A Brief Information of the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office and Jail, GA

Clarke County is in the northeastern region of Georgia in the United States. The population is 128,671, per the 2020 census. Further, it is a merged city-county with Athens, which serves as its county seat. Clarke County was named after Elijah Clarke, a commander in the American Revolution and a member of the state legislature.

The County has seen various boundary changes throughout the years. The state government established Clarke in 1801 from a portion of Jackson County; then, in 1807, it added other property from Greene County. However, it lost territory when Madison County was formed in 1811 and Oglethorpe County was formed in 1813, and it lost land to Madison again in 1813 and 1829. It lost even more area upon the formation of Oconee County from its western section in 1875. As a result, Clarke County was left with 121 square miles, making it the smallest County in Georgia.

Clarke County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO)

The CCSO is located at 325 East Washington Street, Athens, Georgia 30601. The office is a law enforcement department for promoting public safety in Clarke County via county police and the administration of county prisons and prisoners. CCSO monitors unincorporated portions of the County and areas not covered by the municipal police force and executes judicial judgments such as foreclosures, repossessions, and tax liens.

Eligible voters in Clarke County elect their Sheriff, as per Article IX, Section I of the constitution. The Sheriff serves four years and must have the qualifications, powers, and responsibilities as the general law of Georgia outlines.

Moreover, the CCSO has a mission to serve the community through intentional engagement, access, and transparency. The office is dedicated to respect and trust as the residents believe in it.

CCSO Contact Information

Anyone who has a question, wants to report a crime, or needs to inform the Sheriff’s office on anything may do so by contacting:

Sheriff John Q. Williams

Sheriff’s office: [email protected]

Physical Address:

325 E. Washington St. Suite 125, Athens, GA 30601

Phone: 706-613-3250

Fax: 706-613-3255

The CCSO Staff

The department has staff members that the Sheriff employs to help him conduct services in the County. This personnel includes the Chief Deputy Sheriff, who deputizes for the Sheriff. Other employees and their roles include:

Deputy Sheriff

This position is responsible for

  • Maintaining the peace and enforcing Georgia laws.
  • Protecting life and property,
  • Maintaining jail security and transporting prisoners.
  • Serving warrants and civil papers.
  • Providing courthouse and courtroom security.
  • Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of inmates, employees, and visitors.

The Deputy Sheriff may also delegate these responsibilities to the Reserve Deputy Sheriff.

CCSO Units

Clarke County has different departments and units to assist the Sheriff in performing his tasks. These units include:

Administrative Services Unit

This unit is in charge of a variety of responsibilities within the department, including:

  • Policy management and revision coordination.
  • Personnel Management.
  • Budgeting and financing.
  • The Internal Investigation Group.

Court Services Unit 

This unit’s main job is to guarantee the safety and security of the Clarke County Courthouse and those who visit or work there.

Field Services Unit 

The Field Services Unit has the following responsibilities:

  • Processing and serving felony and misdemeanor warrants and the arrest and booking of sought persons into the jail.
  • Civil process documents (protective orders, civil summons, subpoenas, evictions, and restraining orders).
  • Inmate transportation.
  • Extradition of convicts and GCIC and NCIC Operations.
  • Updating Clarke County’s sexual offender files.
  • Assisting other ACC law enforcement authorities, Court, and Jail Units with their tasks.

Community Outreach Unit 

The Community Outreach Unit’s mission is to create community ties and alliances to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community. This unit has additional tasks of:

  • Making plans and youth programs for the community.
  • Educating residents about law enforcement and public safety.
  • Creating and executing recruitment initiatives for new deputies, jail officers, and Sheriff’s Citizen Academy.
  • Ensuring that the Accreditation and Professional Standards team is functioning correctly.
  • Supervising Public Information operations.

Jail Unit 

The Jail Section is responsible for receiving, detaining, caring for, and providing services to all those arrested in Clarke County or the state of Georgia until they post bond, have all criminal charges dismissed, or are legally released from the Sheriff’s custody.

Law Enforcement Explorers Program 

The CCSO coordinates Law Enforcement Explorers Post 331. This co-ed program allows high school students to meet with various law enforcement professionals. Participants may apply for national and local scholarships as part of the curriculum.

Exploring is a Learning for Life career education program for high school students aged 14 to 20. Nonetheless, the program also accommodates adults through the partnering organization’s participation.

The program’s mission is to help young people mature and become responsible and compassionate adults.

VINE

Victims have a right to know when perpetrators are released from prison or jail. However, contacting victims is virtually difficult and time-consuming. VINE (Victim Information Notification Everyday) is a program that helps keep communities safe and informed by giving crime victims access to information on criminals’ custody status and telling them when that status changes.

