Effingham County Arrest Records

In Effingham County, arrests are made when law enforcement officers apprehend and detain persons for committing crimes in the county. Law enforcement agents must have probable cause to believe the person arrested has committed or is committing a crime. This can be from evidence gathered during an investigation or from direct observation. Arrests can be made with or without arrest warrants. The Effingham County Sheriff’s Office and city police departments are tasked with making arrests and generating arrest records. Arrested persons are usually kept in the Effingham County Jail.

Effingham County arrest records are the information and documents generated while booking an arrestee. It contains details such as the booking number, the arresting agency, the arrest date and location, the arrestee's personal information, and details of the charges. The county’s arrest records form part of Effingham County court records and inmate records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Effingham County?

Yes, arrest records in Effingham County are generally accessible to the public. Per the Georgia Open Records Act, members of the public may request and obtain records produced and generated by government agencies, including arrest records. However, certain types of arrest information or records may be exempt from public disclosure to protect privacy and ensure the integrity of ongoing investigations in the county. Confidential arrest records in Effingham County include the following:

• Juvenile arrest records
• Information that can compromise active investigations or the safety of individuals involved
• Restricted records
• Sensitive personal information, including social security numbers, medical and mental health information, and driver’s license number

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Typical Effingham County public arrest records contain the following information:

• The arrested person’s information, including full name, age, date of birth, residential address, sex, and race
• Booking number
• Location of arrest
• Arrestee's biometrics, including fingerprints and mugshot
• Arresting agency
• Booking date
• Arrest charges
• Warrant information, if any

Effingham County Arrest Statistics

According to the crime data submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) by the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office, 336 persons were arrested in 2022 in the county. In 2023, the arrest figure had increased to 532, an increase of 58%. Of the persons arrested in 2023, 75 were arrested for driving under the influence, 54 for drug-related offenses, 12 for the destruction of properties, 18 for simple assault, and 335 for other offenses.

Find Effingham County Arrest Records

Inmate records provide key information, including arrest details, about persons incarcerated in a particular jail or prison. Effingham County arrest information may be obtained from county, state, and federal inmate records. The county’s Sheriff’s Office Jail Division provides an online listing of current and past inmates in the county’s jail. Arrest information such as inmate name, gender, date of birth, race, and arrest charges can be obtained from the portal. Anyone can also visit the Sheriff’s Office to examine and request the county’s arrest records

At the state level, the Georgia Department of Corrections maintains an Offender Search resource that allows the public to find details of persons held in Georgia State correctional facilities. The search can be done by name, ID, or case number. Alternatively, record seekers can use the Inmate Locator provided by the Federal Bureau of Prisons to search for inmate records from the county.

Free Arrest Record Search in Effingham County

The following official websites provide free access to arrest records in Effingham County:

• Effingham County Sheriff’s Office inmate listing
• Georgia Department of Corrections Offender Search
• Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Inmate Locator

In addition to these official resources, record seekers may use free third-party sites to find Effingham County arrest records. These resources provide easy-to-use interfaces that aid in quickly finding arrest records from the county. However, the information obtained from these websites should be independently verified as they may be inaccurate or incomplete.

Effingham County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Despite the fact that arrest records and criminal records are often used interchangeably, they are not the same, and they transmit different information. A person's arrest record in Effingham County contains basic information about their arrest, such as the alleged crime, the date and place of the arrest, the facility where they were detained, the arresting agency, mugshots, fingerprints, and their personal information. In contrast, criminal records include arrest details, court proceedings, convictions, sentences, and other contacts a person may have with the county’s criminal justice system.

A criminal record is a more comprehensive document that contains information on an individual's whole criminal history. It may be useful when applying for employment, housing, or educational grants.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Arrest records in Effingham County remain on record for life. However, an arrestee can apply for its restriction.

Expunge Effingham County Arrest Records

Georgia law uses record restriction instead of record expungement, as records are not deleted or destroyed in the state. An arrestee can apply to restrict their arrest records in Effingham County, thereby making them inaccessible to the public. Only law enforcement agents and justice officials can have access to a restricted record. All arrest records that do not result in convictions and some crimes that resulted in convictions are eligible for record restriction in Effingham County.

Criminal convictions that are eligible for record restrictions in the county include:

• Pardoned convictions - arrest records for eligible pardoned crimes can be restricted from public access in Effingham
• Retroactive first offender - persons convicted of a crime for the first time and who have completed their sentences may be eligible for record restriction. They can petition the court to retroactively sentence them under the First Offender Act
• Survivors of labor or sex trafficking and whose convictions were as a result of being trafficked can petition the court to vacate their convictions or restrict the records

The process for restricting records in the county depends on when the arrest occurred. To restrict arrest records for an arrest before July 1, 2013, the request must be made to the arresting agency, while records of arrests that were made from July 1, 2013, should be automatically restricted, and the arrestee can contact the Effingham County District Attorney’s office (the prosecuting attorney) for its restriction. An individual applying for record restrictions for an arrest before July 1, 2013, must complete and submit section 1 of the Request to Restrict Arrest Record Form with relevant documents and appropriate fees to the arresting agency. The arresting law enforcement agency will complete section 2 of the form and send it to the prosecutor’s office. The prosecuting attorney will complete Section 3 of the form and will determine whether to approve the request within 90 days.

If the record restriction is approved, the prosecutor will submit the approved application to the Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) database and send a copy to the applicant and the arresting agency. If the prosecuting attorney cannot access the GCIC database, the applicant must send the approval with a $25 processing fee to the GCIC. The GCIC will restrict access to the arrest records within 3 weeks and send a completion letter to the applicant.

Effingham County Arrest Warrants

In Effingham County, arrest warrants are court documents that permit law enforcement agents to arrest and detain persons named on the document. The law enforcement agent must establish probable cause that an individual has committed an offense before a judicial officer. The judicial officer will issue the arrest warrant if convinced that there is enough evidence to prove probable cause. Arrest warrants in Effingham County will typically include the following details:

• The name of the person to be arrested and their description
• The time the offense was committed
• Arrest charges
• The place where the offense was committed
• The court issuing the warrant
• The court judge or magistrate’s name
• Case number
• The warrant issuance date
• Warrant number

Do Effingham County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Arrest warrants in Effingham County do not expire. They are active until they are executed, the subject dies, or they are withdrawn.