barrow County Jail Roster and Booking Reports
Barrow County booking reports are public records created by the Sheriff's Office in Winder each time someone is taken into custody at the county jail. These records identify who is in the jail, what charges were filed, and when the booking occurred. Barrow County is a growing area northeast of Atlanta, and the sheriff's office processes a steady volume of bookings. Anyone can search these records in person at the jail or request copies through the Open Records Act.
Barrow County Quick Facts
Searching Barrow County Booking Records
The Barrow County Sheriff's Office in Winder maintains the county jail and all booking data. The jail docket is a public record, and you can view it by visiting the office during business hours. Staff can look up entries by name or date range. Most people find what they need in a single visit without needing a formal request. Just walk in and ask for the booking roster or a specific entry.
For those who need copies or who live outside the Winder area, an Open Records request is the best route. Georgia's Open Records Act (O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 et seq.) requires a response within three business days. The first 15 minutes of search time is free. Fees may apply after that for staff labor. Email requests save time if you're submitting from out of town.
Barrow County's population has grown significantly over the past two decades as families moved from the Atlanta metro area. This growth has led to a larger jail population and more booking activity than in earlier years. The county added jail capacity to handle this increase.
Details in a Barrow County Booking Report
Georgia law specifies what every county booking report must include. O.C.G.A. § 42-4-7 requires the sheriff to record the name, age, sex, race, charges, and booking and release dates for each person in custody. Every entry in the Barrow County Jail docket meets this standard. These are not optional fields. The sheriff is legally required to keep them for every person booked.
Beyond the required fields, booking reports in Barrow County often show the arresting agency, bond status, and whether the person was moved or transferred. A booking photo may be included in the file. Georgia law under O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19 bars law enforcement agencies from sharing booking photos with commercial mugshot websites. This prevents private companies from profiting off arrest images by charging fees for photo removal.
Note: Being booked does not mean a person was convicted. Many people in the Barrow County Jail are awaiting their first court appearance.
Georgia Department of Corrections for State Inmates
The Barrow County Jail holds people arrested locally. Once someone is convicted and sentenced to a state prison term, they leave county custody and enter the Georgia Department of Corrections system. The county jail roster will no longer list them after that transfer.
You can search for state inmates at the GDC offender search. The GDC query form lets you search by name or offender number. For written certified records, mail your request to Inmate Records and Information, PO Box 1529, Forsyth, GA 31029. This is the correct contact for people in GDC custody, not for Barrow County jail records.
Georgia Department of Corrections find an offender search
Use the GDC portal for people serving state prison sentences. For local Barrow County jail records, contact the sheriff in Winder.
GBI GCIC and Comprehensive Criminal History
The Georgia Crime Information Center, part of the GBI, holds criminal history records for all of Georgia. GCIC is different from a county jail search. It includes arrest data from multiple counties, court outcomes, and sentencing records. A county jail roster only shows the current and recent local jail population. GCIC gives the broader statewide picture.
To request a GCIC record, you need to schedule an appointment with the GBI office. Walk-ins are not accepted. Phone: 404-244-2639. Office: 3121 Panthersville Road, Decatur, GA 30034. The GBI FAQ explains the process in detail, including what ID to bring and what to expect from the report. Visit the GCIC overview page for general program information.
VINE Alerts and Georgia Open Records Rights
If you want to track an inmate's status in the Barrow County Jail without checking manually, use VINE. It is free and available at VINELink.com. After registering, you choose your alert method, and the system monitors the jail record for changes. When the inmate is released, transferred, or their status changes, you get an alert without any manual effort on your part.
Georgia's Open Records Act makes Barrow County's booking data broadly accessible. Any person, resident or not, has the right to inspect these records. The sheriff's office cannot require you to justify your reason for looking. This is a core principle of Georgia's public records law. The act covers not just booking logs but also court records, incident reports, and many other documents held by county agencies.
For court-related records in Barrow County, the Georgia Courts website lists contact details for the Superior Court Clerk and case lookup tools. Cases that started with a booking in Winder may have court records showing how they progressed to plea, trial, or dismissal. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association publishes monthly statewide jail reports with data on booking volume and capacity across all 159 counties.
Nearby Counties
These counties neighbor Barrow and each maintain separate booking records through their own sheriff's offices.