Downtown intake
San Diego Central Jail
The county’s main intake jail for men.
1173 Front Street, San Diego, CA 92101CA / COUNTY GUIDEGuides for calls, visits, mail and money
Home / California / San Diego County
ESInformación en españolAbrir la guía →San Diego County: choose the correct adult jail
This county orientation is separate from the full facility guide. Find current custody and housing through Who’s in Jail or 619-409-5000 before choosing a destination. The locator currently warns that release dates may be inaccurate during recalculation.
All California counties Facility information, not live custody records.
JAIL411 / LOCAL ORIENTATION ·
Active adult Sheriff facilities
| Facility and guide | Street address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego Central Jail → | 1173 Front Street, San Diego, CA 92101 | 619-409-5000 |
| Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility → | 451 Riverview Parkway, Santee, CA 92071 | 619-409-5000 |
| Vista Detention Facility → | 325 S. Melrose Drive, Suite 200, Vista, CA 92081 | 619-409-5000 |
| South Bay Detention Facility → | 500 Third Avenue, Chula Vista, CA 91910 | 619-409-5000 |
| George Bailey Detention Facility → | 446 Alta Road, Suite 5300, San Diego, CA 92158 | 619-409-5000 |
| East Mesa Reentry Facility → | 446 Alta Road, Suite 5200, San Diego, CA 92158 | 619-409-5000 |
| Rock Mountain Detention Facility → | 446 Alta Road, Suite 5400, San Diego, CA 92158 | 619-409-5000 |
The Alta Road jails share a street address but use distinct suites. Las Colinas and Vista are intake locations as well as housing sites; current assignment controls. Rock Mountain remains an active county jail and is separate from federal/ICE and state custody. East Mesa Reentry is an adult jail, separate from juvenile detention. City police, juvenile, federal, immigration and state facilities require their own rules. Use the full guide for schedules, accounts, health contacts and release pickup; the June 2025 plan sends Rock Mountain releases through George Bailey.
Sources: Sheriff: active detention facilities · reviewed 2026-09-28 · Sheriff: Who’s in Jail and release-date warning · reviewed 2026-09-28 · Sheriff: San Diego Central Jail current schedule · reviewed 2026-09-28 · Sheriff: Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility current schedule · reviewed 2026-09-28 · Sheriff: Vista Detention Facility current schedule · reviewed 2026-09-28 · Sheriff: South Bay Detention Facility current schedule · reviewed 2026-09-28 · Sheriff: George Bailey Detention Facility current schedule · reviewed 2026-09-28 · Sheriff: East Mesa Reentry Facility current schedule · reviewed 2026-09-28 · Sheriff: Rock Mountain Detention Facility current schedule · reviewed 2026-09-28 · Sheriff: June 30, 2025 plan, release process page 24 · reviewed 2026-09-28
Original directory and other custody systems
The reviewed orientation is above. This older directory is preserved with historical listings and facilities from other systems. Use the current guide for the confirmed facility; adult-jail rules do not automatically apply to youth custody, special programs or other operators.
San Diego County custody map
Find the person first.
Then follow the facility.
San Diego’s seven Sheriff jails stretch from downtown to Vista and Otay Mesa. A name search tells you which building controls the next step; the nearest jail is often the wrong one.
Adult county custody
Seven jails.
Three useful groups.
Use the facility shown in the live Sheriff record. For county custody information, call (619) 409-5000 and select the facility when prompted.
01
Intake hubs
Start here only when the current record names one of these three facilities.
Women’s intake · Santee
Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility
The county’s primary women’s jail and intake facility.
451 Riverview Parkway, Santee, CA 92071North County intake
Vista Detention Facility
Intake for men and women on the Vista courthouse campus.
325 S. Melrose Drive, #200, Vista, CA 9208102
Alta Road complex
Three adult Sheriff facilities share one street address. The suite number is the quickest way to tell them apart.
5200
Alta Road · Suite 5200
East Mesa Reentry Facility
Adult reentry housing—not East Mesa Juvenile.
446 Alta Rd., Ste. 5200, San Diego, CA 921585300
Alta Road · Suite 5300
George Bailey Detention Facility
County detention housing in the Otay Mesa complex.
