Chatham County, Georgia Inmate Search
A Chatham County inmate search is a tool for individuals seeking information about an inmate in the county. A search provides researchers with information about an inmate’s detention, arrest, booking, and release. The Chatham County Jail is the county’s primary detention facility and is operated by the Sheriff’s Office. While there are no municipal or federal correctional facilities in Chatham County, the county is home to the Coastal State Prison, which is managed by the Georgia Department of Corrections.
How to Find an Inmate in Chatham County Jail
Inmates in Chatham County are generally kept in the Chatham County Jail. Members of the public can search for these inmates online using the Sheriff’s Office 24-hour and 72-hour booking portals. The 24-hour portal provides information on individuals booked within the past 24 hours, and the 72-hour portal provides details on individuals booked within the past 72 hours.
For information on inmates outside these timelines, inquirers may call the Sheriff’s Office Jail Records Unit at (912) 652-7734. Detailed information about an inmate can also be obtained by visiting the Chatham County Jail in person.
The Sheriff’s and jail address are as follows.
1050 Carl Griffin Drive
Savannah, GA 31405
How to Use the Chatham County Jail Roster
The Chatham County jail roster is present online on the 24-hour and 72-hour booking portals. Individuals can access both rosters by visiting the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office website. The rosters can be found on the "Corrections" drop-down menu on the home page.
Both the 24-hour and the 72-hour portals allow users to search for an inmate by name. Although inmate photos are not displayed, the portal provides personal details beyond the name. This helps researchers distinguish between multiple matches found during a search.
What Information is Included in the Chatham County Inmate Roster
The Chatham County inmate roster contains several details, ranging from personal details about an inmate to information about their journey through jail and the county’s criminal justice system. Individuals may generally find the following information in an inmate record, particularly when inspecting the record online.
- The inmate’s name, date of birth, race, and gender
- The arrest date, arrest number, and arresting agency
- The charges filed
- Bond amount
These details are generally public under provisions of the Georgia Open Records Act. However, the Open Records Act and other laws prohibit the disclosure of certain information. For example, juvenile records, medical reports, and disciplinary logs are not public information. Also, Georgia House Bill 845 prohibits the publication of an inmate’s mugshot on a website, which is why the 24-hour and 72-hour booking pages do not display the mugshots of arrestees.
Contact Details for Chatham County Jail or Sheriff’s Office
The contact details for the Chatham County Jail and Chatham County Sheriff’s Office are below.
Address
1050 Carl Griffin Drive
Savannah, GA 31405
Key Phone Numbers
|
Category |
Contact Number |
|---|---|
|
Sheriff’s Office |
(912) 652-7634 |
|
Corrections |
(912) 652-7700 |
|
Visitation |
(912) 644-5120 |
|
Jail Records |
(912) 652-7734 |
|
Receiving and Discharge/Booking |
(912) 651-3700 |
|
Front Lobby |
(912) 652-7785 |
Jail Facility Overview in Chatham County
The Chatham County jail, also known as the Chatham County Detention Center, is managed by the Sheriff’s Office Corrections Bureau. The jail originally sat on Habersham Street, with a capacity of about 300 inmates, and was relocated in 1978 to Montgomery Street, with a slightly larger capacity of 381. However, the facility faced overcrowding, leading to a federal court order capping the maximum number of inmates in the jail at any given time.
The federal court order facilitated the opening of a new detention center to meet the new accommodation needs. The detention center was opened in 1988 off Chatham Parkway; however, it was quickly overcrowded and needed expansion the following year. Although several expansion projects were undertaken over the years, by 2005 the average daily population was 1,455 inmates (200 above the design capacity), and it grew to 1,739 by 2008.
The Chatham County Detention Center remains the sole jail in the county, as there are no independent municipal jails or county-owned juvenile detention centers.
|
Agency |
Office and Mail Address |
Phone Number |
Office Hours |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Chatham County Detention Center/Sheriff’s Office |
1050 Carl Griffin Drive Savannah, GA 31405 |
(912) 652-7634 |
Sheriff’s Office: 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Monday to Friday |
Emails can be sent through the Sheriff’s Office Contact Us page. |
How to Send Money to an Inmate in Chatham County Jail
The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office uses a third-party vendor for all inmate financial transactions, including sending money to an inmate. The most convenient way to send money to an individual in jail is through the third-party vendor’s website. Individuals may deposit money using their bank account, credit card, or debit card. The fee for a transaction is $2.50.
