California Inmate Search
A California inmate search is the process of querying a government agency in charge of a correctional facility to find information about individuals currently held in the facility. Inquirers can conduct a California inmate search through relevant government agencies by making an in-person record request at agencies' physical offices or by contacting them via mail, email, or phone. A California phone number search will aid in the retrieval of a facility's contact information where it is not known.
In most cases, government agencies maintain inmate search portals inquirers can use to conduct an inmate search. Some examples include the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department inmate locator database and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department inmate information center portal.
Inmate searches are conducted to determine whether or not someone is currently incarcerated in the state, as well as their holding facility, release date, and bond options. The general public's access to inmate searches and information is permitted under the California Public Record Act (CPRA). Under the Act, inmate records are public information. Hence, the general public can access inmate information by querying the appropriate government agencies.
Some records, however, may be excluded from public access under section 7922 of the CPRA. Medical records are among the types of inmate records that are often undisclosable to the public.
What Do Inmate Records Contain in California?
Generally, the contents of data from an inmate record in California include and are not limited to the following;
- The inmate's full name
- Mugshot
- Age
- Custody status
- Date of birth
- Holding facility
- Parole eligibility date
- Physical description, such as height, weight, race, eyes color, and hair color
- Bail information (if available)
- Release date
- Case information
- Booking number
- Charges
- Arrest information
It is important to note that depending on the jail or prison facility where an inmate is being held, not all of the information mentioned above may be provided on an inmate's record. Some facilities may also provide additional information and require other search criteria to facilitate the search and provide an exact match rather than a range of options.
How to Find Someone in Jail in California
Interested persons can find someone in jail in California by querying local law enforcement agencies, such as County Sheriff's Offices and City Police Departments. Most agencies maintain inmate search portals that inquirers can use to find individuals who are currently in custody or have been recently released. These search portals are usually free to use and can be found on most law enforcement agencies' official websites. On most agencies' websites, these portals can be found under the name "inmate locator." Some examples of these portals include Mendocino County Jail Inmate Locator, San Diego County Sheriff's Department jail lookup portal, and Fresno County Sheriff Office inmate search portal.
In most cases, inquirers can search for an inmate on an agency's inmate search portal by providing a subject's name or booking number. Some portals, like San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department inmate locator, require a subject's name and date of birth to conduct an inmate search.
State Prisons in California
The California State Prisons system is operated by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). The CDCR oversees a total of 34 adult prison facilities and three (3) youth correctional facilities in the state. These facilities are located in different parts of the state. Interested persons can use the interactive map provided on the CDCR website's Facility Locator webpage to view these facilities' locations. The address and contact information of adult prisons facilities and youth facilities in California are also provided below;
Adult facilities
Avenal State Prison (ASP)
#1 Kings Way
Avenal, CA 93204
Phone: (559) 386-0587
California City Correctional Facility (CAC)
22844 Virginia Blvd.
California City, CA 93505
Phone: (760)246-7600
California Correctional Center (CCC)
711-045 Center Rd.
Susanville, CA 96127-0790
Phone: (530) 257-2181
California Correctional Institution (CCI)
24900 Highway 202
Tehachapi, CA 93561
Phone: (661) 822-4402
California Health Care Facility (CHCF), Stockton
California Health Care Facility
7707 Austin Road
Stockton, CA 95215
Phone: (209) 467-2500
California Institution for Men (CIM)
14901 Central Avenue
Chino, CA 91710
Phone: (909) 597-1821
California Institution for Women (CIW)
16756 Chino-Corona Road
Corona, CA 92880
Phone: (909) 597-1771
California Men's Colony (CMC)
Highway 1
San Luis Obispo, CA 93409
Phone: (805) 547-7900
California Medical Facility (CMF)
