San Diego Jail Inmate Search

Finding an Inmate in San Diego County Jails

Searching for an incarcerated friend or loved one in San Diego County? This guide will walk you through how to locate someone in custody at one of the area’s detention facilities.
With over 5 county jails and around 5,000 inmates, tracking down an individual can seem daunting. But understanding the system and available lookup tools can make the process pretty straightforward. We’ll break it all down step-by-step.

Getting Started with San Diego Inmate Lookup

If your search involves multiple facilities, the Sheriff’s Inmate Locator site allows you to search all jails at once by:

• Inmate name
• Booking number
• Date of birth

This centralized database connects records across the main county detention centers like San Diego Central Jail, Vista Detention Facility, Las Colinas Women’s Detention and Reentry Facility, and more.
However, some municipal jails in the county like San Diego Police Department jails may not list detainees here. We’ll cover those cases later.
First, let’s walk through using that Sheriff’s inmate finder site.

Searching by Name

The most common lookup method is by the inmate’s full name. Start by visiting the San Diego Sheriff’s Web Inmate Locator and click “Search by Name” on the menu.
You’ll need to enter their first and last name. It even helps to try alternate name spellings if you’re unsure. Leaving the middle name blank can also help broaden the search.
Once submitted, a list of potential name matches will appear with profile photos, physical details, booking date, projected release date, and more.
If you don’t see your search target, they may be in custody at a city police station instead of a county facility. We’ll cover this scenario more below.

Lookup by Booking Number

Every inmate booked into the San Diego County jail system is assigned a unique booking number.
So if you happen to know this identifier, it’s the most precise way to find their case information.
Visit the Sheriff’s inmate lookup site and enter the booking number in the appropriate search field. Details like arrest charges, bail, and visiting eligibility should populate.

Searching by Birth Date

Not sure of the exact spelling for an inmate’s name? Searching by date of birth can help overcome this.
Head to the Sheriff’s inmate locator and input their full DOB in MM/DD/YYYY format.
This will pull up a list of all detainees with that birth date. Scan through until you hopefully spot the right individual. From there you can access their booking details.

When Inmates Aren’t Listed in the San Diego County Jail System

Despite housing around 70% of the region’s inmates, a few scenarios can result in someone not appearing in those county search results:

• They are in custody at a municipal San Diego jail like the city police department or Chula Vista PD.
• They were recently arrested and haven’t been fully entered in the system yet
• They are currently being transferred between facilities
• They were released OR transferred to a state prison facility

So what should you do if your search comes up empty?
First wait 24 hours and try again. The system can lag behind on brand new bookings.
If there’s still no luck, call the facility you believe is holding them and request inmate info directly from staff.
You can also attempt searching individual city jail rosters if applicable.

Checking San Diego Police Jails

Arrestees in the City of San Diego will initially be held at SDPD jails up to 96 hours until transferred to larger county jails.
So if someone was recently detained by San Diego PD, start by checking their inmate roster online at https://www.sandiego.gov/police/services/jail.
You can search by first or last name and filter by gender. If located, it will display their SDPD booking number, arrest details, bail, release eligibility, and more.
Call 619-531-4040 for any additional questions on locating San Diego city inmates.

Other Local Police Jails

Detainees arrested by other city law enforcement may be temporarily housed in those agencies’ jails too.
For example, Chula Vista PD has their own short-term holding cells. So someone recently arrested in Chula Vista could be in custody there for up to 3 days.
Check in with the appropriate department for access to their local inmate rosters:

• Chula Vista Police Jail: 619-691-5151
• El Cajon PD Jail: 619-579-3311
• La Mesa PD Jail: 619-667-1400
• National City PD Jail: 619-336-4411

If not found in any of those city jailings, they likely have been transferred to one of the main San Diego County detention centers.

Understanding San Diego Inmate Records

Once you’ve located an incarcerated individual, their inmate profile page displays valuable data like:

• Booking date – Date and time entered into custody
• Projected release date – Estimated date scheduled to be discharged. This factors in time served, bail/bond status, possible early releases, etc.
• Arresting agency – Department responsible for the apprehension and charges
• Bail amount – Dollar figure set by court for potential bond payment and release
• Holds – Additional custody placements ordered by other jurisdictions
• Visit eligibility – If visitation is allowed and what restrictions apply

Review this info closely to understand the current case status and options around paying bail, visitation, phone calls, and more.

Finding Past Inmates in San Diego

The San Diego Sheriff’s inmate locator only searches current detainees in custody. So you won’t find records of previous inmates who have been released.
However public arrest logs and case info does exist in other systems you can check:

• Review San Diego County court records for any case filings, charges, convictions, or upcoming hearing dates
• File public records requests with the arresting agency for incident reports and booking data
• Search state Department of Corrections databases if they were transferred to a CA prison
• Hire an experienced criminal defense lawyer to help obtain past inmate information

Having a qualified legal team research arrest histories and gather documentation can uncover more details than individuals can access on their own.

Contacting a San Diego County Jail Inmate

Once found, you’ll probably want to connect with an incarcerated friend or family member. Here are the main options for contacting current detainees:

Inmate Phone Calls

Every housing unit in San Diego detention facilities has collect-call telephones inmates can use.
You’ll get an automated call from their facility asking if you’ll accept the charges. These inmate phone calls cost around $1 per minute, billed to your number.

In-Person Visitation

All county jails allow visitation sessions if the inmate agrees and has visitation rights. You can request and schedule video visits online via https://visits.sdsheriff.net/ or call 619-615-8013 for help.
In-person visits may have number limits, supervision rules, dress codes, and physical contact restrictions. Review visiting hours and guidelines listed by each facility.

Electronic Messaging

San Diego Central Jail and Las Colinas allow inmates to read and send electronic “eMessages” to friends / family with an account on iwebVisit.com.
Purchase “stamps” on that site to send secured emails that detention staff print and deliver to the recipient. Open fees and service terms apply.

Postal Mail

Inmates can receive letters sent to their facility’s mailing address. Find the correct address by calling the jail or looking under the “Mailing an Inmate” section on the San Diego Sheriff’s Jail Information page.
All postal mail is inspected by staff before delivery to the inmate.

Hiring a San Diego Criminal Defense Lawyer

Navigating California detention protocols on your own can be confusing. Having an experienced local criminal defense attorney represent incarcerated individuals simplifies the process.
They can immediately locate clients within the jail system, schedule confidential attorney visits, provide case updates, and deliver messages to concerned friends and family.
Top-rated San Diego defense lawyers also offer their clients:

• Initial case review and personalized defense strategy
• Direct representation at bail review and release hearings
• Guidance negotiating possible plea bargains with favorable outcomes
• Trial and sentencing support if no pretrial resolution is reached

And public defenders carry extremely high caseloads. So hiring dedicated private counsel ensures the necessary time and attention to maximize results.
Finding the best criminal lawyer comes down to experience, reputation, and compatibility. We recommend starting with these high-caliber San Diego criminal defense attorneys:

• Brian J. Watkins – Top-rated for DUI and drug cases
• Vikas Bajaj – Known for white collar and fraud charges
• Stephen D. Hoffman – Skilled at complex federal cases

Or search sites like Avvo.com, LawInfo.com, and FindLaw to explore all highly-qualified local defense attorneys.

The Takeaway

Tracking down an incarcerated person in San Diego County comes with hurdles. But the inmate search process doesn’t need to be a total mystery.
Knowing the right online tools, phone contacts, and legal guidance simplifies the stress. With a step-by-step approach, supporting detainees becomes manageable.