Key Inmate Search Resources in Los Angeles County, California
- Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department: 211 W Temple St, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (View on Google Maps)
- Phone: (213) 229-1700
- Inmate center portal
People looking for someone in jail in Los Angeles County usually start with custody tools and records provided by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, while broader background rules and statewide context are outlined under California Public Records.
Before you use those official systems, gather the person's full legal name, date of birth, and any known booking number or recent arrest date, and keep in mind that online custody information is always a snapshot that can lag behind real-time jail movements.
- Focuses on county jail custody, not state or federal prison records.
- Explains how to read inmate search and booking information for Los Angeles County.
- Outlines practical steps if online tools do not show a match.
Understanding Jail and Inmate Information in Los Angeles County
Jail and inmate information for Los Angeles County is handled by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department through systems such as the Inmate Information Center and various booking records. This page is an independent help guide that describes how to use those official resources; it is not a government website and does not give legal advice or guarantee that any individual record is complete or up to date.
When you look up a person in county custody, you will typically see basic identifying details, a booking number, the facility name, and limited custody notes such as booking dates or housing location. These tools focus on people held in Los Angeles County jail facilities and generally will not show people who are only in a city holding cell, another county's jail, state prison, or federal custody.
Both the person-based inmate search and the online booking log are published for general informational use. The Sheriff's Department cautions that the underlying data can change without notice, may be incomplete, and carries no warranty as to accuracy or reliability, so online results should be treated as a starting point rather than a final determination of custody.
- Online information can lag behind real-time bookings, transfers, and releases.
- Certain security, medical, or classification details are not displayed in public search tools.
- Address information from booking logs is not intended to be used for advertising or solicitation.
Where Someone May Be Held After an Arrest in Los Angeles County
After an arrest in Los Angeles County, a person may first be held at a city police station or local detention room before being transferred to a county jail run by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. If some time has passed since the arrest, the person is often moved from the initial holding location into a larger county facility for longer-term housing while their case is pending.
Within the county system, people may appear in different facilities, including Men's Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles, Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, and intake locations such as the Inmate Reception Center. Other LASD-run facilities, such as Twin Towers Correctional Facility or the Pitchess Detention Center, may be used for medical, mental health, or other specialized housing, and those movements may not be obvious from a single search result.
Family and friends are not automatically notified when someone is moved from one jail to another. The custody FAQ explains that you can contact the inmate information line and provide the person's full name, date of birth, and arrest or booking date to confirm where they are currently housed if the online search or roster entry is unclear.
Key Los Angeles County jail facilities that commonly appear in custody records include:
| Facility Name | Physical Address | Phone Number |
|---|---|---|
| Men's Central Jail (MCJ) | 441 Bauchet Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (View on Google Maps) | (213) 473-6100 |
| Century Regional Detention Facility (CRDF) | 11705 South Alameda Blvd, Lynwood, CA 90262 (View on Google Maps) | (323) 562-4532 |
| Inmate Reception Center (IRC) | 450 Bauchet Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (View on Google Maps) | (213) 893-5351 |
People may be moved between these facilities for classification, court transports, medical treatment, or other operational reasons, or transferred to other LASD jails such as Twin Towers Correctional Facility or the Pitchess Detention Center. If the housing location in an online record changes or disappears, it usually means there has been a transfer or release, and you may need to run a fresh search or contact the inmate information line to clarify the person’s current status.
Reviewing the Los Angeles County Booking Log and Custody List
Los Angeles County offers two main online tools related to custody: the person-based Inmate Information Center and a Booking Log that lists bookings over a date and time range. The Booking Log is geared toward users such as journalists or researchers and may require registration and a signed declaration before detailed booking reports are made available.
For most families and community members, the Inmate Information Center is the primary starting point. From a web browser you can open the official LASD page and, after solving a reCAPTCHA challenge, enter the person’s last name, first name, optional middle name, and date of birth, then submit the form to start an online lookup. The reCAPTCHA is intended to prevent automated scraping and commercial misuse of the custody data.
Where the system allows it, a booking number is the most precise way to locate the correct record, especially when several people share similar names. The custody FAQ explains that you can obtain a booking number by calling the inmate information line and providing the person’s complete name, date of birth, and arrest or booking date, then use that booking identifier when checking custody online or when connecting mail, funds, or property to the right inmate.
Search results do not update in real time. The Inmate Information Center notes that records are not available online for bookings that occurred very recently, and the Booking Log emphasizes that all data are provided for informational purposes only and may contain errors. It is routine to see a temporary “no record found” response if the person has just been arrested, is still being processed, or if a transfer has not yet been posted in the public system.
What a Roster Entry Usually Means (and What It May Not Show)
Once you find a person in the inmate search or in a booking log, the entry will usually list the person’s name, booking number, date of birth, a facility such as MCJ or CRDF, and key custody information like booking dates or basic housing details. Status notes may indicate that someone is “unclassified,” subject to discipline, or on a form of “lockdown,” which describe how they are being housed and what privileges they currently have inside the jail.
