Fullerton Inmate Records

Fullerton inmate population records are held by two agencies. The Orange County Sheriff runs the main jail system and keeps online booking data for all inmates in county custody, including those arrested in Fullerton. The Fullerton Police Department also runs its own city jail for short-term holds. If someone was picked up in Fullerton, they could be in either place depending on how long ago the arrest happened and what the charges are. Most people move from the city jail to county custody within a day or two. This page covers both systems so you can search Fullerton inmate records and figure out where a person is being held right now.

Orange County Jail Search

Orange County handles most Fullerton inmate population cases through its central jail system. The sheriff runs three main facilities. The Intake Release Center in Santa Ana is where most bookings happen. The Theo Lacy Facility in Orange holds sentenced inmates and pretrial detainees. The James A. Musick Facility in Irvine is a lower-security site. Together, these facilities hold several thousand people on any given day. When Fullerton police arrest someone on a felony charge or a serious misdemeanor, that person typically transfers to one of these Orange County jail sites within 24 hours.

The Orange County Sheriff runs a public search tool at apps.ocsheriff.gov where you can look up current inmates. Search by name or booking number. Results show the person's charges, bail amount, court date, and which facility they are in. The system updates throughout the day. If a Fullerton arrest just happened, give it a few hours for the record to show up in the county system. The tool is free and does not need an account to use. You can also call the sheriff's information line at (714) 647-4666 for help with a Fullerton inmate search.

Below is the Orange County Sheriff's inmate search portal used for Fullerton and all other Orange County inmate population lookups.

Note: This portal covers all Orange County facilities but does not show people still in the Fullerton city jail who have not yet transferred to county.

Fullerton City Jail

Fullerton is one of the cities in Orange County that operates its own jail. The Fullerton Police Department runs a Type I facility at the police station on Commonwealth Avenue. This jail handles initial bookings for people arrested by Fullerton officers. It is a short-term holding facility. People usually stay here for a few hours up to about 96 hours. After that, they either post bail, get released on a citation, or transfer to the Orange County jail system.

Call the Fullerton Police Department jail at (714) 738-6700 to ask about someone in city custody. You need the person's full name. A date of birth helps narrow things down. Staff can tell you if that person is still at the Fullerton facility or has moved to county. The Fullerton jail does not have its own online search tool. For current custody checks, the phone call is your best option. The jail is staffed around the clock so you can call at any time. If the person already left Fullerton's jail, the operator can usually tell you where they went. Most transfers go to the Intake Release Center in Santa Ana.

The Fullerton city jail holds a mix of people. DUI arrests are common here. So are domestic violence cases and petty theft bookings. People picked up on warrants also come through the Fullerton jail first. The facility is not designed for long stays. Conditions are basic. There is no visiting schedule for the Fullerton city jail like you would find at a county facility. If you want to visit someone, you will likely need to wait until they transfer to an Orange County jail site that allows regular visits.

Statewide Search Tools

If you cannot find a Fullerton inmate in the county system, try the state-level tools. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation runs CIRIS, a free inmate locator for all 34 state prisons. This covers people sentenced to state prison from Fullerton and anywhere else in California. Search by name or CDCR number. Results show the current prison, admission date, and parole hearing schedule. CIRIS does not show county jail or Fullerton city jail inmates though.

VINELink is another option. It covers all 58 California counties. You search by name and get custody status results from across the state. VINE stands for Victim Information and Notification Everyday. It was built for crime victims but anyone can use it to look up Fullerton inmate population data. Call 1-877-411-5588 or use the website. VINE also sends alerts when someone's custody status changes. This is helpful if you are tracking a case and want to know the moment a Fullerton inmate gets released or transferred.

Fullerton Inmate Records Access

California law makes basic booking data public. Government Code 6254(f) says that arrest records and booking information are open to public review. This is why the Orange County Sheriff posts an online jail roster that includes Fullerton inmates. You can see the person's name, charges, bail, and booking date. No ID or special permission is needed. Anyone can look up this information for free.

Full criminal history records are a different matter. Penal Code 11105 limits who can see a person's complete criminal record in California. These files are held by the California Department of Justice and include arrest history, court outcomes, and sentences. You cannot get someone else's criminal history through a public records request. Only law enforcement, certain employers, and licensing agencies have access. You can check your own record by getting fingerprinted and paying the $25 DOJ fee. In Fullerton, several Live Scan locations offer this service. The Fullerton Police Department does fingerprinting for personal record checks during business hours.

The BSCC Jail Profile Survey tracks Orange County jail population numbers over time. This data includes all inmates from Fullerton and other Orange County cities. It shows average daily population, total bookings, and facility capacity for each reporting period.

Nearby City Inmate Records

These cities are near Fullerton and share the Orange County jail system. Each has its own inmate population page with local details.

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