Prison Unit


Major John Barrows, Assistant Division Commander

Lieutenant Richard Wood

Major John F. Barrows began his employment with the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office April of 1977. During hic tenure, he has served in virtually every divisional assignment within the agency. John has an Associate Degree in Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice, and Masters Degree in Public Administration. He is a graduate of the Southern Police Institute at the University of Louisville.


History

The prison was originally built in 1944 as a State Prison, which consisted of over 500 acres of farmland. The warden’s and deputy warden’s homes were across the street from the prison unit where the present day Parks and Recreation Building is located. The Prison was later turned over to Cobb County as a County Prison. The department operated for many years as an individual department under the Cobb County Board of Commissioners. For a brief period of time, it was placed under the umbrella of the Cobb County Department of Public Safety as the Corrections Department. In 2000, Sheriff Bill Hutson assumed responsibility of the department and changed the name to the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office Prison Unit.

General Information

The Prison Unit houses inmates who have been sentenced to serve their time locally. The maximum sentence allowed in this institution is 24 months, but the average time served averages between 6 and 12 months. During their period of incarceration, inmates assigned to the Prison work on various supervised details within the Detention Division Facilities and throughout Cobb County.

Visitation
Inmates assigned to the Prison Unit may receive visitors every Saturday and Sunday, from 8:30 A.M. to 2:30 P.M. according to the first letter of their last name:
First letter of last name Time
A - F 8:30 A.M - 9:30 A.M.
G - K 10:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M.
L - Q 12:00 P.M. – 1:00 P.M.
R - Z 1:30 P.M. – 2:30 P.M.

Out of state visitors who can not visit during normal visiting hours will be allowed a one-time visit with prior approval of the Deputy Division Commander or Operations Supervisor. Visitors must comply with the facility guidelines regarding visitation If you have questions regarding the visitation process, please call (770)499-4359


Inmate Mail
Correspondence and/or money may be sent to an inmate assigned to the Prison Unit at the address below:

Cobb County Prison Unit
Inmate Name, Inmate Location and ID Number
1877 County Services Pkwy., Marietta, GA 30008


The same rules apply to mail sent to the Prison Unit inmates as for inmates at the Cobb County Jail. It is important to include the full name of the inmate when sending correspondence since it is not unusual to have more than one inmate with the same name. If the inmate’s housing location or ID number is known, please include this information as well. The inmate location is the housing area for the inmate. The inmate ID number is a specific identifier for the inmate, as more than one inmate may have the same name.

When sending money to an inmate, U.S. Postal money orders or Western Union wire transfers are preferred. Funds from both these sources are immediately credited to the inmate’s account for use as a bond (where applicable) or for purchases from the commissary. There is a minimum of a 10-day waiting period on any other type of money orders. Personal checks will not be accepted. Please do not send cash through the mail since it can be easily lost or stolen. The Sheriff's Office will not assume responsibility for any cash sent through the mail that is lost or stolen.

Unfortunately, there are many ways that drugs and other contraband can be introduced into a jail facility. As a result, the following common items which lend themselves to the introduction of contraband may not be sent to an inmate in custody:

  • Stamps,
  • stationery,
  • writing instruments,
  • items containing glue,
  • oversized greeting cards,
  • credit cards,
  • blank checks,
  • plastic items,
  • jewelry,
  • anything used to conduct a business,
  • candy,
  • food,
  • Polaroid pictures or sexually explicit photographs.
    • Contact Information
    Cobb County Sheriff's Office
    Prison Unit
    1877 County Services Parkway
    Marietta, Georgia 30060

    Telephone: (770) 528-2431
    Facsimile: (770) 529-4667


    Visition Enquiry: (770) 499-4359




    "Leadership Through Service"
    Updated: 5/10/2005

    Home