DeKalb County Jail

Inmate Search

To find out if your loved one is being held in DeKalb County, click here, call the jail at 404.298.8145, or use VINE (see below). Be prepared to provide the inmate’s full name and date of birth.

Georgia VINE

The Georgia VINE system is a service through which victims of crime can search for information regarding the custody status of their offender, and to register to receive phone calls and e-mail notifications when the offender’s custody status changes. 

This service is provided in DeKalb County to assist Victims of Crime who have a right to know about their offender's custody status. Click this link to register.

Inmates being held for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Georgia Department of Corrections (DOC), or charges from other counties will not be found by going to the VINE Link above. You will have to call the DeKalb County Jail.

Bonding someone out of the DeKalb County Jail

A criminal bond is a financial guarantee that the arrested person will appear in court on a specified date. A BOND IS NOT A FINE. A person posting a bond must appear before a judge to answer criminal charges. 

A fee of $20.00 is charged for every bond that is written by the jail. This fee may be paid in cash and is non-refundable.

If an inmate has bondable charges, he or she can bond out at any time. A bond can be paid with or without a bail bond agent. The method (cash/surety) and amount of money needed for bonding someone out of the DeKalb County Jail depends on their charges. Most crimes, but not all crimes, are bondable offenses.

• Cash Bond

When you pay a cash bond, it is refunded to you when all court appearances have been made and the case is discharged, dismissed, or a not guilty verdict rendered. Failure to appear at the appointed time will result in forfeiture of the bond amount and may result in a Bench Warrant ordered by the judge.

To sign a cash bond you must bring a photo identification card and enough cash to cover the bond. The sheriff's office only accepts paper money (no change allowed), money order, or cashier’s check. The entire amount of the cash bond must be paid at the bonding office before the inmate is released. 

• Surety Bond

When you use a Bail Bondsman for a surety bond, you will be required to pay a fee (equal to 15 percent of the bond amount) that will not be refunded.

For more information about bonding someone out of the DeKalb County Jail, click here. 

Inmate Health & Wellness

Inmate health care at the DeKalb County Jail includes medical, dental services, mental health services, and access to prescribed pharmaceutical drugs and nutritional supplements. The Health Care staff conducts an intake screening on all patients, develops a treatment and discharge plan for all chronic care patients, and offers in-house dialysis. 

Inmates receive three free, freshly-prepared meals each day. Additional snack food items are available from the jail commissary.  

Each inmate is issued a hygiene kit, shoes, and appropriate clothing, which is laundered regularly. Licensed barbers provide supervised services to inmates on weekdays.

All inmates are offered one hour of recreational activity each day. There are TVs to watch and tables for games inside each housing unit, and inmates can go to a supervised open-air recreation area where they have access to basketball and physical exercise.

Within each housing unit are monitors that inmates can use to access information about services, file grievances, make medical appointments and order commissary, among other services.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

All visitors at the DeKalb County Jail—both on-site at the video visitation center and remote—must be on their inmate’s approved visitation list. An approved visitor is allowed only one visit per week. All visits are by appointment only and must be scheduled 24 hours in advance.

You can schedule your visit by going to the jail or by registering online at www.securustech.net/videovisitation. Telephone appointment scheduling is not available.

Video Visitation Center

Most inmates in the DeKalb County Jail can visit with friends or family at the jail’s video visitation center. Visits are allowed daily from the jail's video visitation center from 8:00 a.m.-11:45 a.m. and from 4:00 p.m.-9:50 p.m.  

Each inmate is allowed two 30-minute visits per week at the visitation center. Inmates housed in maximum security or mental health areas are not allowed to have visitors. 

Visitor parking is available in designated areas.  A public pay parking lot is located adjacent to the building off Camp Drive. 

Visitors at the jail visitation center must present a valid government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, a state-issued ID card, or a military ID card. Use of the visitation center is free.

Visitors must follow the dress code. No tobacco products, cell phones, or other electronic devices are allowed inside the facility. Storage is not provided for these items during a visit. 

Visitors are responsible for supervising children in the Visiting Area. Anyone under the influence of alcohol or drugs will be denied entrance into the facility.

Remote Visits

Remote online visits from home are available for a fee. You can use any device with internet access, a webcam, and a microphone. Including a home, library, office computer, or a smartphone (Android or I-Phone). 

Remote visitation sessions are not included in the inmate’s onsite visitation allowance. Remote visitation costs $5.00 for each 30-minute session. To set-up At-Home service, visit securustech.net/videovisitation or call 1-877-578-3658.

