How to Find If Someone Is in Jail in California

Detention center

Locating an inmate in the California detention system can seem daunting, but a streamlined process means that you may be able to get the information that you need with one phone call. The California Department of Corrections can tell you whether someone who has been convicted of a crime is serving a sentence in a California detention center. If you are looking for person who has just been arrested, you will need to contact your local or county jail.

Things You'll Need

• Full name of inmate
• Inmate's date of birth or California Department of Corrections (CDC) number

Instructions

1. Call the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Identification Unit at 916-445-6713. You will only be able to reach someone Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. After hours calls are not answered by the Identification Unit.

2. Identify the inmate to the person on the phone. She will check the database for any matches.

3. Obtain the current location of the person you are looking for from the Identification Unit, if the information is available. Contact the appropriate detention center directly for any further information.

Tips & Warnings

• If the person you are looking for has been in the system for less than seven business days or are being transferred from another state, the information may be incorrect.

References

• California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation: Inmate Search

Resources

• San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department: Detention Fascilities
• Ventura County Sheriff's Department: Inmate Search
• The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department: Inmate Search