The Dade County Inmate Population
Dade County's local inmate population is reported through the Georgia Sheriffs' Association Jail Report. In May 2026, Dade reported 66 people in jail at the Dade County Jail, the county's only mapped detention facility for this build. That count includes pretrial detainees, county-sentenced inmates, state-sentenced inmates still housed locally, and other agency holds.
Local jail information comes through the Dade County Sheriff's Office led by Sheriff Ray Cross. Key county-specific sources include the inmate and jail resources page, the sheriff divisions page, and the Dade open-records request page.
The Dade County inmate population changes when new arrests arrive, bond is set or posted, court cases resolve, state-sentenced people are transferred to the Georgia Department of Corrections, or outside holds are cleared. The sheriff's current web page does not publish a live public roster yet, so population data and individual lookup are separate tasks.
This distinction matters in Dade County because a person can be counted in the county jail while their next search path is already changing. A pretrial detainee may still need the jail phone line. A person released on bond may be easier to follow through court calendars and the Clerk. A state-sentenced inmate may remain in the Dade count briefly before moving to GDC custody.
Dade County Inmate Population Statistics
The strongest current local source is the May 2026 Georgia Sheriffs' Association report. It lists Dade County Jail at 110 permanent beds and 66 inmates, or 60 percent of capacity. The research did not locate an official annual booking count, annual average daily population, or aggregate race, sex, or age table.
The Georgia Sheriffs' Association jail report page is the source for the monthly county jail table.
The report screenshot supports the local capacity and count discussion, but individual custody status still has to be checked through Dade County Jail or the proper locator.
| Measure | Figure | Source / Date |
|---|---|---|
| Dade jail population | 66 people | Georgia Sheriffs' Association Jail Report, May 2026 |
| Rated capacity | 110 permanent beds | Georgia Sheriffs' Association Jail Report, May 2026 |
| Percent of capacity | 60% | Georgia Sheriffs' Association Jail Report, May 2026 |
| Annual bookings | Not located in official current sources | Dade sheriff page did not publish annual booking totals |
Dade County Inmate Population Trends
The available trend evidence is limited. May 2026 shows Dade at 66 inmates and 60 percent of capacity. The research file also notes an April 2026 Georgia Sheriffs' Association snippet showing 60 inmates, 110 capacity, and 54.5 percent of capacity. A 2022 daily booking report sample shows incoming booking fields, but it is not an average daily population source.
The two 2026 monthly points both show Dade below its reported bed capacity. They do not prove a long-term trend, but they support a careful statement that no current official overcrowding signal was found in the sources reviewed. The 2022 daily booking report is still useful for searchers because it explains the kind of booking data Dade has recorded, including warrant and warrantless-arrest entries.
| Year / Month | Population / Capacity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| May 2026 | 66 / 110 | Current GSA report; 60 percent of capacity |
| April 2026 | 60 / 110 | GSA snippet found during research; verify month selector before legal publication |
| March 17-18, 2022 | 6 incoming bookings | Dade Daily Booking Activity Report sample, not a population total |
Who Makes Up the Dade County Inmate Population
The May 2026 GSA report breaks the Dade jail count by custody category. It does not publish aggregate race, sex, or age demographics for Dade. The local booking-report sample has individual fields for sex, race, height, weight, eye color, hair color, date of birth, and age, but a one-day report should not be treated as a countywide demographic study.
- Awaiting trial - 48 of 66 people, or 72.7 percent, were listed as awaiting trial in May 2026.
- Sentenced to state institutions - 10 people, or 15.2 percent, were already state-sentenced but still housed locally.
- Serving county sentence - 5 people, or 7.6 percent, were serving a county sentence.
- Other inmates - 5 people, or 7.6 percent, were listed as other inmates.
Dade County Jail Capacity and Overcrowding
Dade County was under its reported jail capacity in May 2026, with 66 people in 110 beds. The research did not locate an official Dade overcrowding lawsuit, consent decree, release order, current jail construction plan, or facility closure notice. The main pressure point shown by the data is not published overcrowding; it is the large pretrial share and the overlap between county custody and state-sentenced inmates awaiting transfer.
