Jails & Correctional Facilities in Los Angeles, California
Find all 12 facilities in Los Angeles. Directions, nearby hotels, visiting tips, and facility contact information for families.
Overview
Los Angeles, California has 12 correctional facilities: 5 jails, 1 federal facility, 6 other facilities. This page provides visiting information, inmate lookup resources, and contact details for every facility in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles has the largest county jail system in the United States, operated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD). The system includes Twin Towers Correctional Facility (the world's largest jail), Men's Central Jail, Century Regional Detention Facility (women), North County Correctional Facility, and Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic. The LASD jails house approximately 14,000 inmates daily, processing over 170,000 bookings per year.
All Facilities in Los Angeles
Central Juvenile Hall
Inmate Reception Center
Los Angeles County Sybil Brand Institute for Women
Men's Central Jail
Twin Towers Correctional Facility
77Th Street Regional Jail
Lapd Hollywood Area Jail
Lapd Metropolitan Detention Center
Lapd Southwest Area Jail
Lapd Wilshire Area Jail
Pacific Area Community Jail
Mdc Los Angeles
Visiting Los Angeles? What Families Need to Know
If you're traveling to Los Angeles, California to visit someone at a correctional facility, this section covers everything you need to plan your trip — from getting there to finding affordable lodging nearby.
Getting There
By Car
Get driving directions to Los Angeles via Google Maps. Most correctional facilities have free parking lots — arrive early as spaces fill up during peak visiting hours.
By Air
Search for flights on Google Flights. Budget airlines like Southwest, Frontier, and Spirit often have the lowest fares. Many facility towns are rural — you may need to fly into the nearest major city and rent a car or take a shuttle.
Where to Stay
Many families visiting correctional facilities need affordable lodging, especially for early morning visit check-ins. Here are tools to find budget-friendly options near Los Angeles:
Tips for Families
- Book near the facility — Many visit check-ins start at 7:00 or 8:00 AM. Staying close means less stress on visit day.
- Look for extended stay hotels — If you're visiting regularly, extended stay properties (Extended Stay America, WoodSpring Suites, InTown Suites) offer weekly rates that save significantly.
- Check cancellation policies — Visits can be cancelled due to facility lockdowns. Book hotels with free cancellation when possible.
- Consider motels on major highways — National chains like Motel 6, Super 8, and Red Roof Inn offer consistent, affordable rates.
- Rural facility towns may lack hotels — If Los Angeles is a small town, check nearby larger cities for more lodging options. A 20–30 minute drive is common for families visiting rural facilities.
Where to Eat
Plan Around Visit Schedules
- Eat before you arrive — Visiting hours are limited and check-in takes time. Have a full meal before heading to the facility.
- Vending machines inside — Most visiting areas have vending machines (coins or debit cards), but selection varies. Don't rely on them for a meal.
- Bring snacks for the road — Pack snacks and water, especially if traveling with children. No outside food is allowed inside facilities.
- Fast food is usually nearby — Chain restaurants along major roads near facilities are convenient for a quick meal before or after your visit.
- Hotels with free breakfast — If staying overnight, look for hotels that include breakfast to save on meal costs.
Visiting Tips
Arrive Early
Plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before your scheduled visit. Check-in, ID verification, and security screening take time. Late arrivals may be turned away.
Bring Only Essentials
Leave everything in your car except your government-issued photo ID and car keys. No phones, purses, bags, or wallets are allowed inside. Some facilities offer lockers.
Dress Code
Dress code rules are strictly enforced. Avoid revealing clothing, open-toed shoes, and anything resembling inmate uniforms. When in doubt, wear plain, modest clothing.
Know the Rules
Every facility has different visiting rules. Check the facility pages listed above for specific visiting hours, approved visitor requirements, and ID policies.
Visitor Approval
State prisons and federal facilities require visitors to be pre-approved. This process can take 2–6 weeks. Contact the facility well in advance of your planned visit.
Prepare for Security
You will pass through a metal detector and may be searched. Avoid belts with large buckles, excessive jewelry, or underwire bras if possible.
Staying in Touch Between Visits
Visiting in person isn't always possible. Here are the ways families stay connected with loved ones in Los Angeles facilities between visits:
Phone Calls
Inmates can make collect or prepaid calls through the facility's phone provider (often Securus or GTL). Calls are typically 15 minutes and cost $0.14–$0.25/minute for local calls. Set up a prepaid account to save on per-call fees.
Video Visits
Many facilities offer video visitation through tablets or kiosks. Services like JPay, GTL, and Securus allow scheduled video calls from home. Availability and cost vary by facility — check each facility's page for details.
Email & Messaging
Electronic messaging through JPay or GTL's GettingOut allows you to send text messages and photos. Messages cost $0.25–$0.50 each. All messages are monitored and may take 24–48 hours to be reviewed before delivery.