“Unclassified” inmates are still waiting for a permanent housing assignment and can be restricted from phone calls or visits until the classification interview is completed, which the Sheriff’s Department explains may take several weeks. Discipline for breaking jail rules can result in limits on visits, telephone use, recreation time, or commissary, and a broader “lockdown” can pause movement and visits in an entire area of the jail for safety or security reasons even when staff cannot predict how long it will last.
Visitation information is not fully spelled out in a roster entry, but LASD materials explain that people confined at Men’s Central Jail, for example, typically receive two thirty-minute visits per week, with a limited number of visitors per session, and minors counting as visitors. Visits must be scheduled through the Inmate Visitation Scheduling System, operated on a ViaPath platform, and at several facilities walk-in visits are restricted or not allowed; visitors are expected to register in advance, arrive early for check-in, follow a dress code, and bring proper identification for all adults and children.
Mail, money, and personal property are also handled under separate rules that may not be visible in the online search. The Custody FAQ points to an “Inmate Mail” policy describing what can be sent through the mail, and clothing and property instructions explain that clothing is normally held for about 30 days, personal property for several months, and money for a limited period after release before unclaimed items are destroyed or funds are transferred to the county. Some services, such as purchasing care packages or depositing money on an account, are provided through outside vendors referenced by the jail and may require the correct booking number and facility to make sure payments and items are credited to the right person.
Beyond these basics, the Inmate Services Bureau coordinates education, work, and religious programs inside the jails, and medical details are handled through the jail medical staff and a Jail Mental Evaluation Team that can move someone to facilities such as Twin Towers for further evaluation. These program, medical, and mental health details are not normally shown in public search results; for urgent health concerns about someone in custody, the Sheriff’s Department directs callers to a separate medical command center phone line rather than relying on online records alone.
If You Cannot Find Someone Online: Practical Next Steps
If the inmate search or booking log does not show a match, start by double-checking the spelling of the person’s last name and any hyphenated names, trying common variations, and confirming the date of birth. If the tool allows date-range filters, widen the window in case the booking happened earlier or later than you expected, and remember that very recent bookings may not appear until the jail’s systems finish processing the intake.
It can also help to think about which system you are searching. The Inmate Information Center is designed for person-based lookups, while the Booking Log is organized by date and time and is aimed at people who need a list of bookings over a period. If you do not see the person on one system, trying the other—where appropriate—can sometimes reveal a booking that has been posted in one place but not yet reflected in all public views.
When there is still no result, consider whether the person might be somewhere outside the LASD jail system. Someone arrested in another county, moved to state prison, or taken into federal custody will not appear in Los Angeles County jail searches, and a person who has just been released may still appear as “in custody” for a short time while the system updates. Checking where the arrest occurred, which agency made the arrest, and whether there have been recent court hearings can help you decide which jurisdiction to check next.
If online tools are not resolving your questions, the LASD inmate information line can look up custody details when you provide the person’s full name, date of birth, and arrest or booking date, and the medical command center can address urgent medical or mental health concerns about someone already in custody. For issues with visit scheduling or accessibility, there is a dedicated help desk and an ADA contact line tied to the Inmate Visitation Scheduling System, and their contact information is published on that system’s official pages.
Los Angeles County Jail Contacts and Official Resources
While this page summarizes how Los Angeles County jail records and search tools work, only the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department can provide official, up-to-date information about custody, visiting, and inmate services. The contacts below come directly from LASD materials and are focused on general custody questions rather than emergencies or legal advice.
Use these points of contact when you need to confirm what you see in an online search, ask about programs or visiting hours, or raise concerns about someone’s health or housing inside the county jail system.
- Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department: 211 W Temple St, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (View on Google Maps)
- Phone: (213) 229-1700
- Inmate information line for custody and inmate location questions: (213) 473-6100
- Medical command center for urgent medical or mental health concerns about someone in custody: (213) 893-5544
- Inmate Services Bureau (education, work, and other in-custody programs): (323) 526-5380
- Inmate visitation system help desk for scheduling issues: (213) 680-4887; ADA visitation assistance: (213) 972-2200
- Email for visitation system support: IVVSPublicHelpDesk@lasd.org
Always confirm current locations, visiting rules, and phone details directly with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, because policies, schedules, and contact information can change.
How do I find an inmate's booking number in Los Angeles County?
The custody FAQ explains that you can call the LASD inmate information line at (213) 473-6100 and provide the person's full name, date of birth, and arrest or booking date so staff can give you the correct booking number.
Can someone on parole or probation visit an inmate at Men's Central Jail?
Individuals on parole or probation must first complete the Visiting Clearance for Probationers and Ex-felons form and submit it to the jail's Legal Unit; the approval process can take up to about a month before a visit is allowed.