Someone you know was just arrested in LA County. Here's exactly what to do.
The five most common things people need when someone gets arrested in LA County.
Search by name at app5.lasd.org/iic or call (213) 473-6100 (24 hours). If they were just arrested, give it 12-24 hours before they appear in the system.
Call (213) 473-6080 for the bail amount. You can post cash at the jail's cashier window, bring a cashier's check, or go through a bail bondsman who charges a non-refundable 10% fee.
All visits are by appointment only at visit.lasd.org. Bring a valid photo ID. No walk-ins are accepted at any facility.
Deposit through accesscorrections.com using their booking number. Funds typically post within 24 hours.
Check lacourt.org or call the Criminal Court information line at (213) 628-7700. Arraignment usually happens within 48 hours of arrest (excluding weekends and holidays).
A step-by-step walkthrough of the entire process, from the moment of arrest through release. Written for real people dealing with a real situation.
If someone you care about was just arrested in Los Angeles County, the first thing you need to understand is that there are two separate agencies making arrests here, and which one picked them up determines where they go first.
If LAPD made the arrest, they will be taken to one of the three open city jails first: the Metropolitan Detention Center at 180 N. Los Angeles St, the 77th Street Regional Jail at 7600 S. Broadway, or the Valley Jail at 6240 Sylmar Ave in Van Nuys. From there, if they are being held on anything more than a minor misdemeanor, they will be transferred to the LA County Sheriff's Department (LASD) custody within 24 to 72 hours. During that transfer window, they may be difficult to locate.
If the LASD made the arrest (which happens throughout unincorporated LA County and the 40+ contract cities), they go directly to the Inmate Reception Center (IRC) at 450 Bauchet Street in downtown Los Angeles. This is where all county-level booking happens.
Here is the most important thing to know right now: you will not be able to find them in the system immediately. Booking takes 12 to 24 hours, and during that time, they simply do not appear in any database. That is normal. Do not panic, and do not pay for any third-party "inmate finder" service. The official search is completely free.
Once booking is complete, you can search for them at app5.lasd.org/iic or call the 24-hour Inmate Information Line at (213) 473-6100. If they were arrested by LAPD and are still at a city jail, you may need to call that specific station directly. The search system only covers LASD custody.
Booking is the formal process of entering someone into the jail system, and in LA County, it takes a long time. The LASD processes over 170,000 bookings per year through the Inmate Reception Center alone. That is roughly 465 people every single day being fingerprinted, photographed, medically screened, and checked for outstanding warrants. The volume is enormous, and it creates long wait times.
During booking, the person being processed goes through several stages:
After booking is complete, the person will appear in the online inmate search system. You can check app5.lasd.org/iic or call (213) 473-6100. The listing will show their booking number, charge, bail amount, housing location, and next court date.
Los Angeles County operates the largest jail system in the United States, and possibly the world. Understanding which facility your person is at matters because it determines visiting hours, available services, and how far you have to drive.
The downtown complex on Bauchet Street is where most people end up initially. It includes three facilities that sit right next to each other:
The Century Regional Detention Facility (CRDF) in Lynwood at 11705 S. Alameda St is where all female inmates in LA County are housed, with a capacity of approximately 1,700. Visiting hours are Friday 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM, Saturday and Sunday 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM, and Monday 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM.
The Pitchess Detention Center complex in Castaic, about 40 miles northwest of downtown, houses medium and minimum security inmates who are typically serving shorter sentences or have been classified as lower risk. It includes North (PDCN) at 29320 The Old Road, South (PDCS) at 29330 The Old Road, and the North County Correctional Facility (NCCF) at 29340 The Old Road, which is the largest facility in the complex. Visiting at all Pitchess facilities is Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
The PDC Firefighter Camp at 29310 The Old Road in Castaic houses minimum security inmates who participate in the inmate firefighter program, working alongside CAL FIRE during wildfire season.
The LAC+USC Medical Center Jail Ward at 2051 Marengo St handles inmates requiring hospital-level medical care. Visiting is by video only.
Bail is the amount of money the court requires as a guarantee that the defendant will show up for their court dates. In LA County, bail amounts are set according to the LA County Bail Schedule, which assigns a dollar amount to every criminal charge. Some charges carry no bail option at all.
To find out the bail amount, you have two options: check the inmate search online (it is listed right on their profile) or call the bail information line at (213) 473-6080.
There are three ways to post bail in LA County:
After bail is posted, release takes 6 to 12 hours. This is one of the most frustrating parts of the process. Even though the money has been paid and the paperwork is done, the release process involves verification, paperwork, property return, and physically moving the person from their housing unit to the release area. During busy times, it takes even longer.