Online visitors should dress appropriately and behave in an acceptable manner. Remote video visits are recorded and subject to electronic monitoring by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office.

• ONLY white Postcards are accepted in inmate mail 
• Postage must be metered or stamps must be pre-printed. Adhesive or glued stamps are not accepted.
• Postcards must be a minimum size of 3 ½ x 4 ¼ inches and a maximum size of 4 ¼ by 6 inches.
• Messages must be written in blue or black ink only.
• Defaced or altered postcards will not be accepted
• Postcards with plastic or wrapping will not be accepted
• Postcards marked with paint, crayon, or markers are not accepted
• Postcards labeled with stickers, watermarks, or stains are not accepted
• Postcards with biohazards, including perfumes or lipsticks are not accepted
• Postcards depicting nudity, weapons, or gang references will be rejected

How to Call an Inmate

Inmates at the DeKalb County Jail cannot receive incoming phone calls, however, they have access to phones and can make outgoing calls from the inmate housing area daily. Phone calls are recorded and may be monitored at any time.

How to Send Money

Money can be deposited to an inmate account at the DeKalb County Jail in three different ways:

• The Jail lobby or the Visitation Center lobby kiosk—make a direct deposit using cash or a debit card 
• Make deposits using TouchPay™ service. Call 866-232-1899 or visit touchpaydirect.com
• Send a Money Order to the jail 
  • Only Western Union or U.S. Postal money orders for up to seventy-five dollars ($75.00) are accepted.
  • The envelope must be clearly marked “INMATE ACCOUNTING.”
  • No additional correspondence will be accepted with incoming inmate funds.
  • If additional contents are located in the envelope, the entire package will be returned to the sender.
  • Mail the money order to: INMATE’S FULL NAME
                                                  Inmate’s Cell Location and SPN Number
                                                  DeKalb County Jail
                                                  4415 Memorial Drive
                                                  Decatur, Georgia 30032

Programs For Inmates

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office provides rehabilitative and educational opportunities to inmates at the jail, including the following programs:

• The START Program—for inmates with felony drug abuse charges and histories of repeat offenses. This 90-day program includes an HIV risk reduction and education component, a general education development component, and a life skills curriculum designed to prepare participants for workforce entry/re-entry. 
• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
• Vocational Education classes through a partnership with Goodwill Industries. Participants train for 10 weeks to learn specific work skills, which have included electrician’s helper, HVAC, commercial maintenance, resume writing, interview skills, and budgeting.
• General Education Development (GED) and Adult Basic Education (ABE) classes administered by Georgia Piedmont Technical College. Inmates in START or AA/NA programs without high school diplomas may attend GED classes.
• The Chaplaincy Program gives spiritual, motivational, and emotional support to inmates via chaplains representing various faiths and religious denominations. 
• Inmate Workforce—Qualified inmates perform various labor tasks, including facility and equipment maintenance. Participation in this program can reduce incarceration time. 
• Work Release Program—This court-ordered program helps some inmates keep their jobs while incarcerated. The jail houses inmates with jobs who are allowed to continue to report to work but must reside at the jail.
• “A Bridge to Opportunity and Personal Success"—a Life Skills program designed to develop self-esteem, and provide knowledge in good personal relations and skills needed to seek and obtain employment after release. 
• Alternative Sentencing Program—individuals sentenced to community service complete weekend work details throughout the county but are not housed in the jail.
• The Jail Library—provides resources for legal research, as well as a variety of reading materials, forms, and legal documents.
• Options for Living & Learning—The DeKalb County Jail provides a model program of special classes designed to benefit the mental, emotional and physical well-being of inmates as they await trial.  
• The 8-week “Options for Living & Learning” series is a class for both male and female inmates that includes yoga, chess, poetry, and short story writing, Thinking for a Change, and art and music appreciation. 

Pictures of DeKalb County Jail

Careers at DeKalb County Jail

If you are interested in a career with the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office and would like more information about the job openings and opportunities at the DeKalb County Jail, click here. To be hired, you must have good moral character and meet the sheriff's qualifications. 

Detention Officers receive a starting Salary between $44,818 and $47,060. This position provides and maintains security, safety, care, and control of inmates, the detention facility, and facility equipment, and supervises inmates in the County jail.

As an employee of the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office, you will have access to valuable benefits, including group insurance protection covering major medical, dental and eye care, 15 days paid vacation, 13 days paid sick leave, a pension plan, and deferred compensation. Uniforms and equipment are also furnished for all positions.