Custody – FAQ

Call inmate information at (213) 473-6100. You will need the inmates complete name, date of birth and/or date of arrest.

Inmates who are unclassified are pending a permanent housing location therefore they are unable to receive phone calls or visits at this time. Once the inmate has been interviewed by our liaison, we are able to safely house him in a location within the facility. Classification can take two weeks to a month before it is completed. Once classified, phone calls and visits can be made.

Inmates in jail are required to follow jail rules. Violation of jail rules results in disciplinary action, including loss of privileges. Privileges include visits, use of telephone, exercise time, and/or commissary. Any or all of these privileges may be suspended during a specified disciplinary time, known as “lockdown.”

Lockdown is a term used within the jail when all inmate movement has seized due to safety and/or security reasons. Personnel do not have any prior knowledge of the lockdown and are unaware how long the lockdown with be in effect.

No. You are more than welcome to contact the inmate information line to get up-to-date information on the whereabouts of your inmate (213) 473-6100.

Good Time/Work Time Credits

At the time of sentencing, inmates receive 2 days credit for every 2 days served.

Example #1:

An Inmate sentenced to 100 days, serves 50 days and receives credit for 50 days.

Conservation Camp/Vocational Shops programs

In addition to the above credits, inmates who work in a conservation camp/vocational shops program receive an additional .5 days credit for every day worked.

Example #2:

An inmate sentenced to 100 days, serves 40 days and receives credit for 60 days.

Fire Camps

After completing fire training, inmates assigned to the camp, receive 2 days credit for every day served.

Example #3:

An inmate sentenced to 100 days, serves 34 days and receives credit for 66 days.

Milestone Credits

Sentenced and unsentenced  inmates qualify to earn Milestone credits. The minimum number which can be earned is 1 week, with a maximum of 6 weeks in a 52 week period.

An inmate who wishes to marry should first petition the Court of the jurisdiction in which his or her criminal prosecution is pending and request the Judge of that court to perform the marriage solemnization during normal Court hours in that Court. If the Court refuses to marry the inmate, then the inmate is encouraged to delay the marriage until he is released or transferred to where he will be confined (i.e., State or federal prison). As a last option if the prior options are not feasible, an inmate may be married at visiting, in accordance with the provisions of law and this procedure, subject to the prior approval of the Watch Commander.

• Notarized Inability to Appear Form
• Completed Marriage License Application
• $70 to pay for your marriage license
• The person who will solemnize your marriage (e.g., the minister)
• Your driver’s license or passport
• Your fiance’s driver’s license or passport

Form of Identification: All persons using the attorney room must be in possession of a valid form of identification:

– State, County, Government ID
– Passport
– Military Photo ID
– Credentials
– Additional forms of identification may be required. Contact the attorney room or Legal Unit for questions.

Rules and Regulations

At the discretion of the Unit Commander, persons in violation of the rules may be prohibited from using the attorney room for up to 30 days. Subsequent violations of the rules by the same party may cause the violator to be prohibited from using the attorney room for an excess of 30 days and/or permanent suspension of their usage privilege. Suspensions may be appealed in writing to the Unit Commander.

Window Traffic

Items that are allowed through the attorney room window traffic are:

– Notary Public
– Legal documents/power of attorney
– Restraining orders
– Property release slips
– Vehicle releases
– State or county payroll checks issued prior to date of incarceration
– Income tax checks

Items that are not allowed through the attorney room window traffic are: (ITEMS NOT ALLOWED THROUGH THE WINDOW TRAFFIC, ARE ALSO NOT ALLOWED INSIDE THE ATTORNEY ROOM)

– Personal, private industry payroll, business checks, Cashiers Checks or unemployment checks
– Money draws
– Pawn slips
– Any marriage documents (unless approved by the Legal Office)
– Real Estate documents, Grant Deeds, Deed of Trusts, or any escrow documents
– Booth Reservations

Booths are on a first come first serve basis. Precedent over the booth is often provided to Law Enforcement and Attorneys, although ultimate discretion as to the use of the booth shall be reserved for the Legal Unit. Only individuals conducting a deposition can call in advance and reserve the booth. The use of the booth may require an approved court order. Contact the MCJ Legal Unit if you have any questions regarding the use of the booth. Reservations can be made directly with the attorney room.