If you see "No Bail" on the inmate search, it means the charge does not allow bail (typically serious violent felonies or capital offenses), or a judge has specifically ordered that the person be held without bail. If you see "Bail Hold" or "Other Hold," it means there is a warrant or detainer from another jurisdiction that must be resolved even if bail is posted on the current charge. In these situations, you need to talk to a lawyer.
Under California law, a person who is arrested and held in custody must be brought before a judge for arraignment within 48 hours, not counting weekends and court holidays. So if someone is arrested on a Friday evening, the arraignment might not happen until Tuesday. During the arraignment, the charges are formally read, and the defendant enters a plea (almost always "not guilty" at this stage). The judge will also revisit the bail amount and may raise it, lower it, or release the person on their own recognizance (OR).
Most initial arraignments for people booked through the downtown jail complex happen at the Central Arraignment Courthouse at 429 Bauchet St, Los Angeles 90012. Call (213) 617-5600 for information. This courthouse sits right next to the jail complex, and defendants are transported through an underground tunnel.
After arraignment, the case may be transferred to one of the 36 courthouses throughout LA County, depending on where the alleged crime occurred. To find which courthouse a case has been assigned to, check lacourt.org or call the general information line at (213) 830-0800.
Key court phone numbers:
If you are attending court to support someone, plan to arrive 15 to 30 minutes early. All courthouses have metal detectors and bag screening at the entrance. Dress in business casual — no shorts, tank tops, or clothing with offensive graphics. Phones must be silenced in the courtroom. No photography or recording is allowed without a court order.
Visiting someone in LA County Jail is not something you can do on a whim. Every visit must be scheduled in advance through visit.lasd.org. There are no walk-in visits at any LASD facility. The appointment system lets you select a specific date, time slot, and facility.
Visiting hours vary by facility:
What to bring: A valid, government-issued photo ID (driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID). You will not be admitted without it.
What NOT to bring: Weapons of any kind, drugs or drug paraphernalia, glass containers, aerosol cans, vapes or e-cigarettes, lighters or matches, large bags or purses, cameras (professional), food or beverages (except baby bottles), and anything that could be considered contraband. Most facilities have small lockers near the entrance where you can store personal items — bring quarters.
Dress code: Business casual is recommended. Do not wear clothing that could be interpreted as gang-related. Some facilities prohibit denim or clothing that closely resembles inmate uniforms (solid blue, orange, or khaki). No excessively revealing clothing. If you are turned away for a dress code violation, you will lose your visiting appointment.
When you arrive, you will go through a metal detector and your belongings will be X-rayed, similar to airport security. If you have medical devices (pacemaker, insulin pump, etc.), inform the screening staff before walking through the detector.
Video visiting is also available through ViaPath (formerly GTL). This allows you to visit remotely from a computer or smartphone. Check the LASD website for current video visiting availability and instructions.
Jail is expensive for the people inside. Everything beyond the basic meals and a bedroll costs money: snacks, hygiene products, stamps, phone calls, electronic messages. If you want to support someone who is locked up in LA County, here is how the money and communication systems work.
Depositing Money:
Commissary: Inmates can use deposited funds to purchase items from the commissary, which operates like a small store inside the facility. Common items include snacks (ramen, chips, cookies), hygiene products (toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo), writing supplies, over-the-counter medications, and clothing items like socks and underwear. Prices are marked up 20-40% over retail. Most facilities have weekly spending limits of $50 to $100. Commissary day varies by housing unit.
Phone Calls: All calls from LA County Jail go through the contracted phone provider. Calls are collect (charged to the receiving phone) or paid from the inmate's commissary account. Rates vary but expect to pay $0.15-$0.25 per minute for local calls and more for long distance. To receive calls, you may need to set up an account with the phone provider and prepay. All calls (except attorney calls) are recorded and monitored.
Electronic Messaging: Inmates can send and receive electronic messages through tablets provided by the jail's contracted technology provider (typically JPay or GTL/ViaPath). Messages cost approximately $0.25 to $0.50 each. You can send messages and photos through the provider's app or website. This is often the fastest and cheapest way to communicate regularly.
Mail: You can send regular mail to any inmate. Address it to: [Inmate's Full Legal Name], [Booking Number], [Facility Name], [Facility Address]. All mail is opened and inspected (except legal mail from attorneys). Do not send cash, checks, stamps, stickers, glitter, polaroid photos, or anything that could be considered contraband. Standard white paper with blue or black ink only. Some facilities now scan incoming mail and deliver digital copies to inmates instead of the physical letter.
