Berkeley Inmate Lookup

Berkeley inmate population records are handled by the Alameda County Sheriff's Office. The city of Berkeley does not run its own jail. The Berkeley Police Department makes arrests, but everyone goes into the county jail system for booking and custody. Alameda County operates Santa Rita Jail in Dublin and the Glenn Dyer Jail in Oakland. This page covers how to search for Berkeley area inmates, the county tools available, statewide options, and the legal rules around record access.

Alameda County Inmate Search

The Alameda County Sheriff's Office runs the jail system for Berkeley and the rest of the county. Santa Rita Jail in Dublin is the main facility. It is one of the largest jails in the San Francisco Bay Area. Glenn Dyer Jail in downtown Oakland handles initial bookings for many arrests in the area. People arrested by Berkeley Police typically go to one of these two locations. Santa Rita is the bigger site with more long-term housing. Glenn Dyer is closer to Berkeley and often serves as the first stop.

Search for Berkeley area inmates at acgov.org/sheriff_app. The Alameda County Sheriff's inmate locator lets you look up anyone in county custody. Enter a name or booking number. Results show charges, bail amount, next court date, and facility location. The tool is free and open to anyone. If someone was arrested in Berkeley, their booking should show up within hours. The system updates as new bookings and releases happen throughout the day.

The Alameda County Sheriff inmate search page is shown below.

Call (925) 551-6500 to check on someone by phone. Staff can tell you if a person is in county custody and where they are housed. For Berkeley arrests specifically, you can also call the Berkeley Police Department at (510) 981-5900 to confirm whether an arrest led to a county booking.

Statewide Search Options

CIRIS is the state prison inmate search tool. CDCR runs it. Search by name or CDCR number to find anyone in one of California's 34 state prisons. If someone from Berkeley was sentenced to state prison, their information shows up here. CIRIS is free. Results include the facility name, admission date, and parole hearing details. The tool does not cover county jails. It only has state prison inmates.

VINELink covers county jails across all 58 California counties. Alameda County is included. Search by name and see if a person is in custody at any county jail in the state. This is helpful when you are not sure which county holds the person. VINE also sends alerts. Sign up and you get notified when an inmate is released, transferred, or escapes. Call 1-877-411-5588 to use VINE by phone. The BSCC Jail Profile Survey publishes monthly jail population statistics for Alameda County, showing trends in capacity and average daily population over time.

Most searches are free. CIRIS costs nothing. County jail lookups cost nothing. Only personal criminal history requests through the DOJ carry a fee.

Berkeley Inmate Record Laws

Booking data is public in California. Government Code 6254(f) says that arrest records must be disclosed. Names, charges, bail amounts, and booking details are available for anyone to see. The Alameda County Sheriff posts this information online. The Berkeley Police Department provides arrest data by phone. You do not need a reason. You do not need ID. Anyone can ask for it.

Criminal history records are restricted. Penal Code 11105 limits who can access full criminal backgrounds in California. You cannot get another person's record through a public request. To check your own record, visit a Live Scan fingerprint site and pay $25 to the DOJ. Several Live Scan locations operate in Berkeley and nearby Oakland. Results usually come back in a few days.

The Alameda County Public Defender's Office helps residents with record questions. Bay Area Legal Aid provides free services for record clearing and expungement to people who qualify. The East Bay Community Law Center at UC Berkeley also runs clinics for criminal record issues. Berkeley has more legal aid resources than most cities in the area because of the university and its law school programs.

Contacting Alameda County Inmates

Visiting at Santa Rita Jail and Glenn Dyer Jail follows schedules set by the Alameda County Sheriff. Each facility and housing unit has specific days and times for visits. Check the sheriff's website or call (925) 551-6500 for the current schedule. You need a valid photo ID. Video visiting is available at both facilities. Remote video visits let families connect from home through an approved provider.

Phone calls from Alameda County jail carry fees. The county contracts with a phone provider that sets the rates. Families deposit money into the inmate's account online. State prison calls in California are free since January 2023, but county jail calls still cost money. Mail goes to the facility where the person is held. For Santa Rita inmates, send mail to Santa Rita Jail, 5325 Broder Boulevard, Dublin, CA 94568. Put the inmate's full name and booking number on everything. Electronic messaging and commissary deposits work through the county's approved online system.

Nearby City Inmate Records

These Bay Area cities near Berkeley share the Alameda County jail system or are in neighboring counties.

For full county jail details, see the Alameda County inmate population page.