Riverside County jails and inmate search
Riverside County stretches from the Inland Empire to the Colorado River. Its five Sheriff's jails are spread across the county, so the location you need depends a lot on where the arrest happened.
How the Riverside County jail system works
The Riverside County Sheriff's Office runs five correctional facilities: the Robert Presley Detention Center in downtown Riverside, the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning, the Cois Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta, the John J. Benoit Detention Center in Indio and the Blythe Jail near the Arizona border.
Where someone is booked usually follows geography. Arrests in western Riverside County often go to Presley. Arrests in southwest communities such as Temecula, Murrieta and Lake Elsinore often go to Cois Byrd. Coachella Valley arrests usually go to Benoit in Indio, and arrests along the I-10 corridor near the state line may go to Blythe. People held long-term may later be moved to Smith in Banning.
Most cities in Riverside County contract with the Sheriff for police services. That means most arrests there go straight into county custody instead of a city jail.
Searching for someone in Riverside County
- Search the Sheriff's online 'Who's in Jail' lookup by name. It shows the booking number, current facility, charges listed at booking and bail amount, if one is set.
- Write down the facility name. Each Riverside County jail has its own visiting schedule and rules.
- If someone was arrested in the desert communities, check the Indio and Blythe facilities first.
The official source is the Riverside County Sheriff's Office website. For a general walkthrough, see our guide to finding someone in jail.
Practical details for families in Riverside County
Posting cash bail
In Riverside County, cash bail is usually posted at jail facilities or bail windows designated by the Riverside County Sheriff's Office, and sometimes at the Superior Court of California, County of Riverside once a case is filed. Check the Sheriff's official bail page for current locations, hours and accepted payment types. Learn more: How to Post Cash Bail in Southern California.
Property and account money
Property stored at booking is usually released only to someone the person in custody authorizes in writing, and that person needs a photo ID. Money on the person's account has to be released by them. Check facility rules on the Riverside County Sheriff's Office website. See How to Pick Up an Inmate's Property and How to Release Money From an Inmate's Account.
Release and parking
Releases can happen at any hour. In large counties, people are sometimes released from a different facility than the one where they were housed. Downtown facilities usually rely on nearby public parking that's shared with the courts, while facilities outside downtown generally have visitor lots. See Picking Someone Up After Release From Jail and Parking and Arriving for a Jail Visit.
Cars towed after an arrest
The arresting agency issues the vehicle release. That's the city police department, the Riverside County Sheriff's Office in unincorporated areas or contract cities, or the California Highway Patrol (CHP) on freeways. See Getting a Car Back After an Arrest: Impounds in Southern California.
After a court hearing
Check the Superior Court of California, County of Riverside online case search and the Sheriff's inmate search. See Who to Contact for an Update After Court.