Imperial County Custody Search

Imperial County inmate population records are managed by the Imperial County Sheriff's Office in El Centro. Located at California's southeastern corner along the Mexico border, Imperial County runs its detention facility and processes all local bookings through the sheriff. The county offers an online jail lookup tool along with access through VINELink and Gettingout for inmate communication. You can reach the jail at (442) 265-2266 for current custody information. The warm desert climate and border proximity create unique challenges for the Imperial County jail, which sees a mix of local arrests and immigration-related holds.

Imperial County Sheriff Jail Operations

The Imperial County Sheriff's Office operates the county jail in El Centro. All arrests made by local law enforcement across Imperial County end up at this facility for processing. The booking process follows standard California procedures. Staff take fingerprints, photos, and run the person through state and federal databases. The Imperial County jail houses people awaiting trial, those serving short sentences, and inmates with immigration holds. The facility also handles transfers to and from the California state prison system and federal custody.

The Imperial County Sheriff's jail page provides information on jail services, visiting, and inmate lookup. The sheriff posts general policies and contact details there. Imperial County also uses the Gettingout platform for video visits and inmate communication. Through Gettingout, families can schedule remote visits with inmates at the Imperial County jail without driving to El Centro. This is helpful for a county that stretches across a wide desert area where distances between towns are large.

Note: Imperial County's proximity to the border means the jail sometimes holds people for federal agencies, which can affect search results.

Searching Imperial County Inmates Online

VINELink covers Imperial County and all other California counties. Search by name to find out if a person is in the Imperial County jail. VINE provides custody status and lets you sign up for alerts when something changes. The VINE phone line at 1-877-411-5588 works at all hours. This is one of the fastest ways to check Imperial County inmate population status without calling the jail itself. The Gettingout platform also lets you verify custody. When you search for an inmate to schedule a video visit, the system confirms whether that person is currently in the Imperial County facility.

For people in California state prison rather than the Imperial County jail, search CIRIS at ciris.mt.cdcr.ca.gov. CIRIS shows all inmates in CDCR custody, including anyone sentenced from Imperial County who went to state prison. The two systems do not overlap. CIRIS handles state prison. VINE and the sheriff handle Imperial County jail. If a person was sentenced to more than one year, they most likely moved to a state facility. Shorter sentences and pretrial holds stay at the Imperial County jail. When you are not sure where someone ended up, check both systems. It takes just a few minutes to run a name through CIRIS and VINE.

Imperial County Inmate Records Laws

California Government Code 6254(f) makes booking information public in Imperial County. This covers the inmate's name, charges, bail amount, and booking date. The Imperial County Sheriff must release this data when asked. You can call the jail, visit in person, or submit a written request. Most people just call. The public nature of booking records is what allows sheriff offices across California to post jail rosters and inmate lookup tools on their websites.

Full criminal history records for Imperial County residents fall under Penal Code 11105. The California DOJ keeps these records and restricts who can see them. Law enforcement, certain employers, and licensing agencies get access. Members of the public cannot pull someone else's criminal history in California. You can check your own record by sending fingerprints and $25 to the DOJ. The Imperial County Superior Court also has case records that show charges, pleas, and sentences for criminal matters handled in the county. Court records are separate from jail records and cover the legal proceedings rather than custody status.

Note: Federal holds at the Imperial County jail may have different disclosure rules than state and local bookings.

Reaching Imperial County Inmates

The Imperial County jail allows visits during scheduled times. Check the sheriff's website or call (442) 265-2266 for the current visiting schedule. Visitors must bring valid ID and follow the dress code posted by the jail. No personal items go into the visiting area. The county uses Gettingout for remote video visits, which saves families a long drive through the desert. Video visits need to be scheduled in advance and may have a small fee attached.

Mail to Imperial County inmates should go to the jail address in El Centro. Put the inmate's full legal name and booking number on the envelope. Jail staff screen all mail before it reaches inmates. Only paper items like letters and photos are accepted. Do not send cash in the mail. Commissary accounts for Imperial County inmates can be funded through the systems posted on the sheriff's website. Phone calls from the jail use a collect or prepaid system. Families set up phone accounts so inmates in the Imperial County jail can call home during approved hours.

Imperial County Inmate Population Resources

The California DOJ Record Review page at oag.ca.gov lets individuals check their own criminal history records, including any records from Imperial County.

The DOJ process takes 2 to 3 days in most cases. You send fingerprints through a Live Scan operator and pay the $25 fee. Results come back showing your full California criminal history, including any Imperial County arrests and convictions. If you find errors, the DOJ has a process to challenge them under Penal Code sections 11120 through 11127.

Browse Imperial County Area

Imperial County does not have any cities over 100,000 residents. Use the county-level search tools above for Imperial County inmate population lookups.

Counties Near Imperial County

Check inmate records in counties that border Imperial County.