Charlton County Arrest Records and Booking Reports
Charlton County booking reports are maintained by the Sheriff's Office in Folkston and are open to public inspection under Georgia's Open Records Act. Each report is created when someone is processed into the Charlton County Jail, recording the person's name, charges, and booking date. Charlton County is in the far southeast corner of Georgia near the Florida state line, and the sheriff's office handles all county jail bookings for this rural region.
Charlton County Quick Facts
Accessing Charlton County Booking Records
The Charlton County Sheriff's Office in Folkston maintains the county jail and all booking records. Walk-in access during business hours is the most direct way to see the records. You can ask to view the current roster or request specific entries by name or date. No appointment is needed for a basic in-person inspection, and you do not need a reason for your request.
Written Open Records requests are also valid. Georgia's Open Records Act (O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 et seq.) gives agencies three business days to respond. The first 15 minutes of search time is free. A reasonable fee may apply after that for staff labor. Both mail and email requests are accepted. If a request is denied, the office must provide a written explanation citing the specific legal exemption.
Note: Charlton County contains the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. US Fish and Wildlife Service officers operating in the refuge area may make arrests that result in county jail bookings. Those entries appear in the same Charlton County booking system as local arrests.
What a Charlton County Booking Report Contains
Georgia state law defines what every county booking record must include. Under O.C.G.A. § 42-4-7, the Charlton County Sheriff must document the arrested person's full name, age, sex, race, the charges, and the booking and release dates for every person taken into county custody. These fields are mandatory and are part of the public record for all bookings, regardless of the charge or how long the person remains in jail.
Booking records may also include the arresting agency, bond status, holds from other agencies, and transfer information. Booking photos may be part of the file. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19, law enforcement agencies in Georgia cannot share those photos with commercial mugshot websites. The Charlton County Sheriff follows this state requirement. Photos can be requested directly through the Open Records process.
Georgia Department of Corrections for State Inmates
Charlton County booking records cover only those held in the local county jail. People convicted in Charlton County and transferred to a Georgia state prison are no longer in county custody. Their records move to the Georgia Department of Corrections. The two systems are separate and independent.
Search for state inmates at the GDC offender search tool. The GDC query form allows searches by name or GDC offender ID. For certified written records, mail your request to Inmate Records and Information, PO Box 1529, Forsyth, GA 31029. The Charlton County Sheriff cannot provide GDC records. These are two completely separate systems.
Georgia Department of Corrections offender search portal
State inmates are tracked by the GDC. For people held in the Charlton County Jail, contact the sheriff's office in Folkston.
GBI GCIC Statewide Criminal Records
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation maintains GCIC, the statewide criminal history database. GCIC covers arrests, charges, and court dispositions from all 159 Georgia counties. It is a more comprehensive source than a single county's jail roster. If you need a full picture of someone's Georgia criminal history, GCIC is the right tool to use.
GCIC access requires a scheduled appointment at the GBI office. Walk-ins are not allowed. Call 404-244-2639 to schedule. The office is at 3121 Panthersville Road, Decatur, GA 30034. Read the GBI FAQ before going to understand what documents to bring. The GCIC overview page explains the database's scope and what information it includes.
VINE Notification and Open Records in Charlton County
VINE is a free inmate notification service available for the Charlton County Jail. Register at VINELink.com and choose your contact method. VINE monitors jail records continuously and sends automatic alerts by phone, text, or email when an inmate's status changes. No manual checking is needed. The service runs around the clock and covers all Georgia counties, including Charlton.
Georgia's Open Records Act gives every person equal access to Charlton County booking data. The law does not require residency or a stated reason. Walk-in access at the Folkston sheriff's office is available during business hours. Written requests are also valid, with a three-business-day response requirement. Denials must be documented in writing with specific legal justification. For court records after a Charlton County arrest, the Georgia Courts website provides Superior Court contacts and case lookup resources. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association releases monthly statewide jail data. As of January 2026, 67.9% of Georgia county jail inmates were awaiting trial.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Charlton in southeast Georgia. Each maintains its own jail and booking records through the county sheriff.