Jail
This article explains how to use official San Bernardino County jail information, identify the Sheriff’s Department pages related to custody and detention, distinguish general inmate information from individual detention-center pages, and avoid common mistakes when looking for a person or a facility. It also identifies the county’s principal jail-related pages so residents, family members, and other users can move between the correct official sources without confusing jail information with unrelated Sheriff’s Department services.
County Jail Administration
San Bernardino County jail information is provided through the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. The department maintains a dedicated Corrections and Jails section for information connected with county detention facilities and inmates.
This distinction is useful because the Sheriff’s Department website covers many subjects besides jail operations. Its navigation also includes public records, crime prevention, civil enforcement, patrol stations, careers, coroner services, emergency notification, complaints, and other departmental functions. Someone looking specifically for jail information should therefore begin with the Corrections area rather than assuming that every Sheriff’s Department page deals with custody matters.
The official Corrections area identifies multiple detention facilities. The reference information provided for San Bernardino County includes the Central Detention Center, Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center, High Desert Detention Center, and West Valley Detention Center. Each has its own official Sheriff’s Department page, while broader inmate matters are separated into an Inmate General Information page.
Keeping these page types separate can prevent a common source of confusion. A detention-center page identifies a particular county facility, while general inmate information is presented through a different official page. Users looking for broad inmate-related information should not assume that the page for one particular detention center applies to every inmate or every county jail.
Official Jail Information Pages
San Bernardino County organizes its jail-related web information into several official pages. The Corrections and Jails page serves as the central jail-related area of the Sheriff’s Department website. From there, users can identify the county detention facilities represented in the department’s online corrections section and distinguish those pages from other Sheriff’s Department functions.
The separate Inmate General Information page is the official page specifically designated for general inmate information. This is the more appropriate starting point when the question concerns inmates generally rather than one named detention center.
The site also includes an Inmate Locator entry in its Sheriff’s Department quick links. Users whose primary purpose is identifying or locating an inmate should distinguish that locator function from the facility pages described below. A jail facility page and an inmate locator serve different search intentions: one concerns a named detention center, while the other is identified by the department as the place for inmate locating.
Central Detention Center
The Central Detention Center page is the official Sheriff’s Department page for that facility. Users who already know that Central Detention Center is the facility relevant to their question should use this facility-specific page rather than treating the general Corrections page as the facility page itself.
The facility name matters when reviewing county jail information. San Bernardino County has more than one detention facility represented in the Corrections section, so references to “San Bernardino County Jail” do not necessarily identify a single facility. When a record, communication, or other official information identifies Central Detention Center by name, the matching facility page is the appropriate county page to consult.
Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center
The Sheriff’s Department also maintains a separate Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center page. Because this facility has its own official page, users should preserve the full facility name when reviewing jail-related information rather than shortening every county detention location to a generic “county jail.”
This is especially useful when comparing information from different official pages. The Corrections section lists several facilities, and each facility name points to a distinct Sheriff’s Department page. Matching the exact facility name helps users avoid reading information intended for a different county detention center.
High Desert Detention Center
The High Desert Detention Center page is another facility-specific source within the official Corrections section. Someone whose information specifically identifies High Desert Detention Center should use that page instead of assuming that information associated with Central Detention Center, Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center, or West Valley Detention Center is interchangeable.
San Bernardino County covers jail information through multiple named detention-center pages, so the facility name is an important identifier. Users should retain that name when moving through the Sheriff’s Department website and compare it with the title of the official page they are viewing.
West Valley Detention Center
The Sheriff’s Department provides a dedicated West Valley Detention Center page as part of its Corrections area. As with the other facility pages, the title identifies the detention center to which the page applies.
When users already have a facility name, going directly to the corresponding detention-center page reduces the chance of mixing information from different locations. When they do not yet know the relevant facility, the county’s general inmate information and inmate-locator functions are more closely aligned with that broader search purpose than choosing a detention-center page at random.
Inmate Information Versus Facility Information
One of the most useful distinctions on the county website is the difference between inmate-related information and detention-center information. The Sheriff’s Department separately identifies Inmate General Information, an Inmate Locator quick link, and pages for individual detention centers. Users should select among these sources based on what they are actually trying to determine.
If the question concerns inmate information generally, the Inmate General Information page is the official page whose title directly matches that purpose. If the purpose is locating an inmate, the Sheriff’s Department navigation specifically identifies an Inmate Locator. If the user already knows the applicable detention center, the named facility page is the more targeted destination.
