Learn How to Find, Access and Research Georgia Arrest Records

You have just hired a new worker and are very pleased with his work. You are probably thanking your lucky stars and wondering where he has been all along, but do not let these thoughts blind you. This is because your new worker, who has suddenly arrived from nowhere, might be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He could well be a burglar on the run from law, or a serial offender who has had several trysts in jail, or even a dangerous criminal who has fled from the prison.

Looks can be deceptive and your only way to be sure is to run a thorough background check of the individual. Georgia arrest records will come to your rescue in such circumstances. These records can be accessed easily and you should consult these whenever there’s someone new in your life: the nice guy who has just moved in next door, your new tenant, or the carpool driver who drops your child off at school.

Where Arrest Records are Found in Georgia

At present, there are about 30 correctional facilities in Georgia, all under the supervision of the Georgia Department of Corrections in Atlanta. The Department of Corrections maintains records for both the inmates presently serving in the state’s various correctional facilities and past felony incarcerations for persons jailed in the state penitentiaries. Furthermore, these records date back to the mid 1980s. At present, Georgia arrest information is purged 15 years after the maximum period of the sentence ends.

The Department of Corrections runs a free online searchable and a voluminous database on these Georgia arrest records. The online request form to access the records can be found at http://www.dcor.state.ga.us/GDC/OffenderContacts/jsp/OffContQueryForm.jsp. These records are compiled and updated regularly, about once a month. The Georgia arrest record search will return information on the case identifiers, case numbers, charges, period of incarceration, the name of the county where the case was filed, and the status of the parole.

To carry out the search in Georgia’s extensive computerized database, you should have the following details about the person being searched: the full name and preferably the middle initial, and the date of birth. A combination of this information significantly reduces the risk of stumbling upon a “false positive,” which is the situation when the records of another person with the identical name are turned up. Chances of a false positive are negated if you can provide a unique identifier, like the person’s Social Security number.

While conducting the search, it is also a good idea to provide all the information on the person’s past addresses. This ensures that the database can also run arrest record checks across multiple states.

Technological Makeover at the Georgia Department of Corrections

In 1997, the Georgia Department of Corrections had embraced the Offender Records Management System (ORMS) to effectively manage more than 38,000 inmate files or records for the entire prison system in Georgia. Every inmate file contains about 100 to 150 pages of information. This wealth of information is readily accessible to the public.

The Department of Corrections online database offers no guarantee regarding the veracity or completeness of the records. The site advises not to rely solely on the search results, but to cross-check them personally with the Georgia Department of Public Information, housed in the Floyd Veterans Memorial Building, 8th Floor East, Atlanta, GA 30334.

Additional Sources of Georgia Arrest Records

Apart from the free online arrest record database operated by the Georgia Department of Corrections, you may also search for these records at the official web site of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Atlanta Division, at http://atlanta.fbi.gov/http://www.peoplepublicrecords.org/index.html. The site contains the link to the sex offender registry maintained by the State of Georgia. It is easy to search for information here: just go to the site, click on the “I Agree” button under the section "Conditions of Use," fill out the search form that is available here, and then click “Search.”

The website also houses the National Sex Offender Registry, which stocks information from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Coordinated by the Department of Justice, this registry is updated regularly to include the names and details of violent offenders.

Knowledge is power and the right information obtained at the right time goes a long way in safeguarding yourself. Georgia arrest records have thus been made public and efforts have been undertaken to simplify the process to obtain them. This is a welcome public safety initiative and a great resource to help keep yourself and your family safe.