1600 California Dr.
Vacaville, CA 95696
Phone: (707) 448-6841
California Rehabilitation Center (CRC)
5th Street & Western
Norco, CA 92860
Phone: (951) 737-2683
California State Prison, Corcoran (COR)
4001 King Avenue
Corcoran, CA 93212
Phone: (559) 992-8800
California State Prison, Los Angeles County (LAC)
44750 60th Street West
Lancaster, CA 93536-7620
Phone: (661) 729-2000
California State Prison, Sacramento (SAC)
100 Prison Road
Represa, CA 95671
Phone: (916) 985-8610
California State Prison, Solano (SOL)
2100 Peabody Road
Vacaville, CA 95696
Phone: (707) 451-0182
Calipatria State Prison (CAL)
7018 Blair Road
Calipatria, CA 92233
Phone: (760) 348-7000
California State Prison, Centinela (CEN)
2302 Brown Road
Imperial, CA 92251
Phone: (760) 337-7900
Central California Women's Facility (CCWF)
23370 Road 22
Chowchilla, CA 93610
Phone: (559) 665-5531
Chuckawalla Valley State Prison (CVSP)
19025 Wiley's Well Rd.
Blythe, CA 92225
Phone: (760) 922-5300
Correctional Training Facility (CTF)
Highway 101 North
Soledad, CA 93960
Phone: (831) 678-3951
Folsom State Prison (FSP)
300 Prison Road
Represa, CA 95671
Phone: (916) 985-2561
High Desert State Prison (HDSP)
475-750 Rice Canyon Rd.
Susanville, CA 96127
Phone: (530) 251-5100
Ironwood State Prison (ISP)
19005 Wiley's Well Road
Blythe, CA 92225
Phone: (760) 921-3000
Kern Valley State Prison (KVSP)
3000 West Cecil Avenue
Delano, CA 93216-6000
Phone: (661) 721-6300
Mule Creek State Prison (MCSP)
4001 Highway 104
Ione, CA 95640
Phone: (209) 274-4911
North Kern State Prison (NKSP)
2737 West Cecil Avenue
Delano, CA 93215
Phone: (661) 721-2345 (General)
Pelican Bay State Prison (PBSP)
5905 Lake Earl Drive
Crescent City, CA 95531
Phone: (707) 465-1000
Pleasant Valley State Prison (PVSP)
24863 West Jayne Avenue
Coalinga, CA 93210
Phone: (559) 935-4900
Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility (RJD)
480 Alta Road
San Diego, CA 92179
Phone: (619) 661-6500
Salinas Valley State Prison (SVSP)
31625 Highway 101
Soledad, CA 93960
Phone: (831) 678-5500
San Quentin State Prison (SQ)
San Quentin, CA 94964
Phone: (415) 454-1460
Sierra Conservation Center (SCC)
5100 O'Byrnes Ferry Road
Jamestown, CA 95327
Phone: (209) 984-5291
Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison, Corcoran (SATF-CSP, Corcoran)
900 Quebec Avenue
Corcoran, CA 93212
Phone: (559) 992-7100
Valley State Prison (VSP)
21633 Avenue 24
Chowchilla, CA 93610
Phone: (559) 665-6100
Wasco State Prison (WSP)
701 Scofield Avenue
Wasco, CA 93280
Phone: (661) 758-8400
Youth facilities
Ventura Youth Correctional Facility
3100 Wright Road,
Camarillo, CA 93010
Phone: (805) 485-7951
N.A. Chaderjian Youth Correctional Facility
7650 South Newcastle Road,
Stockton, CA 95215
Phone: (209) 944-6400
O.H. Close Youth Correctional Facility
7650 South Newcastle Road,
Stockton, CA 95213-9001
Phone: (209) 944-6391
California Prison Inmate Search For Free
Interested persons can use the Public Inmate Locator System provided by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) to conduct a prison inmate search in California for free. Through the system, inquirers can search for an inmate by CDCR number or name. There are no requirements for using the system. Hence, members of the general public can use the system to conduct an inmate search. Inquirers should note that the system only returns results on adult inmates currently incarcerated in any prison facilities operated by the CDCR. The following details about an inmate are accessible through the system: name, CDCR number, age, date of admission, present location, and date of parole eligibility.
