Who is in jail in California: county jail rosters and inmate search
9 counties of California have a jail roster page. Each names the jail, links the county's own roster where it publishes one, and searches that roster by name together with California state prisons and federal custody.
What a California jail roster background check costs
The count near any address is free. No card, and no one is told you looked.
Everyone near one address, or a Background Check on one person.
- Photos, offence and distance, with a PDF
- Pay once. Nothing renews
- $19.99 for 3, and checks never expire
Three addresses watched all year, with one check included every month.
- Email when someone registers, moves in or out
- Home, school and grandparents, unlocked while it runs
- Or $6.99 a month. Cancel in one click
Every record type for the state on one page: California criminal records.
California county jail rosters: who is in jail, by county. 9 pages, largest county first.
| County | Jail | Official roster | Who is in jail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresno County · 1,017,162 | Fresno County Main Jail | publicinfo.fresnosheriff.org | Who is in Fresno County jail |
| Kern County · 913,820 | Kern County Jails | kernsheriff.org | Who is in Kern County jail |
| San Joaquin County · 800,965 | San Joaquin County Jail | wic.sjgov.org | Who is in San Joaquin County jail |
| Stanislaus County · 551,430 | Stanislaus County Public Safety Center | Published by the county | Who is in Stanislaus County jail |
| Tulare County · 479,468 | Tulare County Jails | tularecounty.ca.gov | Who is in Tulare County jail |
| Santa Cruz County · 261,547 | Santa Cruz County Main Jail | Published by the county | Who is in Santa Cruz County jail |
| Butte County · 207,172 | Butte County Jail | Published by the county | Who is in Butte County jail |
| Shasta County · 180,366 | Shasta County Main Jail | Published by the county | Who is in Shasta County jail |
| Madera County · 162,858 | Madera County Jail | inmatepublicview.maderacounty.com | Who is in Madera County jail |
Populations: US Census Bureau, 2023 estimates. A county gets a page only when its jail roster is live in the search and it has at least three facts of its own to state.
· shares below are over the California jail roster we index; approximate, not an official figure
Inside California jail rosters: charges, custody and how recent the records are. About 520,000 records across California, read as a whole; approximate, not an official figure.
Among the California jail roster we index that state a charge, the most common category of categorised charges is drug possession (18%), followed by public order, trespass and property damage (17%) and probation/parole violations and failure to appear (11%). A record can carry charges in several categories, so the shares of categorised charges can add to more than 100%.
How recent. About 15% of the records show activity in the last 12 months, among the 30% that carry a date.
Every figure is a share of the records we index for California, rounded; approximate, not an official figure. Cells with too few records behind them are left out rather than shown as zero. The county pages carry the same picture for each county where enough records exist; criminal charge types explains the categories.
California inmate search: county jail or state prison.
A county jail holds people who were just booked, are waiting for court or are serving a short sentence; the California Department of Corrections holds people serving a sentence after conviction, and both are in the search. Federal custody is a third system, also in the search. A result names the facility, so one name search says which of the three holds the person, or that none we can see does.
Searching beyond California? The inmate search covers state prisons and county jails, the jail roster search every answering county roster, and the federal inmate search federal custody.
Beyond California jail rosters: arrest records and court records by county. The same counties, the other two questions.
California background check: search jail roster by name.
- Type a first and last name, and add an age or date of birth so the right person rises to the top.
- The check searches every California record type in the search, with the sex offender registries, in one step.
- One paid check, with a personal account. Nothing renews, and the person is never told.
Not a consumer report. Hiring or renting? Use an FCRA-regulated check; see what an employer’s check shows.
California jail roster FAQ
How do I find out who is in jail in California?
Pick the county below and search the person's name with an age or date of birth; the county page reads that jail's roster together with California state prisons and federal custody. 9 counties have a page, starting with Fresno County, Kern County and San Joaquin County.
Is a California county jail the same as a California state prison?
No. A county jail holds people just arrested, waiting for court or serving a short sentence; the California Department of Corrections holds people serving a sentence after conviction. Both are in the search.
Does a California jail roster show whether someone was convicted?
No. A roster entry is an arrest-stage record: a booking date and the charges written down at booking. The outcome is in the court file, kept by the Superior Court clerk’s office; see the California court records hub.
Which California counties publish a jail roster online?
Every county on this page has a live roster; where the county publishes it on its own site, the county page links it. California contributes 60 county jail rosters to the search in all.
Can I use a California jail roster to screen a tenant or an employee?
No. A search here is not a consumer report. A hiring, tenant, credit or insurance decision needs an FCRA-regulated report, with the person's written consent.