Whether someone is being released on bail, on their own recognizance (OR), after completing a sentence, or because charges were dropped, the release process in LA County takes a minimum of 6 to 12 hours after the release order is processed. This is not a joke and it is not an exaggeration. The release process involves verifying the release order, checking for holds from other jurisdictions, processing paperwork, returning personal property, and physically moving the person from their housing unit to the release area.
Release locations: Most releases from the downtown complex happen at the IRC at 450 Bauchet St. However, the release location may differ from where the person was housed. Someone housed at MCJ or Twin Towers will typically be transported to IRC for release processing. For Pitchess facilities in Castaic, release happens at the facility. For CRDF in Lynwood, release is at CRDF.
What they get back: Upon release, the person receives all personal property that was cataloged during booking — wallet, phone, keys, jewelry, and the clothing they were wearing at the time of arrest. Their phone will likely be dead, so consider bringing a charger. They will also receive any remaining funds on their commissary account in the form of a debit card.
Some facilities release at specific times. Not all facilities process releases around the clock. Some have designated release windows. Ask the facility directly if you are trying to plan a pickup.
Have a plan for getting home: The person being released may not have a phone, money for a ride, or knowledge of their exact location (especially if they were transferred between facilities). Before they are released, make sure they know:
If no one can pick them up, the downtown jail complex is near Union Station, which connects to Metro Rail and bus lines. The Pitchess complex in Castaic is far more remote and has limited public transportation options.
Every jail and detention facility in the LA County system, with addresses, phone numbers, visiting hours, and what you need to know.
The IRC is the central processing facility for all inmates entering the LA County jail system. This is where booking, classification, and release happen. It is not a long-term housing facility — inmates are processed here and then moved to their assigned facility. If someone was just arrested by LASD, this is where they are right now.
Men's Central Jail is the primary housing facility for male inmates in LA County. Built in the early 1960s, it has approximately 3,500 to 5,640 beds spread across multiple floors. This is the facility you hear about most in the news. It houses general population male inmates awaiting trial or serving short sentences. Conditions have been the subject of numerous investigations and reform efforts over the decades.
Twin Towers is the mental health and medical hub of the LA County jail system. With approximately 2,400 beds, it houses inmates who require psychiatric treatment, psychological services, or ongoing medical care. It operates one of the largest mental health treatment programs of any jail facility in the world. If someone you know has serious mental health needs, this is likely where they will be housed.
CRDF in Lynwood is the sole facility for female inmates in the LA County jail system. All women arrested and booked into county custody are housed here, regardless of charge or classification level. The facility has approximately 1,700 beds. It handles everything from pretrial detainees to sentenced inmates, and provides gender-specific programs and services.
PDCN is one of several facilities in the Pitchess Detention Center complex in Castaic, about 40 miles northwest of downtown LA. It houses medium security male inmates, typically those who have been classified as lower risk or who are serving sentences. The Castaic complex is significantly more remote than the downtown facilities.
PDCS sits adjacent to PDCN in the Castaic complex and also houses medium security male inmates. It functions similarly to PDCN with comparable programming and services. If someone is transferred from the downtown complex to "Pitchess," they could end up at either North or South.
NCCF is the largest facility in the Pitchess Detention Center complex and houses medium to minimum security male inmates. It has the highest bed capacity of any facility in the Castaic complex. Inmates here are typically serving sentences or awaiting trial on lower-level charges.
The PDC Firefighter Camp houses minimum security inmates who participate in the inmate firefighter program. These inmates are trained and deployed alongside CAL FIRE crews during wildfire season. It is one of the most sought-after assignments in the jail system because of the outdoor work, meaningful activity, and sentence reduction credits.
The jail ward at LAC+USC Medical Center handles inmates who require hospital-level medical treatment that cannot be provided at jail medical facilities. This includes surgeries, serious injuries, and acute medical conditions. Inmates are transferred here from other facilities as needed.
The Metropolitan Detention Center is LAPD's primary city jail in downtown Los Angeles. People arrested by LAPD officers in the central city area are typically brought here first for initial processing. They may be released from this facility for minor offenses or transferred to LASD custody (the IRC) for more serious charges.
The 77th Street Regional Jail serves the South Los Angeles area. People arrested by LAPD officers in South LA are often processed here before transfer to county custody. It sits adjacent to the 77th Street Community Police Station.
The Valley Jail in Van Nuys serves the San Fernando Valley area. People arrested by LAPD officers in the Valley are typically brought here before being transferred to LASD custody if they are being held on serious charges.