These categories should not be treated as duplicates. A person may begin with an inmate-related function because the relevant detention center is not yet known. Another user may already have the name of a detention center and therefore need the facility-specific page. Recognizing that distinction makes the county website easier to use and reduces unnecessary movement through unrelated Sheriff’s Department sections.
Choosing the Correct Facility Page
When a facility name is already available, match it exactly against the detention-center names used by the Sheriff’s Department. The reference material identifies four jail-related facilities within the Corrections section:
Central Detention Center
Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center
High Desert Detention Center
West Valley Detention Center
Using the county’s official facility names is preferable to relying on informal descriptions. A phrase such as “San Bernardino jail” is broad and does not by itself distinguish among the facilities represented on the Sheriff’s Department website. An official facility name provides a more precise basis for selecting the correct county page.
If information in the user’s possession names one of these facilities, that name should remain the point of reference while reviewing the county website. Switching between facility pages merely because they all appear under the same Corrections section can create confusion about which location is actually involved.
Information to Have Available
Before using county jail pages, it helps to organize the information that already appears in the records, messages, or other official material available to you. The reference material does not establish a universal list of required search fields, so users should rely on the prompts presented by the official Sheriff’s Department system they are using rather than assuming that one set of identifiers applies to every jail-related function.
At a practical level, preserve exact identifying information as it appears in the source you are working from. In particular, an exact detention-center name can determine which official facility page is relevant. If the purpose is inmate locating, use the Sheriff’s Department’s inmate-locator function and follow the fields presented there rather than substituting information intended for a facility page.
Users should also keep different identifiers conceptually separate. An inmate-search function, a general inmate-information page, a facility name, and another Sheriff’s Department service are not the same thing. The county website places these functions within a larger departmental system, so choosing the page that matches the task is more reliable than using a general Sheriff’s Department page for every jail question.
Common Jail Search Mistakes
Assuming There Is One Jail
A frequent mistake is treating “San Bernardino County Jail” as the name of one single detention-center page. The Sheriff’s Department Corrections section identifies multiple facilities. When the exact facility matters, users should rely on the official detention-center name rather than a generic description.
Using the Wrong Facility Page
Another mistake is selecting one detention-center page simply because it appears first or because its name is familiar. Central Detention Center, Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center, High Desert Detention Center, and West Valley Detention Center each have distinct official pages. A user who already has a facility name should match that name before proceeding.
Confusing General and Individual Information
General inmate information and information associated with one specific jail facility are organized separately. Users seeking broad inmate information should begin with the page intended for that purpose. Users seeking information about a named facility should use the matching detention-center page. Treating those pages as interchangeable may lead to unnecessary searching.
Starting in Unrelated Sheriff Services
The Sheriff’s Department site includes many functions beyond corrections, including public records, civil enforcement, patrol stations, crime prevention, complaints, careers, coroner services, media, and emergency notifications. Those categories should not be assumed to provide jail information simply because they appear on the same departmental website. For jail-related matters, the Corrections section, inmate information page, inmate-locator entry, and detention-center pages provide the relevant official starting points identified in the reference material.
Relying on Informal Facility Names
Informal descriptions can make it harder to determine which official county page applies. The Sheriff’s Department uses specific facility names. Keeping those names intact is especially useful when more than one detention center appears in the county’s corrections system.
Sheriff Website Navigation
The Sheriff’s Department pages share a broader county navigation system. The Corrections section is one component of that site, and the pages also display quick links for other departmental functions. Users should pay attention to page titles and section names rather than assuming that every link visible on a jail page remains within corrections.
For example, the quick-link area includes Inmate Locator along with unrelated destinations such as Public Records, Civil Enforcement, Careers, Patrol Stations, Coroner, and crime-prevention information. Selecting the destination that corresponds to the current task helps avoid crossing into a different administrative process.
Page titles offer a simple way to confirm location within the site. A title identifying “Corrections / Jails” indicates the broader corrections section. “Inmate General Information” identifies the inmate-information page. A title naming Central Detention Center, Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center, High Desert Detention Center, or West Valley Detention Center indicates a facility-specific page.
Public Records and Jail Searches
The Sheriff’s Department navigation identifies Public Records separately from Inmate Locator and Corrections. Users should therefore avoid assuming that an inmate-locating task and a public-records request are the same county process. The website treats them as separate destinations.
This separation is useful when deciding where to begin. Someone trying to locate an inmate should use the inmate-locator function identified by the Sheriff’s Department. Someone reviewing general jail information should use the Corrections or Inmate General Information pages. A public-records matter belongs to the separately identified Public Records function rather than being treated automatically as an inmate search.
