County Jails in California

All County Jails in California

Browse 266 county jails across 59 counties in California

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266
County Jails
59
Counties

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This page lists all 266 county jails in California. You can browse by county below, search for specific facilities, or navigate to related pages.

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About County Jails in California

Understanding county jails in the California

Welcome to the most complete and up-to-date directory of county jails and correctional facilities in California. This page lists every active county-level detention facility operating across California, providing families, attorneys, bail bondsmen, social workers, and the general public with fast, reliable access to accurate information about county-level incarceration. County jails are often the first longer-term facility a person is sent to after initial arrest and police booking, making this directory essential for anyone trying to locate a recently arrested loved one.

What Are County Jails and How Do They Work?

County jails in California are local correctional facilities operated by the county sheriff's office or county department of corrections. They serve as the primary point of longer-term detention for individuals awaiting trial, unable to make bail, or serving shorter sentences for misdemeanor offenses.

The county jail system is decentralized — each county operates its own facility tailored to its population size, court system, and law enforcement needs. This means county jails vary significantly in size, capacity, programming, and conditions.

How County Jails Differ From Other Facilities

  • County Jails: Operated by sheriff's office. Hold pretrial detainees, those unable to make bail, misdemeanor sentences under one year.
  • City/Municipal Jails: Operated by city police. Shorter holds immediately after arrest before county transfer.
  • Police Lockups: Short-term holding (24-72 hours) during initial booking and processing.
  • State Prisons: Operated by California's DOC for felony sentences over one year.
  • Federal Prisons: Operated by Federal Bureau of Prisons for federal crimes.

Types of County Correctional Facilities

  • County Jail: Standard county detention facility serving the general pretrial and sentenced misdemeanor population.
  • County Correctional Center: Larger facility with expanded programming, multiple housing units, and specialized services.
  • County Detention Center: Often houses higher proportion of pretrial detainees or federal contract inmates.
  • County Work Release Center: Minimum-security allowing day employment with evening return.
  • County Medical/Mental Health Facility: Specialized units for inmates requiring ongoing medical or mental health care.
  • County Honor Farm: Minimum-security where inmates perform outdoor work assignments.

How to Use This Directory

  • Browse the full directory of all county jails in California by scrolling below.
  • Filter by county using the dropdown to narrow results to a specific county.
  • Switch states using the state selector to load county jails in any other US state.
  • Click any facility to open its dedicated page with contact details and inmate search.
  • Locate an inmate using the search feature on any facility page or our main inmate locator.

Finding an Inmate in a County Jail

County jails maintain their own inmate databases, and most offer online inmate lookup tools through the county sheriff's website. The fastest way to find someone is to identify the county where they were arrested using the directory below, then visit that facility's dedicated page to use the inmate search feature. You can also use our free US inmate locator tool to search across all county jails simultaneously.

Visitation

Policies vary considerably — some jails offer in-person contact visits, others have non-contact or video visitation only. Check visitation rules for the specific facility before planning a visit. Click any facility to view its complete visitation guidelines.

Calling an Inmate

Phone calls are outbound only from pre-approved numbers. Your number must be registered with the facility's phone provider and a prepaid account funded. Read our calling guide for complete setup instructions.

Getting Bail

Once bail is set at arraignment, pay it directly to the county jail or court, or work with a licensed bail bondsman who will post bail for a fee of 10-15% of the total amount.

Programs Available

Larger county jails typically offer GED and literacy programs, substance abuse counseling, religious services, and sometimes vocational training. Program availability varies significantly by facility size and resources.

Sheriff's Role

In most counties, the sheriff's office operates and manages the county jail. The sheriff is accountable for safe, humane, and legally compliant operation, including staffing, programming, medical services, and state/federal compliance.

Release & Reentry

Release can happen through bail, sentence completion, dismissal of charges, or court order. The transition back to daily life requires planning for employment, family reconnection, court-ordered supervision, and financial stability.

