Search Riverside Inmate Records

Riverside inmate population records go through the Riverside County Sheriff's Office. The city does not operate its own jail. Riverside County runs multiple detention facilities, including the Robert Presley Detention Center in downtown Riverside and the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning. People arrested in Riverside usually end up at the Presley center first. You can search for current inmates using the sheriff's free online tool called JIMS. The search is open to the public and costs nothing. For inmates who have been sentenced and sent to state prison from Riverside, the CDCR CIRIS tool handles those lookups instead. Between the county search and CIRIS, most Riverside inmate population records are accessible online.

Riverside County Jail System

Riverside is the county seat of Riverside County. The county sheriff runs all jail operations in the area. When Riverside police make an arrest, the person is booked into the county system. The Robert Presley Detention Center at 4000 Orange Street in Riverside is the main intake facility. It sits right downtown. This is where most Riverside arrests end up first.

Riverside County also operates the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility, the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta, the Indio Jail, and the Blythe Jail. The county has thousands of jail beds spread across these locations. Inmates move between facilities based on classification, court schedules, and space. A person arrested in Riverside might end up at any of these sites. The sheriff's search tool covers all county facilities at once, so you do not need to check each one separately.

The Riverside Police Department does not hold inmates. After an arrest, the person transfers to county custody. For any booking or custody questions about Riverside arrests, contact the Riverside County Sheriff at (951) 955-4500.

JIMS Inmate Search Tool

The Riverside County Sheriff uses a system called JIMS for public inmate searches. JIMS stands for Jail Information Management System. It is free and open to anyone. You search by name and get results showing the person's booking number, charges, bail amount, court date, and which facility holds them. The tool updates throughout the day as new bookings come in and people get released from Riverside County custody.

The Riverside County JIMS search page is shown below.

JIMS only shows current inmates. Once a person leaves Riverside County custody, they drop off the results. For older booking records, you need to call the sheriff's records unit. Partial name searches work but can return a lot of hits in a county this large. Use a full last name and first name when you can. The system is straightforward and works fine on phones and computers.

Note: JIMS covers all Riverside County jails, not just the Presley center in the city of Riverside.

Statewide Inmate Search Options

VINELink covers Riverside County along with all other California counties. It is useful when you are not sure where someone is held. Search by name across the whole state at once. VINE also offers custody alerts. Sign up and pick an inmate. When their status changes in Riverside County, you get a call, text, or email. The VINE hotline runs 24 hours at 1-877-411-5588.

For Riverside inmates in state prison, use the CIRIS inmate locator. CIRIS covers all 34 California state prisons. It does not include county jail inmates. If someone was convicted in Riverside and sentenced to more than a year, they go to state prison. CIRIS shows their current location, admission date, and parole hearing info. The county jail system and CIRIS do not overlap. Each one tracks a different part of the Riverside inmate population.

Records Access Under California Law

Riverside inmate booking data is public. Government Code 6254(f) says law enforcement must share arrest and booking info with anyone who asks. Names, charges, bail, and booking dates are all fair game. That is why the Riverside County Sheriff posts JIMS data online.

Criminal history records are different. Penal Code 11105 restricts access to full criminal backgrounds in California. You cannot get a person's complete record through the Riverside County Sheriff or any free website. Only authorized agencies and the person themselves can see full criminal history. Riverside inmate population data shows current custody status only. It is not a background check.

To check your own record, go to a Live Scan site in Riverside. Submit fingerprints and pay the $25 DOJ fee. Several Live Scan locations operate in the Riverside area. Processing usually takes 2 to 3 days.

Visiting Riverside County Inmates

In-person visits at the Robert Presley Detention Center follow a set schedule. You need a valid photo ID. Visiting hours depend on which housing unit the inmate is in. Check the Riverside County Sheriff's website before making the trip. Video visits are also available for Riverside County inmates. Family members set up accounts to schedule remote visits. Phone calls from the jail run through an automated system. California law limits how much jails can charge for calls, so rates are capped.

Messaging is another option. Inmates in Riverside County jails can send and receive electronic messages through kiosk systems inside the facilities. Family members create accounts on the outside to exchange messages. Fees are small per message. For in-person visits at the Presley center, expect a screening process before entry. The facility is downtown, so parking fills up on busy visit days. Go early.

Nearby Cities

These cities near Riverside also have pages covering local inmate population search options.

Riverside County

Riverside is the county seat. The full county page has details on all jail facilities, search tools, and contacts.