Family/friends can also deposit money into an inmate’s account at the deposit kiosks located in the main lobby and the Video Visitation Center of the Sheriff’s Office. Individuals may deposit funds in cash or by credit card. The deposit kiosks are available for use 24 hours a day, although the cashier’s booth is unstaffed after regular business hours (9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday). When depositing money outside these hours, individuals may activate the intercom in the main lobby to call an officer’s attention, who can assist them. Deposits at the kiosk also incur a $2.50 fee.
Money can also be sent to an inmate by mail using a money order or certified check. Money orders and checks should be addressed as follows.
Chatham County Sheriff’s Office
Finance and Accounting Services
Inmate ID # - Inmate Full Name
1050 Carl Griffin Drive
Savannah, GA 31405
Money sent to an inmate is deposited into their commissary account. Inmates can withdraw funds from these accounts to purchase personal items. The maximum deposit per transaction is $300.
Inmate Search by Jail Facility
The Chatham County Jail is the primary facility that houses all county inmates. The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office oversees the jail and is responsible for maintaining the records of these inmates. Inmates arrested within the past 24 hours and 72 hours can be found on the Sheriff’s 24-hour and 72-hour booking portals, respectively. Information may also be obtained in person or by phone.
The Sheriff’s Office "Contact Us" page also allows the public to ask a question about any inmate, provided they have the inmate’s first name, last name, date of birth, and DIN (Defendant Identification Number). These details are useful when seeking inmate details not readily available on the jail roster.
Chatham County Visitation Rules and Schedules
The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office makes provisions for individuals who want to visit a person in jail. Visits can happen in person at the jail or via remote video visitation. Video visitation is provided by the third-party vendor responsible for inmate account funding. Visitation must happen according to the schedule set by the Sheriff’s Office. The table below outlines the current video visitation schedule.
|
Housing Unit |
Visitation Days |
Visitation Hours |
|---|---|---|
|
Unit 1 |
Mondays and Thursdays |
9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. |
|
Unit 2A, 2B, and 2C |
Tuesdays and Thursdays |
9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m |
|
Unit 4 |
Mondays and Thursdays |
9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. |
|
Unit 5 |
Wednesdays and Fridays |
9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. |
|
Unit 6 |
Tuesdays and Thursdays |
9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. |
|
Unit 7 |
Mondays and Wednesdays |
9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. |
|
Unit 8 |
Mondays and Fridays |
9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. |
|
Unit 9 |
Mondays and Wednesdays |
9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. |
|
Medical |
Tuesdays and Fridays |
9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. |
The visitation schedule is also posted on the inmate’s kiosk, including any changes made to the schedule.
Visitors using video visitation are charged 11 cents per minute of conversation. Visitors are expected to adhere to the visitation rules or risk losing their visitation privileges. Visits are monitored by staff, and visitors who behave inappropriately will have their visits ended. Also, inmates who are under disciplinary measures in jail may not be allowed to receive visitors during the period of their punishment.
Mailing and Commissary Information
Family/friends can stay in touch with someone at the Chatham County Jail by sending mail. Inmates are also allowed to send personal mail to individuals outside the jail. However, both incoming and outgoing mail have to be addressed in the correct format, or it may not be delivered. Personal mail sent between inmates and loved ones is not sent directly to the jail but to a scanning facility managed by a private vendor. The mail is opened and inspected at the facility to ensure it meets the jail’s requirements. If it satisfies the requirement, it is then scanned and sent electronically to the jail.
Legal mail and any other deliveries, such as books, magazines, or religious material, do not follow the guidelines above. Such correspondence is sent directly to the Chatham County Jail in the following format.
Inmate ID # - Inmate Full Name
Chatham County Jail
1074 Carl Griffin Drive
Savannah, GA 31405
Individuals should note that books will only be accepted if sent directly from a commercial vendor. Also, any item sent to the jail’s official mailing address other than books, magazine subscriptions, legal mail, and religious material will be treated as contraband and destroyed. Money orders are the exception and have a different address format, as shown earlier.