Sierra County Inmate Records

Sierra County inmate population records work differently than most California counties because Sierra County does not operate its own jail. It is one of the smallest counties in the state with a population under 3,100. The county contracts with Nevada County for jail services. When someone is arrested in Sierra County, they get booked into the Wayne Brown Correctional Facility in Nevada County. This means Sierra County inmate population data shows up through Nevada County's systems rather than a local tool. You can reach the Sierra County Sheriff at (530) 289-3700 for custody questions, but the actual jail records sit with Nevada County. This page explains how to search for Sierra County inmates and where the records are kept.

Sierra County Jail Arrangement

Sierra County does not have its own jail facility. This is not unusual for the smallest counties in California. Alpine County has a similar arrangement. Sierra County is extremely rural and mountainous. The county seat is Downieville, a tiny town in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Running a full jail operation here would cost more than the county can justify for its small population. Instead, Sierra County contracts with Nevada County for jail services. The Wayne Brown Correctional Facility in Grass Valley handles inmates from Sierra County.

When law enforcement in Sierra County makes an arrest, the person gets transported to Nevada County for booking. This means all the booking records, custody data, and inmate population information for Sierra County arrests end up in Nevada County's jail management system. If you are searching for someone arrested in Sierra County, you need to search Nevada County's inmate lookup tool. The Sierra County Sheriff's Office handles the law enforcement side. They make arrests, serve warrants, and patrol the county. But once someone goes to jail, Nevada County takes over custody.

The contract between Sierra County and Nevada County covers housing, medical care, and meals for inmates. Sierra County pays Nevada County on a per-day basis for each inmate held. This is standard practice for small California counties that can not afford to build and run their own jails. The arrangement has been in place for years and works well for a county this small.

How to Find Sierra County Inmates

Start with Nevada County's inmate search tools. Since Sierra County inmates go to the Wayne Brown Correctional Facility, Nevada County's sheriff website is where the records live. Search by name on the Nevada County Sheriff's inmate lookup page. If the person is there because of a Sierra County arrest, the records should still show up. The booking entry would note the arresting agency as Sierra County.

VINELink is another option. VINE covers all California counties. You search by name and it checks custody data statewide. For Sierra County, VINE should show anyone held at the Nevada County facility on a Sierra County case. Call 1-877-411-5588 to use VINE by phone. You can also sign up for custody alerts. VINE notifies you by call, text, or email when an inmate's status changes. This is useful because the transfer from Sierra County to Nevada County can create confusion about where someone is being held.

For state prison inmates sentenced out of Sierra County, use the CIRIS inmate locator. CIRIS is the CDCR tool that covers all California state prisons. It is free and public. Given Sierra County's tiny population, state prison cases from this county are rare, but they do happen. CIRIS would show anyone who was convicted and sent to a CDCR facility from Sierra County.

If you want to call the Sierra County Sheriff directly, the number is (530) 289-3700. Staff can tell you if they arrested someone and where that person is being held. Given the small size of the department, they may have direct knowledge of the case.

Sierra County Jail Population Data

The BSCC Jail Profile Survey collects data from every California county, including Sierra County. Even though Sierra County does not run its own jail, it still reports data to the BSCC on inmates held under its authority. The numbers are very small. Sierra County might have just a handful of inmates at any given time. The survey shows average daily population, total bookings per month, and other metrics. For Sierra County, these figures are among the lowest in California.

Researchers who study California inmate population trends sometimes use Sierra County as a comparison point for the state's smallest jurisdictions. The county's crime rate is low. Serious offenses are uncommon in such a small, rural area. Most bookings from Sierra County involve minor offenses, warrants, or DUI arrests. The limited volume of Sierra County inmate records means the data is easy to track but also less statistically significant than what you see in larger counties.

Sierra County Records and the Law

Even though Sierra County inmates are housed in Nevada County, the same California laws apply to their records. Government Code 6254(f) makes booking data public. Names, charges, bail, and booking details are all available to anyone. Whether the arrest was made in Sierra County or the booking happened at the Nevada County facility, the information is still subject to public disclosure rules.

Criminal history records remain restricted under Penal Code 11105. The California DOJ controls who can see full background records. Neither the Sierra County Sheriff nor the Nevada County Sheriff can release a person's complete criminal history. Booking data and inmate population information are public. Full histories are not. For your own criminal record, submit fingerprints at a Live Scan provider. The nearest ones to Sierra County are in Grass Valley or Nevada City in Nevada County. The DOJ charges $25 for the request.

Statewide Jail Data for Sierra County

Since Sierra County does not operate its own jail, the BSCC Jail Profile Survey shown below is a useful resource for tracking Sierra County inmate population data at the state level.

The BSCC tool lets you select Sierra County and pull monthly jail population statistics. While the numbers are small, the data is reported consistently and provides a record of Sierra County inmate trends over time.

Nearby Counties

Sierra County is bordered by a few counties in the northern Sierra Nevada region. Nevada County handles Sierra County's jail services. Check these pages for inmate population data in the surrounding area.