Postal Mail
All facilities accept postal mail. Write the inmate's full legal name and ID number on the envelope. Letters must be on plain white paper — no stickers, drawings, perfume, or Polaroid photos. Some facilities now require mail through services like TextBehind.
Local Resources
- Los Angeles County Facilities — View all facilities in the county
- All California Facilities — Browse 418 facilities statewide
- How to Visit Someone in Jail — Complete visiting guide
- How to Find Someone in Jail — Inmate lookup guide
- How Bail Bonds Work — Understanding bail, bonds, and release
Visiting Information
LA County Jail Visiting
All visits to Los Angeles County jails are scheduled online through lasd.org or by calling (213) 473-6080. Walk-in visits are not available.
Key visiting rules:
- Visits are 30 minutes in person or 20 minutes by video
- Maximum 2 adults and 3 children per visit
- Government-issued photo ID required for all adults
- Arrive 30 minutes early for processing
- No revealing clothing, no clothing similar to inmate uniforms (blue for men, orange for women)
- Leave all personal items in your vehicle — lockers may be available but are limited
Video visits are available through GTL/ViaPath and can be done from the jail lobby or remotely from home.
Inmate Search & Lookup
LA County Inmate Lookup
The LASD provides a free online Inmate Information Center at lasd.org. You can search by name, booking number, or case number for any inmate currently in the LA County jail system.
For California state prison inmates, use the CDCR Inmate Locator.
County Jails in Los Angeles
Los Angeles has 5 county jails operated by the county sheriff's office. County jails hold people who are awaiting trial, serving sentences of typically one year or less, or who have been recently arrested and are awaiting bail hearings.
| Central Juvenile Hall | (323) 226-8611 |
| Inmate Reception Center | (213) 473-6100 |
| Los Angeles County Sybil Brand Institute for Women | — |
| Men's Central Jail | (213) 974-4921 |
| Twin Towers Correctional Facility | (213) 893-5100 |
Federal Facilities in Los Angeles
Los Angeles has 1 federal facility operated by the Bureau of Prisons (BOP). Federal prisons house individuals convicted of federal crimes. The BOP classifies facilities by security level: minimum, low, medium, high, and administrative.
| Mdc Los Angeles | (213) 485-0439 |
Bail & Bonds in Los Angeles
When someone is arrested and booked into a Los Angeles jail, a bail amount is set based on the charges and the county bail schedule. Bail can be posted in several ways:
- Cash bail — Pay the full bail amount directly to the jail. This is refunded (minus fees) when the case concludes, regardless of verdict.
- Bail bond — Pay a bail bondsman 10% of the bail amount (non-refundable). The bondsman posts the full bail on your behalf.
- Property bond — Use real property as collateral. Must be valued at 150-200% of the bail amount.
- Own recognizance (OR) — A judge may release the defendant without bail for minor charges.
Bail can typically be posted 24 hours a day at county jails. After bail is posted, release processing takes 4-12 hours depending on the facility's booking volume.
Other Cities in California with Facilities
Frequently Asked Questions
Los Angeles has 12 correctional facilities: 5 jails, 1 federal facility, 6 other facilities.
Contact the jail directly to schedule a visit. Most Los Angeles jails require advance reservations by phone or online. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID. Visits are typically 30 minutes with a maximum of 3 visitors.
Check the county sheriff's office website for their online inmate search tool, often called "Who's In Jail" or a booking roster. You can search by name, booking number, or date of arrest.
Bail can be posted at the jail 24/7 by cash, bail bond (10% through a bondsman), or property bond. After posting bail, release takes 4-12 hours depending on booking volume.
Use the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Inmate Locator at bop.gov/inmateloc. You can search by name, BOP register number, or other identifiers for anyone in the federal prison system.
Look for budget-friendly hotels near the facility, especially for early morning visit check-ins. Extended stay hotels offer weekly rates. Search Google Hotels or Booking.com for options near Los Angeles, California.
You can drive (use Google Maps for directions), take an intercity bus (Greyhound, FlixBus, or Megabus), or fly to the nearest airport. Check our directions section above for specific travel options.
Inmates make outgoing calls through the facility's phone provider (usually Securus or GTL). Set up a prepaid phone account to receive calls at lower rates. Calls are typically 15 minutes and cost $0.14-$0.25 per minute for local calls.
Many facilities now offer video visitation through JPay, GTL, or Securus platforms. Check the specific facility's page on this site to see if video visits are available and how to set up an account.
Yes. Most facilities accept deposits through services like JPay, GTL, or commissary kiosks in the lobby. County jails also accept money orders mailed to the inmate's booking account. Online deposits typically cost $3-6 in fees.
Yes. All jails and prisons accept postal mail. Address it to the inmate's full legal name and booking/inmate number at the facility's address. Letters must be on plain white paper. No stickers, drawings, perfume, or Polaroid photos.