Frequently Asked Questions

The total number of active county jails and correctional facilities in California is shown at the top of the directory list on this page. This count is updated regularly to reflect any openings, closures, or changes in facility operations across California.

County jails in California are primarily operated by the county sheriff's office. In some larger counties, a dedicated county department of corrections may manage jail operations. All county jails in California are publicly accountable institutions subject to oversight by relevant state correctional standards agencies.

County jails in California are locally operated facilities that hold pretrial detainees and individuals serving sentences of less than one year for misdemeanor offenses. State prisons are operated by California's Department of Corrections and house individuals convicted of felonies serving sentences longer than one year. This directory covers county facilities only.

Use our free US inmate locator tool to search by name across county jails in California, or click on any facility in the directory below to access its dedicated inmate search feature. Having the person's full legal name and the county where they were arrested will significantly speed up your search.

There is no fixed maximum length of stay in a county jail in California. Pretrial detainees may be held for days, weeks, or months as their cases move through the court system. Those serving sentenced time for misdemeanor convictions typically serve less than one year. Some county jails also house state prison overflow inmates for extended periods.

Once bail has been set by a judge at arraignment, you can pay it directly to the county jail or court, or work with a licensed bail bondsman who will post bail on your behalf for a fee of typically 10 to 15 percent of the total amount.

Yes. Use the county filter dropdown above the directory list to instantly narrow the results to show only the county jail or jails in a specific county within California. The list updates in real time without requiring a page reload. You can also use the state selector to view county jails in any other US state.

Program availability varies significantly by facility size and resources. Larger county jails typically offer GED and literacy programs, substance abuse counseling, religious services, and sometimes vocational training. Smaller county jails may offer fewer programs. Check the individual facility page in the directory for details.

County Jails by County in California

View facilities organized by county

Filter County Jails by County

California has County Jails spread across dozens of counties, and finding the right one quickly can be challenging without the right tools. Use the county list below to instantly narrow results and view only the County Jails in a specific county within California. This is particularly helpful if you are trying to locate someone who was recently arrested in a specific area, or if you are planning a visit and need to find the closest facility to your location.

Alameda 4 Amador 2 Butte 2 Calaveras 2 Colusa 1 Contra Costa 7 Del Norte 3 El Dorado 4 Fresno 6 Glenn 2 Humboldt 2 Imperial 3 Inyo 2 Kern 9 Kings 2 Lake 2 Lassen 2 Los Angeles 37 Madera 3 Marin 2 Mariposa 2 Mendocino 2 Merced 3 Modoc 2 Mono 2 Monterey 5 Napa 2 Nevada 1 Orange 11 Placer 3 Plumas 2 Riverside 11 Sacramento 9 San Benito 2 San Bernardino 8 San Diego 12 San Francisco 9 San Joaquin 4 San Luis Obispo 3 San Mateo 6 Santa Ana 1 Santa Barbara 7 Santa Clara 10 Santa Cruz 5 Shasta 3 Sierra 1 Siskiyou 3 Solano 4 Sonoma 5 Stanislaus 4 Stanton 1 Sutter 4 Tehama 2 Trinity 2 Tulare 7 Tuolumne 1 Ventura 5 Yolo 3 Yuba 2

All County Jails in California

Complete listing of county jails

Browse the Complete List of County Jails in California

The full directory of county jails and correctional facilities in California is displayed below. Every active county-operated detention facility is included in this listing. Each entry includes the facility name, operating county, location, address, security classification, and contact information. County jails are operated by the county sheriff's office or county department of corrections and serve as the primary detention facility for the county's pretrial population and sentenced misdemeanor offenders.

