Find Ventura Inmate Records

Ventura inmate population records are managed by the Ventura County Sheriff's Office. The city, officially San Buenaventura, is the county seat with about 109,000 residents. Ventura has its own police department but no city jail. All inmates from Ventura go to the county system. The main jail is the Todd Road Jail, also called the Ventura County Main Jail. This page explains how to search for inmates, what statewide databases are available, and the legal rules that apply to custody record access in Ventura.

Ventura County Jail System

Ventura County operates two main detention facilities. The Todd Road Jail near Santa Paula handles most of the county's jail population. The Pre-Trial Detention Facility sits closer to downtown Ventura and holds inmates awaiting court. Together, these facilities hold about 1,400 to 1,600 inmates on any given day. People arrested in the city of Ventura usually go to the Pre-Trial Detention Facility first because it is close to the courthouse. The Todd Road Jail takes inmates who need longer-term housing or who have been sentenced.

The Ventura County Sheriff offers an online inmate search tool. Go to sheriff.venturacounty.gov and enter a name to search current inmates. Results show the charges, booking date, bail amount, and which facility the person is at. The system covers both county jails. If someone was arrested in Ventura and booked into county, they should appear within a few hours of booking.

For phone inquiries, call the sheriff at (805) 654-3335. Staff look up inmates by name and confirm custody status. This is useful if the website is down or if you need details that the online tool does not show.

Ventura Police Department Records

The Ventura Police Department handles law enforcement for the city. Officers patrol, respond to calls, and make arrests. But they do not house inmates. All arrested people go to Ventura County facilities for booking and custody. The police station is at 1425 Dowell Drive. The records division handles arrest reports and incident logs. Call (805) 339-4317 for records requests. There is a small fee for copies of police reports.

Ventura PD is one of the larger city police departments in the county. The city is the county seat, so court activity is heavy here. The Ventura County Superior Court main courthouse is in the city. Inmates from Ventura and the surrounding area appear at this court for hearings. That means some people arrested outside of Ventura may be housed at the Pre-Trial Detention Facility because their cases go through the Ventura courthouse. The jail population at the Pre-Trial facility is not all from the city itself.

Statewide Search Options for Ventura

California runs two statewide tools for inmate searches. The CIRIS inmate locator covers all 34 state prisons. If someone from Ventura was convicted and sentenced to state prison, they appear in CIRIS. Search by name or CDCR number. Results show current prison location, admission date, and parole hearing schedule. CIRIS is free to use and does not include county jail data.

VINELink searches county jails across all of California. It works well when you are not sure if someone from Ventura is still in county custody or has been moved. VINE also sends alerts. You pick how you want to be told when status changes happen. Phone calls, emails, or text messages are all options. Call 1-877-411-5588 to use VINE by phone. The service is free.

The image below shows the CDCR CIRIS inmate locator tool used for state prison searches.

Use CIRIS when searching for someone from Ventura who may have been sentenced to state prison. The DOJ Record Review page handles personal criminal history requests if you need to check your own background through a Live Scan submission.

Ventura Inmate Data Access Laws

Arrest and booking data from Ventura is public. Government Code 6254(f) says law enforcement must disclose arrest information to anyone who asks. Names, charges, bail amounts, and booking dates are all covered. This is why the Ventura County Sheriff posts inmate rosters online. The Ventura Police Department also releases arrest data under this same law.

Full criminal history is restricted. Penal Code 11142 limits the sharing of certain criminal justice information. The DOJ controls full background files. You cannot get a complete background check from the Ventura Police or the county sheriff. Only the individual, certain employers with proper authorization, and law enforcement agencies can access full records. To check your own history, use a Live Scan site in the Ventura area and pay the $25 DOJ fee.

• Ventura County inmate search is free online
• Sheriff custody phone: (805) 654-3335
• Ventura PD records: (805) 339-4317
• VINE statewide alerts cost nothing
• Personal criminal history costs $25 through the DOJ

Current custody data is just a snapshot. It tells you who is in jail right now. Released inmates drop off the roster. For older Ventura arrest records, contact the police department or the sheriff's records unit.

Nearby City Inmate Records

These cities are near Ventura in the region. Some share the Ventura County jail system.

Ventura County Inmate Records

Ventura is the county seat. See the full county page for more on all jail facilities and search tools in Ventura County.