Screven County Jail Mugshots

Screven County jail mugshots are stored at the Screven County Sheriff's Office in Sylvania, Georgia. Located in eastern Georgia near the South Carolina border, Screven County processes all bookings at its county jail. A mugshot is part of the intake procedure for every arrest. These booking photos become part of the public record under Georgia law. Whether you need to look up a current inmate or find a past booking, this page covers the methods you can use. You will find details on local and state search tools, contact info for the sheriff's office, and an overview of the laws that apply to mugshot access in Screven County.

Screven County Sheriff's Office

The Screven County Sheriff's Office is the main law enforcement agency for the county. The office is at 216 Mims Road, Sylvania, GA 30467. Call 912-564-2013 for questions about inmates, charges, or records. The sheriff's office processes all bookings from arrests made within Screven County, whether by county deputies or the Sylvania Police Department.

When someone is booked at the Screven County Jail, a mugshot is taken along with fingerprints and personal information. Pretrial inmates stay at the jail until they make bond or their case moves through court. People serving short county sentences of under 12 months also stay here. Inmates with longer sentences get transferred to a Georgia Department of Corrections facility. The sheriff's office staff can tell you over the phone whether a specific person is currently in the Screven County Jail.

Screven County covers a large geographic area in eastern Georgia. The county has a mix of rural land and small towns. Most law enforcement activity runs through the sheriff's office since there are few municipal police departments in the county.

How to Find Screven County Mugshots

Screven County does not run a dedicated online inmate search portal. The most direct way to check on someone at the jail is to call 912-564-2013. Give the staff the person's name. They can look it up and let you know the current status, charges, and bail amount.

State tools provide online search options for Screven County records. The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search covers inmates serving state prison sentences. If someone was convicted in Screven County and sent to state prison, you can find their record and mugshot in this database. Search by name or GDC ID number. This tool is free to use but only covers state inmates, not county jail detainees.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation keeps criminal history records from all counties through the Georgia Crime Information Center. A background check from the GBI includes arrest data, court outcomes, and custody info from Screven County. This is a paid service, but it is the most thorough option for a statewide search.

Mugshot Laws for Screven County

Jail mugshots from Screven County fall under Georgia state law. O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19 restricts how law enforcement shares booking photos. The Screven County Sheriff's Office cannot post mugshots on websites unless certain conditions are met. A person requesting a mugshot must sign a written statement saying the photo will not be put on a website that charges for removal. This protects people from commercial mugshot sites.

The Open Records Act at O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 gives the public the right to inspect government records in Georgia. Booking records from the Screven County Jail are public records under this law. However, the extra rules in § 35-1-19 for mugshots add restrictions beyond what the general open records law allows. You can request booking records, but the mugshot part has conditions attached.

O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 allows record restriction for people arrested in Screven County who were not convicted. This seals the mugshot and booking information from public view. The Georgia Consumer Protection Division handles complaints against mugshot websites. Under O.C.G.A. § 10-1-393.5, it is illegal for these websites to charge fees to remove booking photos.

Note: Record restriction applies only to cases that did not end in a conviction.

Screven County Records Requests

You can submit an open records request to the Screven County Sheriff's Office for jail documents. Georgia law requires a response within three business days. Requests can cover booking records, arrest reports, and other files from the Screven County Jail. Send your request to 216 Mims Road, Sylvania, GA 30467, or call 912-564-2013 for guidance.

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, copy fees cannot exceed 10 cents per page. The first 15 minutes of search time are free. Most simple requests cost little. Provide the person's full name, date of birth, and arrest date if you can. The more detail you include, the faster staff can process your request. Walk-in requests at the sheriff's office are also accepted during business hours.

Bail Process in Screven County

Bail for people booked at the Screven County Jail is set by a magistrate or judge. Some charges have preset bail amounts. Others need a hearing. Call the jail to ask about bail for a specific person.

Licensed bail bondsmen in the area can post bond for Screven County inmates. The fee is typically 10% to 15% of the total bail. After bond is posted, the jail processes the release. The time frame depends on how many people are being processed at once. Ask the jail staff for a list of bondsmen who serve Screven County. They can point you to someone who can help get the person out.

Nearby Counties

These counties share borders with Screven County in eastern Georgia. Each county runs its own jail and handles its own bookings. Make sure you search the right county for the arrest you are looking into.