Search Screven County Booking Reports

Screven County booking reports are kept by the Sheriff's Office in Sylvania and are open to the public under Georgia law. These records document each person booked into the Screven County Jail, including the charges filed and the date of arrest. Whether you are checking on a recent arrest or looking for current inmate status, the sheriff's office holds the records you need.

How to Get Screven County Jail Records

The Screven County Sheriff's Office in Sylvania is the primary keeper of all local booking records. Every time someone is booked into the jail, staff log the person's name, date of birth, charges, and the time of booking. That log is the public jail docket, and it is open to inspection by anyone who visits the office during regular business hours. No prior appointment is needed. Staff can direct you to the docket on arrival.

If a personal visit is not possible, you may submit a written Open Records request. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 et seq., the sheriff's office must respond within three business days. The first 15 minutes of search time is provided at no charge. After that, the agency may charge for staff time spent retrieving and copying records. Written requests by mail or email are both accepted. Address them to the Open Records Officer at the Screven County Sheriff's Office in Sylvania.

Keep in mind that a booking is not a conviction. Charges may be dropped or changed before trial.

What Booking Records Contain in Screven County

State law defines what every county jail must record. Under O.C.G.A. § 42-4-7, the Screven County Sheriff must log each inmate's name, age, sex, race, charges, and the dates of booking and release. This applies to everyone held in the jail, even for a brief time. The docket is a running log of all people who have passed through the facility.

Booking records may also include bond information, release or transfer details, and the arresting agency. Some entries include a booking photo. Georgia limits how those photos can be shared. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19, law enforcement agencies in Georgia cannot supply booking photos to commercial websites that charge fees for removal. The Screven County Sheriff's Office follows this rule as a matter of state law.

Georgia Department of Corrections Records

If the person you are looking for has been convicted and sent to a state prison, they will not appear in Screven County's local booking records. State prison inmates are tracked by the Georgia Department of Corrections. The GDC database is separate from anything kept by the sheriff's office in Sylvania.

Use the GDC offender search to look up people by name or GDC number. The GDC query form offers more search options. Certified records can be requested by writing to Inmate Records and Information, PO Box 1529, Forsyth, GA 31029. The GDC covers state-sentenced individuals only, not people awaiting trial in a county jail.

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association publishes monthly jail data for all counties. As of January 2026, Georgia's county jails held 25,487 people, with about 67.9% still awaiting trial. See current figures at georgiasheriffs.org.

The GDC portal is for state prison records. Contact the Screven County Sheriff's Office in Sylvania for local jail booking information.

GBI GCIC Criminal History in Screven County

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation runs the Georgia Crime Information Center. GCIC holds criminal history records from every county in Georgia. This system is more complete than a single jail docket. It can show arrests, charges, and dispositions from multiple counties and multiple years. If you need a full criminal history rather than just a recent booking, GCIC is the right source.

Contact the GBI GCIC office at 3121 Panthersville Road, Decatur, GA 30034. The phone number is 404-244-2639. Reviews are by appointment only. Read the GBI FAQ page before going so you know what documents to bring and how to schedule your visit. This is a separate process from contacting the Screven County Sheriff.

Note: Some GCIC records may be restricted. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, charges that ended in dismissal or acquittal can be sealed from public view.

VINE Notification for Screven County Inmates

VINE — Victim Information and Notification Everyday — is a free service that sends alerts when a jail inmate's status changes. If someone is released from the Screven County Jail, transferred, or escapes, registered users get notified right away by call, text, or email. This service is particularly useful for crime victims who want updates without having to call the jail repeatedly.

Sign up at VINELink.com at no cost. Registration is also available by phone. The service works across all Georgia counties, including Screven County. Once you register, the system monitors inmate status and sends notifications automatically.

To follow a case through the court system after a booking, visit the Georgia Courts website. Court records show what happened after the arrest, including charges, hearings, and case outcomes.

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association monthly report includes statewide jail counts and capacity data that cover Screven County and all other Georgia counties.

Open Records Act and Your Rights in Screven County

The Georgia Open Records Act is the law that makes jail dockets and booking reports available to the public. The Screven County Sheriff's Office must comply with this law. O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 establishes the public's right to inspect government records. Jail logs, inmate rosters, and arrest data all fall within the scope of that right.

Some records can be withheld under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72. Agencies may deny access when release would interfere with an active investigation or endanger someone. These are limited exceptions. The large majority of booking records in Screven County are available without restriction. If any request is denied, the agency must state the reason in writing and cite the applicable exemption.

Nearby Counties

Each surrounding county keeps its own booking records through the local sheriff's office. Use these links to search records in counties near Screven.