Clarke County Jail (CCJ)

CCJ is a minimum-medium security male adult facility located at 3015 Lexington Road, Athens, GA 30605. This jail was established in 1961, and it accommodates all individuals arrested in Clarke County, with a capacity of 109 inmates.

CCJ also accommodates prisoners from neighboring towns and municipalities who do not have long-term detention status, the US Marshals Service, and the Clarke County Police Departments. The jail also holds individuals awaiting trial or sentencing in Clarke County Courts.

Inmates in this facility live in dormitories, with each dormitory having a housing unit leader and duties and responsibilities.

Inmate Intake and pretrial release

The correctional officers take mugshots, offender fingerprints and confiscate any item used as contraband during the booking process. However, the inmates may receive these items back during their release.

Individuals who the courts’ sentenced to serve jail terms in the CCJ have less than twenty-four months. However, some get released after posting bail. The court may either assign them to:

  • A pretrial services caseload.
  • Probation supervision.
  • Release them on their own recognizance but agree to appear in court.

Bail Bond process

Clarke County and Georgia’s bail bond laws are subject to change. Hence, it is best to contact the jail or the court as soon as possible for all inmate information. Anyone over 18 can post bail, but they must show a valid government-issued photo ID—a photo ID such as a driver’s license, passport, or vehicle registration.

Individuals can choose either of the two bail posting means available. First, they may pay the cash themselves if they can access it. Alternatively, they may hire a Georgia licensed bail bond company to bail them out via Surety Bonds.

Individuals who cannot afford either of the services must wait for their court date as a County guest. Each prisoner gets a booklet outlining the facility’s rules and regulations during orientation. Moreover, each inmate has duties and responsibilities, and the housing unit leader supervises them.

CCJ Staff

All correctional officers are employed by the CCSO, including the non-correctional officer. These employees work together in different departments and units to ensure that the facility meets its goals. The deputies assigned to the jail section are responsible for the welfare and security of the facility.

Detention Officer

The goal of this post is to:

  • Ensure the security and safety of the detention facility’s property and inmate wellbeing.
  • Finish the inmate admittance procedure.
  • Prevent escapes.
  • Manage inmate conduct.
  • Protect inmates from each other.
  • Supervise medicine distribution.

In addition, the officer follows the office’s specific standard operating procedures to guarantee that the detainees’ constitutional rights are respected. However, this post does not have any supervisory responsibilities. Nevertheless, the detention officer may delegate these responsibilities to the Reserve Detention Officer.

CCJ Units 

Operations Units

This unit is in charge of overseeing all prison inmates’ honest admission and release. Moreover, the team ensures secure and safe custody and the provision of necessary services.

Prisoner Services Unit

The Inmate Services Group is in charge of inmate:

  • Visiting.
  • Library.
  • Laundry.
  • Labor.
  • Commissary services.
  • Arranging each inmate’s duration in the jail, but of course following the court or courts having jurisdiction.

Food Services Unit 

The Food Services unit is in charge of preparing and distributing all meals to convicts incarcerated in the jail.

Classification Unit

The Classification unit is in charge of:

  • Assigning safe housing.
  • Investigating disciplinary actions and complaints.
  • Preserving and updating inmate records.
  • Assigning housing units and duties.

Programs Unit

The Programs Office provides educational, religious, and rehabilitative products and services to convicts in jail. In addition, it is responsible for arranging post-release services with outside organizations and programs for former offenders.

Clarke County Jail Inmate Locator

The CCJ’s inmate roster is available online. The public may utilize the web list to learn more about current inmates. However, knowing the inmates’ names, ID numbers, and booking dates is vital.

Furthermore, CCSO offers online access to current jail population data without guaranteeing correctness, reliability, or completeness. It is also not responsible for any errors or omissions or the outcomes of its usage.

The online records contain prisoners booked with a 24-hour delay and are updated every 15 minutes after that. As a result, those who require urgent papers or information on a detainee must call the CCSO.

CCJ Inmate Programs

Most of the inmates in the facility are short-term offenders. They stay in jail for periods less than two years. For this reason, the programs available in the facility are simple ad short. Such programs include;

  • Simple vocational and technical courses.
  • GED.
  • Recreational activities and sports.
  • Community-based prison library.
  • Psychological and Mental health Programs.
  • Drug and substance abuse programs. 

Early Release Programs

CCJ is unique because it provides offenders an early release program to reduce their jail terms or penalties. Among the lucky ones include the housing unit leaders, trustees, and those who maintain discipline in the facility. The programs include:

  • Community Services.
  • House arrests.
  • Probation.
  • Work Release.

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