Facility Name County Action
Santa Barbara County - Santa Maria 812-A West Foster Road, Santa Maria, CA 93454
Santa Barbara View Details
Santa Barbara County Main Jail 4436 Calle Real, Santa Barbara, CA 93110
Santa Barbara View Details
Santa Barbara County Medium Security Facility 4434 Calle Real, Santa Barbara, CA 93110
Santa Barbara View Details
Susan J. Gionfriddo Juvenile Justice Center 4263 California Road, Santa Maria, CA 93455
Santa Barbara View Details
Elmwood CA Main Jail Complex 150 West Hedding St, San Jose, CA 95110
Santa Clara View Details
Elmwood CA Women's Facility 701 S Abel St, Milpitas, CA 95035
Santa Clara View Details
Elmwood Correctional Complex 701 S Abel St, Milpitas, CA 95035
Santa Clara View Details
Santa Clara County - Headquaters Enforcement Division 55 W Younger Ave, San Jose, CA 95110
Santa Clara View Details
Santa Clara County - Juvenile Hall 840 Guadalupe Parkway, San Jose, CA 95110
Santa Clara View Details
Santa Clara County - South County Enforcement Division 80 W Highland Ave Bldg K, San Martin, CA 95046
Santa Clara View Details
Santa Clara County - William F James Boys Ranch 19050 Malaguerra Ave, Morgan Hill, CA 95037
Santa Clara View Details
Santa Clara County Jail - North 150 W Hedding St, San Jose, CA 95110
Santa Clara View Details
Santa Clara County Jail - South 150 W Hedding St, San Jose, CA 95110
Santa Clara View Details
William F. James Boys Ranch 19050 Malaguerra Ave, Morgan Hill, CA 95037
Santa Clara View Details
Santa Cruz CA County Minimum Facility 100 Roundtree Lane, Watsonville, CA 95076
Santa Cruz View Details
Santa Cruz County CA - Blaine Street Facility - Women 141 Blaine St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Santa Cruz View Details
Santa Cruz County CA Juvenile Hall 3650 Graham Hill Road, Felton, CA 95018
Santa Cruz View Details
Santa Cruz County CA Main Jail 259 Water St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Santa Cruz View Details
Santa Cruz County CA Roundtree Medium Facility 90 Roundtree Ln, Watsonville, CA 95076
Santa Cruz View Details
Crystal Creek Boys Camp PO Box 578, Shasta, CA 96087
Shasta View Details
Shasta County Jail 1525 Court St, Redding, CA 96001
Shasta View Details
Shasta County Juvenile Hall 2684 Radio Lane, Redding, CA 96001
Shasta View Details
Sierra County CA Jail 100 Courthouse Sq PO Box 66, Downieville, CA 95936-0066
Sierra View Details
Charlie Byrd Youth Corrections Center 269 Sharps Road, Yreka, CA 96097
Siskiyou View Details
Siskiyou County Jail 315 South Oregon St, Yreka, CA 96097
Siskiyou View Details
Page 9 of 11 (266 county jails in California)
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County Jails in Other States

Browse county jails in other states

Explore County Jails in Other States

Looking for county jails beyond California? We've got you covered. Use the state selectors below to instantly switch to a full directory of county jails in any other US state. Whether you need to look up facilities in a neighboring state or search across the country, our nationwide directory makes it simple to find the information you need in just a few clicks.

Alabama 39 Alaska 23 Arizona 45 Arkansas 88 Colorado 71 Connecticut 2 Delaware 3 District of Columbia 1 Florida 103 Georgia 165 Hawaii 1 Idaho 52 Illinois 135 Indiana 116 Iowa 107 Kansas 121 Kentucky 123 Louisiana 138 Maine 16 Maryland 26 Massachusetts 34 Michigan 114 Minnesota 109 Mississippi 93 Missouri 127 Montana 55 Nebraska 99 Nevada 25 New Hampshire 10 New Jersey 43 New Mexico 38 New York 82 North Carolina 115 North Dakota 57 Ohio 114 Oklahoma 94 Oregon 53 Pennsylvania 86 Rhode Island 2 South Carolina 59 South Dakota 72 Tennessee 140 Texas 330 Utah 31 Vermont 12 Virginia 73 Washington 67 West Virginia 5 Wisconsin 145 Wyoming 26