446 Alta Rd. Ste. 5300, San Diego, CA 921585400
Alta Road · Suite 5400
Rock Mountain Detention Facility
A Sheriff jail—not the nearby Donovan state prison.
446 Alta Road, Suite 5400, San Diego, CA 9215803
South County
One Sheriff detention facility on the Chula Vista courthouse campus.
South County · Chula Vista
South Bay Detention Facility
County detention at the courthouse complex.
500 Third Avenue, Chula Vista, CA 91910Do not cross systems
A San Diego address
doesn’t make it a county jail.
Sheriff instructions do not transfer to youth, city, state, federal, or immigration custody. Match the agency name before you use a locator, send money, or travel.
Who has custody?Read the agency or facility on the current record.
YouthCounty Probation
East Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility
San Diego County Probation’s main juvenile booking campus, 446 Alta Road, Suite 6100. Mostly youth waiting for Juvenile Court. The Youth Development Academy (local secure youth treatment) is on this same campus. Not an adult Sheriff jail. Mail is a P.O. Box, not this street. Visits by appointment at (619) 671-4400.
446 Alta Road, Suite 6100, San Diego, CA 92158Youth Transition Campus
County Probation’s youth campus in Birdland. Use youth-specific contacts and rules.
2801 Meadow Lark Drive, San Diego, CA 92123City holdingLocal police
Chula Vista City Jail
Chula Vista Police booking only — not ongoing housing. People are processed here, then moved to a Sheriff jail or another facility. Do not send Sheriff mail or book a Sheriff visit at this address.
315 Fourth Avenue, Chula Vista, CA 91910State prisonCDCR
Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility
What most people in San Diego call Donovan. CDCR state prison at 480 Alta Road. Not Rock Mountain, George Bailey, or East Mesa (all 446 Alta Road). State-prison visiting, mail, and money are CDCR rules, not Sheriff Santee mail.
480 Alta Road, San Diego, CA 92179FederalBOP / USMS
MCC San Diego
Federal Bureau of Prisons Metropolitan Correctional Center downtown at 808 Union Street. Pretrial and short-term federal custody. Not the Sheriff’s Central Jail on Front Street and not Western Region Detention Facility on C Street.
808 Union Street, San Diego, CA 92101Western Region Detention Facility
U.S. Marshals Service contract jail downtown at 220 West C Street. Federal pretrial detention. Not ICE Otay Mesa, not BOP MCC San Diego, and not Sheriff Central Jail.
220 West C Street, San Diego, CA 92101ImmigrationICE / contract custody
Otay Mesa Detention Center
ICE and U.S. Marshals contract detention at 7488 Calzada de la Fuente, Otay Mesa. Immigration and federal hold populations. Not a San Diego County Sheriff jail. Do not use Who’s In Jail or Santee Sheriff mail for someone held here.
7488 Calzada de la Fuente, San Diego, CA 92154Court day
The jail and courthouse
may be two different trips.
Use the location printed on the case record. A downtown booking does not guarantee a downtown hearing.
Central Courthouse
Downtown criminal, family, probate, and administration at 1100 Union Street (opened 2017). Felony and misdemeanor calendars for central San Diego are here. Not the Hall of Justice civil building next door. Closest rail: Orange Line Courthouse Station.
1100 Union Street, San Diego, CA 92101Hall of Justice
Civil courthouse at 330 West Broadway, connected to Central Courthouse. Unlimited and limited civil, including small claims filing. Criminal hearings are next door at 1100 Union Street.
330 West Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101Kearny Mesa
Traffic and minor-offense courthouse at 8950 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard. Adult traffic cases for the central area, and juvenile traffic infractions. Not Juvenile Court on Meadow Lark Drive.
8950 Clairemont Mesa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92123Juvenile Court
Minors’ cases at 2851 Meadow Lark Drive: juvenile justice (delinquency), dependency (abuse/neglect), adoptions, emancipations, and permission to marry. Business office (858) 634-1600. Youth Transition Campus is 2801 Meadow Lark — a detention campus, not this courtroom.