Admittance of Law Students

Per the State Bar Examiners, “certified law students” are those law students who have completed two full years of law school and who have applied for and received a letter of certification from the State Bar Examiners in Sacramento.

Law students will not be allowed to accompany lawyers into the attorney room unless the attorney room has on file a previous notice officially designating the student as a certified law student. The title of law clerk or legal aide per se does not entitle anyone to accompany an attorney into the attorney room.

If the certified law student wishes to interview an inmate, but the specified supervising attorney does not accompany the student, the student will be directed to the visiting screen where he or she will interview the inmate.

All inmates are medically evaluated during the booking process and prior to housing at any custody facility. Our facilities staff a Jail Mental Evaluation Team (JMET) tasked with identifying inmates who develop new mental health symptoms while in jail, or identifying inmates who have evaded detection during the regular booking process.

If your loved one has a medical or mental health condition and is in custody, and you would like to alert us, please contact our medical command center at (213) 893-5544.

Inmates are authorized (w/ a medical court order) to have one pair of prescription eyeglasses in their possession. If there is no medical need for the eyeglasses, the inmate will not have the eyeglasses provided.

The Legal Unit (213)-974-0103 is tasked with the processing of inmate prescription eyeglasses.

All approved prescription corrective/reading eyeglasses must be in a plastic case and have non-metal frames.

Eyeglasses may be received during regular business hours at the MCJ lobby:

5AM – 9PM or sent via U.S. mail to:

Men’s Central Jail
Attention: Legal Unit
441 Bauchet Street, Los Angeles, California 90012

Please make sure to provide your complete contact information so our unit can notify you on the status of the eyeglasses. The processing of glasses (from the time of receipt to inmate’s hands) can take a minimum of one week.

Inmates are authorized (w/ a medical court order) to have one pair of prescription eyeglasses in their possession. If there is no medical need for the eyeglasses, the inmate will not have the eyeglasses provided.

Inmates may have in their possession one pair of orthopedic shoes if there is an existing medical need for the shoes. All shoes are approved through the Sheriff’s Department Chief Physician Medical Services Bureau. Court orders for orthopedic shoes are not valid until the medical need has been approved by our Chief Physician of Medical Services Bureau. If no medical need is found, the court order shall be voided.

Orthopedic shoes must meet the following standards:

– shall only come in either tan, brown or white color
– shall only use Velcro straps with a round soft toe
– commercial tennis shoes or insoles are not orthopedic shoes
– a flat foot is not considered a medical need for orthopedic shoes
– outside doctors providing a request for orthopedic shoes will not be valid if the shoes do not meet custody standards.

When minors are visiting with their parent, minors (under age 15) need a birth certificate, over age 15 they can use a school ID, state ID, or Passport.  If they are visiting with someone other than their parent, such as, a grandparent or aunt, the minor needs to also have a notarized letter from the parent giving that adult permission to bring a minor under age 18 onto a jail facility property. If the minor is with their legal guardian, then they would need to show proper paper from the court.

Each General Population inmate is provided with at least two (2), thirty (30) minute, in-person or video visits per week – totaling at least one hour. Special handle inmates will be provided with at least two (2), (30) minute in-person or video visits, or if/when available, one (1) sixty (60) minute visit per week – totaling at least one hour.

Individuals who are currently on parole or probation must complete the Visiting Clearance for Probationers and Ex-felons Form and submit it to the Legal Unit for processing. The approval can take up to one month depending on the clearance and validity of all information submitted. Once the verification has been completed, you will receive a letter from our Unit Commander granting or denying you permission to visit the specified inmate.

Your primary contact for submission and status of your request is our Legal Unit 213-974-0103.

Individuals who are currently on parole or probation must complete the Visiting Clearance for Probationers and Ex-felons Form and submit it to the Legal Unit for processing. The approval can take up to one month depending on the clearance and validity of all information submitted. Once the verification has been completed, you will receive a letter from our Unit Commander granting or denying you permission to visit the specified inmate.

Your primary contact for submission and status of your request is our Legal Unit 213-974-0103.

Several reasons exist as to why an inmate attends his visit faster than another inmate. Some of the reasons include:

– the inmate is housed in closer proximity to the visiting area
– the inmate is currently out on another pass
– daily operations (i.e. pill call, showers, school, exercise, recreation, etc.) may be interfering in the transfer of the inmate to visiting