SOP_NUMBER: 214.03 TITLE: Inmate/Probationer Request of Vital Records REFERENCE_CODE: IIA16-0001 DIVISION: Facilities TOPIC_AREA: Facilities Operations EFFECTIVE_DATE: 2015-04-23 WORD_COUNT: 673 POWERDMS_URL: https://public.powerdms.com/GADOC/documents/106127 URL: https://gps.press/sop-data/214.03/ SUMMARY: This policy establishes procedures for incarcerated individuals and probationers under Georgia Department of Corrections jurisdiction to request vital records (birth certificates, death certificates, marriage licenses, divorce decrees, and related documents). Requests must be submitted in writing through the inmate's assigned counselor to the Warden/Superintendent for approval based on legitimacy. Approved requests require a $10.00 fee per document type plus $5.00 for additional copies, with fees deducted from the inmate's account and forwarded to the Georgia Department of Human Resources Vital Records Branch. KEY_TOPICS: vital records, birth certificate, death certificate, marriage certificate, divorce records, inmate requests, probationer requests, facility procedures, TOPPSTEP program, fees and charges, Warden approval, legitimate request, Georgia vital records law ATTACHMENTS: 1. Request for a Certified Copy of a Vital Record URL: https://gps.press/sop-data/214.03-att-1/ ======================================================================== FULL TEXT: ======================================================================== |GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3| |---|---|---| |**`Functional Area: `**
`Facilities Operations`|**`Reference Number: `**
`IIA16-0001`
`(214.03)`|**`Revises`**
**`Previous`**
**`Effective Date:`**
`5/15/2007`| |**`Subject:`**
`Inmate/Probationer Request`
`of Vital Records`||| |**`Authority:`**
`Bryson/Jacobs`|**`Effective Date:`**
`04/23/15`|`Page`**`1`**` of`
**`3 `**| ``` I. POLICY: This Standard Operating Procedure will serve as a guideline for the legitimate request of any vital record of an inmate/probationer under the jurisdiction of the Georgia Department of Corrections. This standard operating procedure does not govern or in any way have any impact on an inmate’s/probationer’s ability to obtain a birth certificate through the TOPPSTEP standard operating procedure (VB01-0009) free of charge as a participant in the TOPPSTEP procedure. II. APPLICABILITY: All incarcerate facilities housing inmates/probationers under the jurisdiction of the Georgia Department of Corrections including Private Prisons. III. RELATED DIRECTIVES: A. O.C.G.A. 31-10-1 through 31-10-32. B. GDC-SOP:VB01-0009 TOPPSTEP. IV. DEFINITIONS: A. Vital Records: for the purposes of this Standard Operating Procedure the term vital records will be defined in accordance with O.C.G.A. 31-10-1 (17) as means certificates or reports of birth, death, marriage, divorce, dissolution of marriage, or annulment and data related thereto. B. Legitimate Request: for the purposes of this Standard Operating Procedure a legitimate request means to comply or be in compliance with the law. ``` |Functional Area:
Facilities Operations|Prev. Eff. Date:
5/15/2007|Page 2 of
3| |---|---|---| |`Functional Area:`
`Facilities Operations`|`Effective Date:`
`04/23/15`|`Reference Number:`
`IIA16-0001`
`(214.03)`| ``` V. ATTACHMENTS: ``` ``` Attachment 1: Inmate/Probationer Request for a Vital Record VI. PROCEDURES: A. Whenever an inmate/probationer has a legitimate request for a vital record as defined in the definitions section of this standard operating procedure the following procedures will be adhered to by the inmate/probationer: 1. The inmate/probationer will clearly explain in writing to the Warden/Superintendent the circumstances for a legitimate request for a vital record. 2. The inmate/probationer will provide verifiable information (i.e. name, ID number, reason (s) etc.) that necessitates the request for a vital record. 3. The inmate will send the letter through their assigned counselor, who will authenticate the validity of this request. 4. If the Warden/Superintendent deems the request appropriate the inmate will be notified by the assigned counselor that a $10.00 fee is required to be deducted from their inmate/probationer account for each type of vital record document requested in accordance with Georgia Law. Also a $5.00 fee is required for any additional copy of the same type of vital record document requested by the inmate/probationer. This fee will accompany the request when forwarded to the Vital Records Branch of the Georgia Department of Human Resources. 5. If the Warden/Superintendent or his/her designee cannot determine that the inmate request is legitimate the request will be denied, the inmate will be notified and the reason (s) for denial will be CLEARLY documented in the inmate/probationer administrative/case history file. 6. If the request for a Vital Record is forwarded to the Vital Records Branch of the Department of Human ``` |Functional Area:
Facilities Operations|Prev. Eff. Date:
5/15/2007|Page 3 of
3| |---|---|---| |`Functional Area:`
`Facilities Operations`|`Effective Date:`
`04/23/15`|`Reference Number:`
`IIA16-0001`
`(214.03)`| ``` Resources and the request is denied by the Vital Records Branch in accordance with Georgia Law, then the reason for denial will be sent to the Warden/Superintendent or his/her designee. This information will be placed in the inmate/probationer administrative/case history file and a copy will be given to the inmate/probationer. The $10.00 fee (and any additional $5.00 fee [s]) will also be returned to the facility from the Vital Records Branch and appropriately credited to the inmate’s account. 7. This process for the request for a vital record is not grievable, as the Department of Human Resources is the official repository of Vital Records in the State of Georgia. VII. RETENTION SCHEDULE: A copy of attachment one of this SOP will be placed in the inmate/probationer administrative/case history file and will be retained according to the official records retention schedule for that file. ```