2851 Meadow Lark Drive, San Diego, CA 92123East County Regional Center
El Cajon courthouse at 250 East Main Street. Criminal, family, civil harassment and elder-abuse restraining orders, juvenile dependency, and traffic for East County. The same building also houses Sheriff, Probation, and DA counters. Other civil filings go to the Hall of Justice downtown.
250 East Main Street, El Cajon, CA 92020North County Regional Center
Vista courthouse at 325 South Melrose Drive — same campus as Vista Detention Facility. North County criminal, family, probate, civil, and traffic calendars. A jail visit and a court date are different doors.
325 South Melrose Drive, Vista, CA 92081South County Regional Center
Chula Vista courthouse at 500 Third Avenue — same campus as South Bay Detention Facility. South Bay criminal, family, restraining orders, and traffic. City jail booking is 315 Fourth Avenue, not this building.
500 Third Avenue, Chula Vista, CA 91910Public defender12 locations
Public Defender — downtown (Primary)
Main appointed-counsel office, 451 A Street, Suite 900. The judge assigns the Public Defender when someone cannot afford a lawyer. This is the first county office, not a private firm.
451 A Street, Suite 900, San Diego, CA 92101Public Defender — North County (Primary)
Appointed counsel for North County cases, 495 La Tortuga Drive, Suite 100, Vista — not the Melrose courthouse/jail campus.
495 La Tortuga Drive, Suite 100, Vista, CA 92081Public Defender — South Bay (Primary)
Appointed counsel for South Bay cases, 303 H Street, Suite 400, Chula Vista.
303 H Street, Suite 400, Chula Vista, CA 91910Public Defender — East County (Primary)
Appointed counsel for East County cases, 250 E. Main Street, sixth floor, El Cajon Regional Center.
250 E. Main Street, Sixth Floor, El Cajon, CA 92020Public Defender — Juvenile (Primary)
Juvenile appointed counsel at 5530 Overland Avenue, Suite 110. This office has a different street address from Juvenile Court on Meadow Lark Drive. Phone (858) 974-5757.
5530 Overland Avenue, Suite 110, San Diego, CA 92123Alternate Public Defender — downtown
Second county defense office, 451 A Street, Suite 1200. Takes felony cases the Primary office cannot because of a conflict (for example, two defendants in the same case).
451 A Street, Suite 1200, San Diego, CA 92101Alternate Public Defender — North County
Conflict counsel for North County, 450 South Melrose Drive, Suite 220, Vista.
450 South Melrose Drive, Suite 220, Vista, CA 92081Alternate Public Defender — South Bay
Conflict counsel for South Bay, 500 3rd Avenue, Suite 150, inside the South County courthouse campus.
500 3rd Avenue, Suite 150, Chula Vista, CA 91910Alternate Public Defender — East County
Conflict counsel for East County, 250 E. Main Street, eighth floor, El Cajon.
250 E. Main Street, Eighth Floor, El Cajon, CA 92020Alternate Public Defender — Juvenile
Juvenile conflict counsel, 5530 Overland Avenue, Suite 140. Phone (858) 974-5885.
5530 Overland Avenue, Suite 140, San Diego, CA 92123Office of Assigned Counsel
Assigns a private panel attorney when Primary, Alternate, and Multiple Conflicts all cannot take the case. 451 A Street, Suite 1450. (619) 338-4800.
451 A Street, Suite 1450, San Diego, CA 92101Multiple Conflicts Office
Major conflict / multiple-defendant cases. County locations page maps 451 A Street, Suite 1210. Phone (619) 446-2909. Check in at the 451 A Street lobby.
451 A Street, Suite 1210, San Diego, CA 92101District Attorney5 locations
DA — Central Office (Hall of Justice)
Main prosecutor’s office, 330 W. Broadway. Felony prosecutions for central San Diego. Victim Assistance downtown: (619) 531-4041. Misdemeanors inside the City of San Diego are often the City Attorney, not this office.
330 W. Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101DA — East County (El Cajon)
East County prosecutions at the El Cajon Regional Center. Use this counter for East County cases, not the downtown Hall of Justice.
East County Regional Center, 250 E. Main Street, El Cajon, CA 92020DA — South Bay (Chula Vista)
South Bay prosecutions at 333 H Street, Suite 4000 — near, not inside, the 500 Third Avenue courthouse.
