Los Angeles County jails and inmate search

How the Los Angeles County jail system works

LASD's Custody Division runs the county jails. Most adult men booked by the Sheriff or by city police departments are brought to the Inmate Reception Center (IRC) next to Twin Towers in downtown Los Angeles. Women are usually booked and housed at Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood.

Many cities, including Los Angeles, Long Beach, Pasadena, Glendale, Burbank, Torrance and Santa Monica, run their own short-term city jails. Someone arrested by one of those police departments may spend the first day or two in a city jail. If they aren't released, they are moved to LASD custody. That is why a person may not show up in the Sheriff's search right away.

After arraignment, people may be moved between Men's Central Jail, Twin Towers and the Pitchess Detention Center complex in Castaic. Always check the current housing location before you plan a visit or send mail.

Searching for someone in Los Angeles County

• Search LASD's online Inmate Information Center by full name and date of birth. The booking number it gives you is the most useful detail for mail, money and visits.
• If the person was arrested by a city police department in the last 24–48 hours, they may still be in that city's jail and not yet in the Sheriff's system.
• Housing assignments change often. Check the location again on the day you plan to visit.

The official source is the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) website. For a general walkthrough, see our guide to finding someone in jail.