Clayton County Jail Mugshots Lookup

Clayton County jail mugshots come from one of the busiest suburban counties south of Atlanta. The Clayton County Sheriff's Office manages the county jail in Jonesboro and processes all local bookings. You can search for jail mugshots through the county's online inmate search tool, which lets you filter by booking date. Clayton County provides booking records for the past 48 hours, 14 days, or 31 days through its search portal. This page explains how to find Clayton County jail mugshots, the legal rules that apply, and what steps to take if you need copies of booking records from the sheriff's office.

Clayton County Sheriff's Office

The Clayton County Sheriff's Office runs all jail and booking operations in the county. Clayton County sits just south of Atlanta and handles a high volume of arrests each year. The county seat is Jonesboro, and the sheriff's office is the main point of contact for all jail-related questions including inmate lookups and booking records.

Every arrest in Clayton County results in a booking at the county jail. During the intake process, staff take a jail mugshot along with fingerprints and personal details. This booking record stays on file with the sheriff's office. Clayton County keeps digital records for all bookings, and the online search tool pulls from this same system. The jail processes inmates from cities across the county, since local police departments use the county jail for holding.

Clayton County participates in Georgia's VINE notification system. VINE stands for Victim Information and Notification Everyday. You can register at www.vinelink.com or call 1-866-277-7477 to sign up. VINE sends free alerts by phone, email, or text when an inmate at the Clayton County jail is released, transferred, or has a status change. It does not show mugshots, but it confirms custody status and is a useful safety tool.

Search Clayton County Jail Mugshots

The main tool for finding jail mugshots in Clayton County is the online inmate search. This tool lets you search by booking date. You can pick from three time windows: the past 48 hours, past 14 days, or past 31 days. Each result shows the inmate's name, booking date, charges, and a jail mugshot when available.

The 48-hour window works best for very recent arrests. If you are looking for someone booked in the last day or two, start there. The 14-day and 31-day options give a wider view. These longer windows help if you are not sure exactly when the booking took place. The search is free and does not need an account or login.

Clayton County does not keep a long-term public jail roster online. Bookings older than 31 days drop off the search tool. If you need records from further back, contact the Clayton County Sheriff's Office directly. You can call or visit in person to ask about older booking records. The office can pull up past records and let you know what is on file.

For inmates who were convicted in Clayton County and transferred to state prison, the Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is the right tool. The GDC search covers state inmates and shows a current photo, sentence info, and facility location. It is a separate system from the county jail search.

Mugshot Laws in Clayton County

Jail mugshots in Clayton County fall under Georgia state law. The main statute is O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19. This law says law enforcement agencies cannot give booking photos to websites that charge for removal. It has been in effect since July 1, 2014. The Clayton County Sheriff's Office must follow these rules when handling requests for jail mugshots. Anyone asking for a booking photo has to sign a written statement saying the image will not end up on a pay-to-remove site.

The county's online inmate search shows mugshots as part of its public jail operations. That is allowed. What the law restricts is the bulk release of photos to commercial mugshot sites. If your Clayton County booking photo appears on one of those sites, O.C.G.A. § 10-1-393.5 gives you the right to demand removal. The site has 30 days after getting your written request. If it does not comply, file a complaint with the Georgia Consumer Protection Division.

Georgia's Open Records Act under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 gives the public a broad right to inspect government records. But for jail mugshots, the more specific rules in § 35-1-19 take priority. So while you have a right to request records, the sheriff's office may ask for that signed statement before releasing any booking photos.

Clayton County Record Restriction

If your case in Clayton County was dismissed or you were acquitted, you may be eligible for record restriction. O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 allows certain arrest records to be sealed from public view. This covers your jail mugshot, booking data, and fingerprints. Once restricted, these records do not show up in public searches.

To start, file a petition with the court where your case was heard. In Clayton County, that would be the Clayton County Superior Court in Jonesboro. You need to include your case number, the charges, and the outcome. A judge reviews the petition and decides whether to grant the restriction. The process usually takes several weeks. You can do it on your own, but a lawyer can help if the paperwork gets complicated or if there are multiple charges involved.

Once the court grants the restriction, the Clayton County Sheriff's Office and other agencies seal the records. Your jail mugshot and booking details are no longer available to the public. The restriction also applies to the GBI's statewide criminal history database.

Open Records in Clayton County

You can file an open records request with the Clayton County Sheriff's Office to get jail records. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, the office must respond within three business days. Requests can cover booking logs, arrest reports, and other jail documents. You can submit the request in writing or in person at the sheriff's office.

Copy fees follow state law. O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71 caps the charge at 10 cents per page. If your request takes more than 15 minutes of staff time to process, the office may charge for that time as well. For criminal history searches that go beyond Clayton County, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation runs statewide records through the Georgia Crime Information Center.

Note: Requests for jail mugshots specifically may require the signed statement under O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19 before the photo is released.

Cities in Clayton County

Clayton County includes several cities and towns. Arrests by local police throughout the county are processed at the Clayton County jail. No cities in Clayton County currently meet the 25,000 population threshold for a dedicated page, but bookings from Jonesboro, Morrow, Forest Park, Riverdale, and other local cities all go through the county system.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Clayton County. Jail mugshots are stored by the county where the booking happened. If you are not sure which county handled an arrest, check the location where it took place.