South Bay Regional Center, 333 H Street, Suite 4000, Chula Vista, CA 91910DA — North County (Vista)
North County prosecutions at 325 S. Melrose Drive, Suite 5000, on the Vista Regional Center campus.
North County Regional Center, 325 S. Melrose Drive, Suite 5000, Vista, CA 92081DA — Juvenile
Juvenile Branch for the whole county, 2851 Meadow Lark Drive, at Juvenile Court. (858) 694-4250.
2851 Meadow Lark Drive, San Diego, CA 92123Probation7 locations
Probation Administration Center
Chief’s office and administration, 9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 500. Juvenile records: (858) 694-4319. Not a reporting office unless your papers say so.
9444 Balboa Ave., Suite 500, San Diego, CA 92123Adult Central — Hall of Justice
Adult records and Central Division at 330 W. Broadway. (619) 515-8202. Use the officer and office named on the reporting instructions.
330 W. Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101Community Transition Center
Adult reintegration and community supervision, 3880 Rosecrans Street. For people leaving custody onto county supervision — not CDCR parole.
3880 Rosecrans St, San Diego, CA 92110East County (El Cajon)
Adult supervision for East County, eighth floor of the El Cajon Regional Center, 250 E. Main Street.
East County Regional Center, 250 E. Main St., 8th Floor, El Cajon, CA 92020Community Support Office
3977 Ohio Street. Jurisdiction Transfer Unit uses (619) 837-6200.
3977 Ohio St., San Diego, CA 92104Southeastern Live Well Center
Adult supervision at 5101 Market Street, Southeastern Live Well Center.
5101 Market St, San Diego, CA 92114South Bay Adult Supervision
Adult supervision for South Bay, 1095 Bay Boulevard, Chula Vista. Juvenile division also publishes this campus.
1095 Bay Blvd., Chula Vista, CA 91911State parole2 locations
Chula Vista Parole Office
CDCR Division of Adult Parole Operations — people released from state prison. 765 Third Avenue, Suites 200 and 300. Not county probation and not South Bay Detention Facility.
765 Third Avenue, Suites 200 and 300, Chula VistaEscondido Parole Office
CDCR parole unit, 1301 Simpson Way, Escondido. North County state-parole reporting. Not Vista Detention Facility and not county probation on Melrose.
1301 Simpson Way, Escondido1100 Union Street only
Getting to Central Courthouse.
These are orientation notes, not a live timetable. Check MTS service before traveling.
Get off at Broadway & Union (Courthouses).
Transfer: NoGet off at Broadway & Union. City Heights is also served by Rapid 235.
Transfer: NoGet off at Broadway & Union.
Transfer: NoDowntown stop at Broadway & Union.
Transfer: NoExit near 4th Avenue and B/C Street; walk west to Union Street.
Transfer: NoExit on Broadway near Union/1st Avenue and walk to the courthouse.
Transfer: NoExit at Civic Center and walk west to Union Street.
Transfer: Yes — Old TownExit at Civic Center; walk west to Union Street.
Transfer: NoExit at Civic Center and walk west. Route 110 is a limited direct downtown alternative when its schedule fits.
Transfer: Yes — UC San DiegoExit at Civic Center and walk west.
Transfer: NoExit on Broadway at 1st/3rd Avenue and walk west to Union Street.
Transfer: NoExit at Courthouse Station.
Transfer: NoExit at Courthouse Station.
Transfer: Yes — El Cajon Transit CenterExit at Courthouse Station.
Transfer: Yes — Spring StreetRapid 235 stops at Broadway & Union.
Transfer: Yes — Sabre Springs or Rancho BernardoExit at Santa Fe Depot and walk east to Union Street.
Transfer: No transit switchRapid 235 stops at Broadway & Union. Compare Oceanside/COASTER for western Vista.
Transfer: Yes — Escondido Transit CenterExit at Broadway & Union.
Transfer: NoAfter you locate them
Do the next thing
without starting over.
Keep the booking number and current facility nearby. Each guide is written for San Diego County Sheriff custody.