How to Conduct a Federal Inmate Search
Inquirers can conduct a federal inmate search in California using the inmate locator tool provided by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). The BOP is responsible for managing the operations of all Federal Correctional Institutions across the U.S. The BOP inmate locator tool provides information on all federal inmates incarcerated from 1982 to the present. On the BOP inmate locator tool, interested persons can search for federal inmates by the inmate's BOP register number, DCDC number, FBI number, or NIS number. Alternatively, an inmate search can be conducted by name on the BOP inmate locator tool.
How to Make and Recieve Inmate Phone Calls in California
Generally, friends and families of any California correctional facility inmate can not make phone calls to the inmate directly. Rather, the phone call has to be initiated by the inmate themselves. Fortunately, Senate Bill (SB) 1008 (Keep Families Connected Act) has made all audio calls through standard institution wall phones and inmate tablets free of charge. In other words, neither inmate nor their friends or families are charged when the inmate makes a phone call.
If an individual is in correspondence with an inmate, they can provide the inmate with a telephone number through which the inmate can call them. After which, It will be entirely up to the inmate to initiate the call. Phone calls are generally limited to 15 minutes per call. Besides the 15-minute per-call rule and the facility's operating time for making calls, there are no limits to the number of calls an inmate can make.
Individuals receiving calls from a California jail phone number still have an active ConnectNetwork Advance Pay account with VPT. However, under Senate Bill (SB) 1008, they are not charged for calls. Individuals who do not have an Advance Pay account can call (866) 607-6006 to create an account for free. Meanwhile, individuals who have an Advance Pay account with existing funds can request a refund by calling (866) 607-6006.
How to Visit an Inmate in California
CDCR adult facilities
If an individual wishes to visit a state prison inmate in California, they must first apply for visitation approval. Prospective visitors must complete the Visitors Questionnaire (CDCR form 106) to apply. A prospective visitor can obtain the Visitors Questionnaire by having the inmate they want to visit send the questionnaire to them. The inmate must sign the questionnaire before sending it to their prospective visitor. The inmate's signature on the questionnaire serves as a confirmation to add the applicant to the inmate's visitation list.
Prospective visitors are advised to fill out the Visitors Questionnaire wholly and appropriately. Applicants must list all criminal convictions or arrests that they have on their record, regardless of whether the arrest led to charges or conviction. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) typically conducts background checks on each applicant when processing their visitor questionnaire. An applicant's questionnaire will be rejected if the background checks conducted by the CDCR turn up an arrest or conviction not listed in their questionnaire. If an applicant cannot remember the specifics about their arrest or convictions, they can provide the approximate date and cause of arrest on the questionnaire.
Prospective visitors can mail the completed visitors questionnaire to the visiting sergeant or lieutenant of the institution where the inmate they want to visit is currently housed. Interested persons can find each California adult prison facility's mailing address online on the CDCR's list of adult institutions directory. Each institution has varying processing times for visitor questionnaires, usually based on the volume of questionnaires received and the number of staff assigned to the review process.
If an applicant's questionnaire gets approved, the inmate they applied to visit will be informed. It becomes the inmate's duty to inform the applicant of the approval. Once approved, an applicant would be added to the institution's computer as an approved visitor of the respective inmate. Note that, Approvees are not required to bring proof of approval when visiting the prison.
If an applicant's questionnaire gets disapproved, the prison will send them a letter containing the reasons for the disapproval. The inmate will also receive a notice of disapproval without any reason provided. Disapproved applicants may reapply or appeal the denial themselves, or the inmate can appeal on their behalf. If an applicant was disapproved due to inaccurate or incomplete information on their questionnaire, they can resubmit a completed and accurate application.