Laws Governing the Dade County Inmate Population
Georgia's Open Records Act is the main public-access framework for jail and booking information. Dade's own open-records form states that the county must notify a requester if records cannot be produced within three business days, and that fees may apply for search, retrieval, copying, and supervised access. Georgia correctional rules also matter for custody, security, mail, and state inmates housed at county level.
Key Statutes and Rules:
O.C.G.A. Section 50-18-70 et seq. - Georgia public records are generally open unless a statutory exemption applies.
O.C.G.A. Section 50-18-71 - Agencies must respond within the Open Records Act timing rules and may charge allowable fees.
Georgia Comp. R. & Regs. 125-3-1 - Georgia correctional institutions operate under custody and security rules.
Dade County and the State Prison Population
A person can be counted in Dade County Jail even after being sentenced to state institutions. The May 2026 GSA report counted 10 state-sentenced inmates in Dade's county jail. Once a person is received into Georgia Department of Corrections custody, the lookup path moves to GDC Offender Query, not the Dade jail page.
The GDC Find an Offender page explains the state locator and warns that photographs display automatically when available.
Use GDC for sentenced state offenders, including people convicted in Dade County after transfer into state custody.
How to Search the Dade County Inmate Population
The official Dade County Sheriff's Office inmate and jail resources page has a "Current List of Inmates" heading, but during research on June 4, 2026 it said "Info coming soon." That means the online roster is not the current first stop for confirmed custody.
The screenshot shows why Dade lookup pages need a fallback chain: jail phone, jail email, open records, court records, GDC, VINELink, BOP, and ICE all have roles when the local list is not live.
- Check the official jail resources page for any roster update.
- Call Dade County Jail at 706-657-2277 or the Sheriff's Office at 706-657-3233 for current custody.
- Email jail questions to jail@dadesheriff.com when written contact is appropriate.
- Use sheriff open records at Info@dadesheriff.com for booking records, jail reports, and releasable booking photographs.
- If the person was sentenced to state prison, search GDC; for federal custody use BOP, and for immigration detention use ICE ODLS.
Current Inmate Lookup in Dade County
Dade's current public roster does not expose search fields. The county's official jail resources page is still useful for the jail address, phone numbers, jail email, phone/video vendor, commissary vendor, mail addresses, staff names, and business hours.
| Access Channel | Use It For | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jail phone | Current custody and release questions | 706-657-2277 |
| Sheriff main phone | Records routing or general sheriff contact | 706-657-3233 |
| Jail email | Non-urgent jail questions | jail@dadesheriff.com |
| Sheriff open records | Booking records, jail reports, releasable photos | Info@dadesheriff.com |
Past and Released Inmate Records
For past bookings, the best local clue is the Dade Sheriff's Office Daily Booking Activity Report sample hosted by the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit. It shows booking date and time, booking number, name, inmate number, demographics, incarceration reason, release date, release reason, officer, and agency code. It is a 2022 sample, not a current roster.
For older booking records or a specific release reason, use Dade's open-records instructions and the sheriff email. For court dispositions after release, contact the Dade Clerk or use the Clerk's public terminal.
Where Dade County Holds Local Inmates
Dade County's detention map has one local facility for this project. No separate county work-release annex, regional jail, state prison, federal prison, or ICE detention facility was located inside Dade County during research.
- Dade County Jail - sheriff-operated county jail for pretrial detainees, county-sentenced inmates, state-sentenced inmates awaiting transfer, other agency holds, and male and female detainees.
Dade County Inmate Population FAQ
How big is the Dade County inmate population?
The May 2026 Georgia Sheriffs' Association Jail Report lists Dade County with 66 people in jail and 110 permanent beds. That was 60 percent of reported capacity.
How do I search the Dade County inmate population?
Start with the sheriff's jail resources page, but know that the current inmate list was marked "Info coming soon" during research. Call the jail, email the jail, or use sheriff open records for local custody and booking records.
Can I look up a released or past inmate?
Use a sheriff open-records request for past booking records, the Clerk's public terminal or calendar records for court cases, and GDC for sentenced state offenders. VINELink can help with custody and release notifications where Georgia data is available.
Why does the Dade jail count include state-sentenced inmates?
County jails can temporarily hold people who have been sentenced to state institutions but have not yet moved into state custody. The May 2026 GSA report counted 10 such people in Dade County Jail. Search the jail first for current local custody, then use GDC once the person is received into the state system.