VisitReserve the right kind of visitCallsRecognize the incoming numberMailUse the processing-center addressMoneyVerify before depositingReleasePlan the ride and property pickupHealthShare an urgent concern clearly
Información en español
Una guía completa para localizar a una persona, llamar, visitar y confirmar la cárcel correcta.
Abrir la guía en español →Alternative custody
County Parole and Alternative Custody programs have separate eligibility and reporting rules.
Open the official CPAC page ↗Victim assistance
The District Attorney’s victim-services team is separate from jail and defense services.
Call (619) 531-4041SCAM ALERT
A real arrest can still lead to a fake payment demand.
Booking information can be public. A caller may use real details while pretending to be a bondsman, jail employee, court worker, or even your family member.
Stop. Hang up. Verify.
- Find the person in the official Sheriff custody record.
- Call the jail using the Sheriff’s published number—not a number the caller gave you.
- If you choose a bail agent, contact one yourself and verify the California license.
Strong warning signs
- They demand immediate action or secrecy.
- They request gift cards, a wire, crypto, or a payment app.
- They tell you not to call the jail or court.
- They cannot provide a license number you can verify.
Before the trip
Check before you leave.
A transfer, schedule change, or different entrance can turn one trip into two.
- Current facilityRecheck Who’s in Jail for transfers.
- Today’s availabilityConfirm the visit or service is still available.
- Required detailsBring the booked name, booking number, ID, and confirmation.
- Exact entranceUse the address for this task—not a mailing address.
Recent arrest
Sheriff and police.
Every public contact.
The arresting agency may have the first answer before booking appears. A patrol station is not a visiting location.
San Diego County Sheriff's Department
San Diego
Carlsbad Police Department
Carlsbad
Central Division
San Diego
Chula Vista Police Department
Chula Vista
Facility and office details use San Diego County records updated in September 2026. Confirm current housing, schedules, and service availability before traveling or paying.
Practical information.
Before you visit, call or send.
Start with these county guides for visiting, calls, mail and money. Then open the facility page for local details.
Visiting
Schedules, visitor approval, identification and arrival.
Read the guidePhone calls
Calling accounts, approved providers and connection issues.
Read the guideMail & photos
Mailing addresses, permitted contents and delivery rules.
Read the guideMoney & commissary
Deposit methods, account types and fees to check.
Read the guideDifferent custody systems.
Different places to start.
An arrest, a court case, and an immigration hold do not by themselves identify the current housing facility. Confirm where the person is held, then use the matching county, state, federal, immigration, or youth instructions.
Understand jail and prison differencesClear information.
Clear boundaries.
Jail411 is an independent information resource for families and friends. We are not a government agency, jail operator, law firm or live custody-records service.
Which San Diego County jail should I use?
Use the facility listed in the current Who’s In Jail record. Central Jail, Las Colinas, Vista, and the other Sheriff facilities serve different roles; the closest jail is not necessarily the right one.
What number serves the county jails?
Call (619) 409-5000 and select the facility when prompted. This is the shared Sheriff custody-information line.
Is Rock Mountain the same as Donovan?
No. Rock Mountain is a county Sheriff jail at 446 Alta Road, Suite 5400. Richard J. Donovan is a CDCR state prison at 480 Alta Road.
Where does ordinary Sheriff jail mail go?
Use the Mail Processing Center at 451 Riverview Parkway, Building C, Santee, CA 92071, with the booked name, booking number, and current facility. This address is not for youth, state, federal, or immigration custody.
Do youth use the adult Sheriff system?
No. County Probation operates East Mesa Juvenile Detention Facility and Youth Transition Campus. Use youth-specific contacts and visiting instructions.
Can Jail411 check whether someone is in custody?
No. Jail411 provides facility and family-guide information, not live custody records. Use the Sheriff’s official search and confirm current housing before traveling.
How do I report a correction?
Use the Jail411 contact page and identify the page and detail that needs attention. Do not send private booking documents or medical records.
YOUR FAMILY REFERENCE
Open family guidesPlan the next step.
Practical guides for calls, visits, mail, money and release.
Jail411 source information preserved on 2026-09-25.Official sources appear alongside the relevant information.