Applicants can appeal an institution's reasons for disapproving their questionnaire by writing the Warden at the institution. Wardens typically respond to appeals within 15 days of receiving the appeal request. If the appellee is unsatisfied with the warden's decision, they submit an appeal with a copy of the institution's decision to the Director of the Division of Adult Institutions or the director's designee at;
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Adult Institutions
P. O. Box 942883
Sacramento, California, 94283-0001
Attention: Director, Room 351-N
An appellee can expect a response from the Director within 20 working days of submitting their appeal.
Applicants whose application gets approved can proceed to schedule a visit. The method of scheduling visits depends on the facility. Some facilities allow prospective visitors to schedule visits online via the Visitation Scheduling Application (VAS). Other facilities may allow for visitation scheduling strictly via email. Prospective visitors can find out each correctional facility's current scheduling method by visiting the CDCR's Facility Visiting Status Updates page. Before visiting any CDCR adult facility, prospective visitors should familiarize themselves with the CDCR's adult inmate visiting guidelines to prepare for their visit adequately.
CDCR youth facilities
The process of scheduling visits for inmates of a CDCR youth facility differs from CDCR adult facility inmates. When an inmate initially arrives at a youth facility, they will meet with a member of the facility's treatment team, who will help them develop an approved visiting list. At first, only the inmate's immediate family members are added to the list. Subsequently, other family members may be added to the list when the appropriate clearances are obtained. The facility will send an inmate's family members who are added to the inmate's visitation list an information packet shortly after the inmate arrives. The packet will contain the facility's visitation rules and regulations. For further information on scheduling a visit, prospective visitors can contact the youth facility where the inmate is being held and read the Youth facilities visitation guidelines.
California jails
Members of the general public who want to visit a California jail inmate must schedule their visit through the agency responsible for the jail's operation. These agencies are usually County Sheriff's Offices or City Police Departments. For instance, an individual that wants to visit an inmate in Santa Clara County main jail must query the County Sheriff's Office to schedule their visit. The Santa Clara County Sheriff's office provides an online portal that prospective visitors can use to schedule an inmate visit. On the other hand, some jails allow prospective visitors to schedule inmate visits over the phone. For instance, interested persons can schedule an inmate visit at Theo Lacy Facility in Orange County by calling the jail's scheduling number at 714-935-6202.
Prospective county jail visitors should note that each county jail has a unique set of rules visitors must adhere to during visits. These rules are usually published on the website site of the government agency responsible for the jail's operations. For instance, interested persons can find the visitation rules for Theo Lacy Facility by visiting the Orange County Sheriff's Department visiting hours & information page. Alternatively, interested persons can contact a County Sheriff's Office or City Police Department responsible for a jail operation to inquire about scheduling a jail visit and the jail's visitation rules.
How to Conduct an Inmate Release Date Lookup
The easiest way to conduct an inmate release date lookup is by using the inmate lookup/locator tool provided by the correction facility where the inmate is held. Through these online tools, an inquirer can find different information about inmates currently held in a particular correctional facility. These pieces of information include an inmate's release date, charges, and bond details, amongst other information. Interested persons can find these tools by visiting the website of the agency responsible for the operation of the facility where the inmate is held. For instance, inquirers can use the CDCR Public Inmate Locator System to find the release dates of inmates currently held in CDCR-operated facilities.
Alternatively, inquirers can contact the administrator of the jail or prison where an inmate is incarcerated to inquire about the inmate's release date. Regardless of the method used (inmate locator tool or jail/prison administrator query), an inquirer must provide details about the inmate to facilitate their query. For example, the inmate's name or booking number.
Inquirers should note that some inmate release dates are confidential pursuant to a court order. In such cases, only a select set of eligible inquirers are allowed access to the information. These may include and are not limited to the inmates themselves, immediate family members, their attorneys, victims, and some criminal justice officials.