MDC Los Angeles is a federal detention facility operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). It houses approximately 938 inmates, primarily pretrial federal detainees and individuals held by the U.S. Marshals Service. This is completely separate from the LAPD and LASD jail systems. If someone was arrested by a federal agency (FBI, DEA, ATF, ICE, etc.), this is likely where they are being held.
Federal Correctional Institution Terminal Island was a low-security federal prison located on Terminal Island in San Pedro. The facility has been closed since November 2025. Inmates have been transferred to other federal facilities.
Los Angeles County operates 36 courthouses across the county. Here are the key criminal courthouses and the information you need to attend a hearing or find a case.
The LA County Superior Court system is the largest unified trial court in the United States. Criminal cases are assigned to courthouses based on where the alleged crime occurred. After arraignment (which usually happens at the Central Arraignment Courthouse next to the downtown jail complex), the case may be transferred to any of the regional courthouses throughout the county.
To find which courthouse a specific case has been assigned to, visit lacourt.org and use the case search function, or call the general information line at (213) 830-0800.
The main criminal courthouse in downtown Los Angeles, handling major felony cases. Named after California's first female attorney. This is where high-profile criminal trials take place.
Located right next to the downtown jail complex, this courthouse handles initial arraignments for people booked through IRC, MCJ, and Twin Towers. Defendants are transported from jail via underground tunnel. If someone was just arrested and is being held downtown, their first court appearance will likely be here.
The main civil courthouse in downtown LA, handling civil cases, probate, and family law matters. Located on Hill Street near the Civic Center.
Serves the Long Beach, Signal Hill, and surrounding communities. Handles criminal, civil, family, and traffic matters for the South Bay area.
Serves the Compton, Willowbrook, Lynwood, and surrounding communities. Criminal and civil matters. Located near the CRDF women's facility in Lynwood.
Serves Pasadena, Altadena, and surrounding northeast LA communities.
One of the busiest courthouses in the county, serving the San Fernando Valley. Located near the Valley Jail (LAPD). Handles a high volume of criminal and civil cases from the Valley communities.
Serves the eastern San Gabriel Valley communities including Pomona, La Verne, San Dimas, Claremont, and Covina.
These rules apply uniformly across all LA County courthouses:
All 23 Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department stations, organized alphabetically. The LASD provides police services to unincorporated areas and 42 contract cities.
All 21 LAPD community police stations organized by bureau. LAPD provides police services within the City of Los Angeles.
1546 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90062
11640 Burbank Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91601
Programs, services, and organizations that can help you navigate the criminal justice system in Los Angeles County.
Each of the 21 LAPD stations has a Community Police Advisory Board where residents can engage directly with station leadership about local public safety concerns. Meetings are open to the public. Contact your local station's Community Relations Office for meeting schedules.
The LAPD offers volunteer opportunities for civilians who want to contribute to public safety. Volunteers assist with administrative tasks, community events, and station operations. Contact [email protected] or call (213) 486-6000 for information.
LAPD runs several youth programs: Cadet Program for ages 13-17 (leadership and law enforcement training), Junior Cadets for ages 8-12, Police Activities League (PAL) for sports and mentoring, and the POPP (Partnerships for Prevention Program). Contact the Youth Programs Unit at (213) 486-6090.
Organize or join a Neighborhood Watch group in your community. Contact your local police station's Crime Prevention Section to get started. They provide training, signage, and coordination support.
LAPD's iWATCH program encourages the public to report suspicious activity that could be related to terrorism. Reports can be made online at pubapps.lapd.lacity.org/inc/TSAR or by calling your local station.
A free 10-week program that gives civilians an inside look at how the LAPD operates. Participants learn about patrol procedures, detective work, SWAT, K-9 units, and more. Contact your local station for the next academy schedule.
A community engagement program that brings together residents, police officers, and community leaders for structured conversations about race, policing, and public safety. Sessions are held periodically throughout the city.
LAPD maintains liaison officers and programs for cultural and faith-based communities throughout Los Angeles. These programs help bridge communication gaps and build trust between diverse communities and law enforcement.
The LA County Superior Court operates Self-Help Centers at multiple courthouses where you can get free assistance with court forms, procedures, and understanding your legal options. This is not legal advice from an attorney, but it is extremely helpful for navigating the court system. Call (213) 830-0845.
The LA County Bar Association operates a Lawyer Referral Service that connects you with a qualified attorney for a low-cost initial consultation. Call (213) 243-1525. If you cannot afford an attorney, the Public Defender's office will be assigned at arraignment for qualifying defendants.