The same principle applies to other Sheriff’s Department categories. Civil Enforcement, Coroner, Patrol Stations, complaints, and corrections each appear as distinct functions. Staying within the category that matches the request can prevent delays caused by beginning with an unrelated departmental service.
Corrections Pages and County Website
The jail pages are part of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department web presence. The site provides access to broader county navigation as well as department-specific functions. Users should verify that the page they are viewing remains within the official county and Sheriff’s Department website structure when moving between corrections pages.
The Corrections and Jails area is the central point among the pages provided in the reference material. From a user perspective, it is particularly useful when the goal is to identify which detention-center page applies or to move from general Sheriff’s Department information into the corrections portion of the site.
The Inmate General Information page has a different role because it is specifically labeled for inmate information. Individual facility pages then narrow the subject further to one named detention center. This layered organization allows users to begin broadly and then move to a more specific official page when they know the relevant facility.
When Facility Names Matter
The facility name becomes especially important whenever information must be associated with a specific detention center. Because the county provides separate pages for several facilities, users should verify that the name on the page matches the facility identified in the information they already have.
For example, a page High Desert Detention Center should not automatically be treated as the page for West Valley Detention Center. Likewise, Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center and Central Detention Center have their own distinct pages. The shared Sheriff’s Department branding does not make the facility names interchangeable.
This approach also helps when returning to the website later. Saving or recognizing the exact facility name is more dependable than remembering only that the information came from “the San Bernardino jail website.” The Corrections section contains multiple jail-related destinations, so specificity improves navigation.
Contacting the Sheriff’s Department
The reference material provides the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department main address and separate non-emergency dispatch numbers for the Desert and Valley areas. Because those contacts appear as department-wide information on the referenced jail pages, they should not be mistaken for individual detention-center contact details.
Users should also distinguish non-emergency dispatch from the county’s online jail functions. The website separately identifies Corrections, Inmate Locator, and Inmate General Information as jail-related destinations. When the information sought can be handled through one of those official online areas, selecting the matching jail function keeps the request aligned with the structure used by the Sheriff’s Department.
Individual detention-center contact information should be taken only from an official facility source when it is specifically provided there. The facility pages referenced in this article identify the applicable detention centers, while the department-wide contact information supplied in the reference material belongs to the Sheriff’s Department generally.
Jail-Related Department Contact
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department
655 East Third Street
San Bernardino, California 92415-0061
Desert Non-Emergency Dispatch: (760) 956-5001
Valley Non-Emergency Dispatch: (909) 387-8313
Jail FAQs
How do I schedule a jail visit online?
Start with the Sheriff’s Department Inmate Locator and visiting page and look up the person you plan to visit. After locating the inmate, use the scheduling link shown with the inmate record. The online scheduling feature becomes available from Tuesday at midnight through Saturday at 11:59 p.m. Visiting appointments generally must be arranged one day before the requested visit. The online visitor scheduling system is not intended for official attorney visits.
What identification do I need for an inmate visit?
Visitors must present valid photo identification issued by a municipal, state, or federal government agency or by another country’s consulate. Accepted examples listed by the Sheriff’s Department include a driver’s license, DMV identification card, Department of Defense identification, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services identification, consular identification, and a passport. The official inmate visiting guidelines should be checked before leaving for the facility.
What items are not allowed during jail visits?
Visitors may not bring cell phones, photographic or recording equipment, or tobacco products into the facility. Visitors, their belongings, and their vehicles may also be subject to search. Jail staff may end a visit when facility rules are violated or when termination is considered necessary for security.
Is there a dress code for visitors?
Yes. Prohibited clothing includes gang-related attire, hats, sheer or transparent garments, tank tops, halter tops, strapless or spaghetti-strap tops, clothing displaying obscene or offensive material, and clothing that exposes the chest, midriff, genital area, buttocks, or underwear. Shorts, skirts, and dresses must not be shorter than mid-thigh, and visitors are required to wear shoes.
How many visits can an inmate receive each week?
Under the current rules published on the county’s Corrections and Jails page, an inmate may receive a maximum of two visits totaling one hour per week until further notice. Visits at the four main detention facilities are available Wednesday through Saturday, and visitors must arrive at least 30 minutes before the scheduled appointment for check-in and screening. Late arrivals may be denied entry.
Can children visit someone in custody?
Minor visitors are subject to special rules. The Sheriff’s Department states that accompanying children must remain under appropriate supervision during the visit, and staff may terminate a visit when a parent or guardian does not maintain control. The published county rules also provide circumstances in which a minor who is at least 12 years old may visit an incarcerated parent without an adult present.