The San Francisco County Jail
(Inmate, bail, and visiting information for the San Francisco County Jail)
The San Francisco County Jail system consists of five housing locations, an intake and release facility, and a medical division. County Jails #1, 2, 5, 7 and 8 are all detention facilities. County Jail #9 functions as the intake and release facility and a section in the San Francisco General Hospital (ward #7D/7L) is the medical division.
With an average population of 2,200 inmates in each of the five detention facilities, the San Francisco County Jail books approximately 55,000 inmates each year throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Fortunately, the Jail has the logistics to accommodate the increasing population of both pre-trial and sentenced inmates.
Locations and addresses of the San Francisco Jail System:
- Intake and Release Facility - County Jail #9: 425 7th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
- Classification Facility (Hall of Justice) - County Jail #1: 850 Bryant Street 6th floor, San Francisco, CA 94103
- Detention Facility (Hall of Justice) - County Jail #2: 850 Bryant Street 7th floor, San Francisco, CA 94103
- Detention Facility (San Bruno Complex) - County Jail #5: 1 Moreland Drive, P.O. Box 67, San Francisco, CA 94066
- Detention Facility (San Bruno Complex) - County Jail #7: 1 Moreland Drive, P.O. Box 907, San Francisco, CA 94066
- Detention Facility - County #8: 425 7th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
- Medical Division (San Francisco General Hospital) Ward #7D/7L: 1001 Potrero Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94110
View San Francisco Jail Locations in a larger map
In this article, our San Francisco criminal defense lawyers will explain:
- Procedures on how to post bail at the San Francisco Jail
- How to get inmate information at the San Francisco County Jail
- How to contact an inmate incarcerated at the San Francisco Jail
- Inmate visiting policies and visiting schedule at the San Francisco County Jail
- Rules and regulations for sending mail to inmates at the San County Jail
- How to put money "on the books" for inmates at the San Francisco County Jail
- Procedure on "return of property" of inmates at the San County Jail
- Special programs available for inmates at the San Francisco County Jail
Procedures on how to post bail at the San Francisco County Jail
The inmate will not be eligible for bail until he or she has been booked. Upon conclusion of the booking process, the amount of bail will be set according to the San Francisco Bail schedule. Once the inmate's appearance in court is guaranteed by a bail payment, the inmate will be released pending trial. Bail may be posted at the San Francisco County Jail, 24 hours a day, 7 days week.
Please call the San Francisco County Jail before arriving to post bail. You will need to find out the exact location where the inmate is being held because the bail slip must be delivered to the appropriate facility. The number to call to determine where proof of bail must be taken is (415) 553-1443.
Accepted methods of payment as bail at the San Francisco County Jail are listed below:
- Cash
- Cashier's Check
- Bail Bond
Cash - Posting bail in cash requires having the full bail amount. Once bail is posted, the inmate will be released and upon completion of court proceedings, bail will be refunded minus a small administrative fee.
Cashier's Check - Similar to cash, when posting bail with a Cashier's Check, the full amount of the set bail is required. Once the Cashier's Check is verified and funds have cleared, bail will be posted to issue the release of the inmate. Funds must originate from a bank in the state of California. Cashier's Checks must be made payable to the order of the "San Francisco Sheriff's Department" and the inmate's name and booking number must be referenced on the Cashier's Check.
Bail Bond - An option that is easier on the pocket when posting bail is a bail bond. In this instance, you do not have to come up with the full amount of the set bail entirely out of your own pocket. Bail Bonds typically cost between 8 to 10% of the bail amount. Once a bail bond is granted, you will be provided with a guarantee to post for bail to issue the release of the inmate.
Information on bail bond agents is available on the internet or in the Yellow Pages. When hiring bail bond agents, please make sure to verify their license and request copies of all documents for your own records.
How to get inmate information at the San Francisco County Jail
For all inquiries on inmates held in custody at the San Francisco County Jail, please contact the County Jail #1 at the Hall of Justice at (415) 553-1430. Inmate information may be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please be prepared to provide the correct spelling of the inmate's complete name (including middle name if applicable) and the inmate's booking number.
How to contact an inmate incarcerated at the San Francisco County Jail
Inmates are not allowed to receive incoming calls while in San Francisco County Jail. That being said, the inmates have access to a telephone located at each of the holding cells for their convenience.
Inmates may use the phone to make arrangements to set up bail for their release, call their family members or friends to notify them of their situation, or make contact with a San Francisco criminal defense lawyer. Local calls within the area are free of charge, otherwise all calls are "collect" or charged to the end receiver.
Another way of making contact with inmates that are held in custody at the Jail is through mail correspondence. All correspondence should be addressed properly as shown below:
(Inmate's Name & Booking Number)
San Francisco County Jail
Location to be determined according to
housing assignment i.e.:
Hall of Justice County Jail #1
850 Bryant Street 6th floor
San Francisco, CA 94103
Inmate visiting policies and visiting hours at the San Francisco County Jail
All visitors entering the facility must be prepared to show proof of identification upon inspection. Below is a list of forms of identification:
All inmates incarcerated at the San Francisco County Jail are entitled to receive a 30-minute visit each day with a maximum of 3 visitors, children included. Visits may only be conducted on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. No visitations are allowed during the week. Children who visit must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian at all times. All visitations can be arranged by phone reservation except for County Jail #8, which operates on a first-come, first-served basis.
Standard search and inspection is performed on all visitors as part of the security measure mandated by the Jail Deputy. Smoking is not permitted anywhere in the facility. Proper attire must be worn when visiting inmates at the facility. Provocative and revealing clothing are not allowed. Clothing with images of sex, drugs, violence, or depicting gang-related activities is also prohibited.
Consumption of food and drinks are prohibited in the visiting area. Drugs, alcohol, and illegal weapons are strictly prohibited. Anyone in possession of these items will be prosecuted. If visitors appear to be under the influence of alcohol or any illegal substance, they will be denied visiting privileges and might face possible prosecution. Visitors who may pose a threat to the peace and order of the facility will also be denied entry and future visitation privilege.
Inmate visitation is not a right but a privilege. Compliance to the above regulations is expected at all times. Refusal of visitation privileges will be at the discretion of the Jail Deputy. It is also highly recommended to always call before visiting to inquire which housing unit the inmate you are visiting is assigned to and determine the visiting schedule.
Visiting schedules per housing unit are listed below:
For Saturday and all holiday visits, phone reservations are in effect. Sunday visits are first-come, first-served basis.
County Jail #1: For phone reservations, please call (415) 553-1464 between the hours of 1:00 pm till 6:00 pm at least one day before day of actual visit. Visiting hours are from 8:00 am till 1:30 pm.
County Jail #2: For phone reservations, please call (415) 553-9896 between the hours of 1:00 pm till 6:00 pm at least one day before day of actual visit. Visiting hours are from 8:00 am till 2:00 pm.
County Jail #5: For phone reservations, please call (650) 266-1730 between the hours of 1:00 pm till 6:00 pm at least one day before day of actual visit. Visiting hours are from 8:00 am till 2:00 pm.
County Jail #8: First-come, first-served basis. Visiting hours are from 8:00 am till 1:00 pm. All female inmates are housed at this facility.
County Jail #9: At this facility, only legal counsel for the inmates are allowed to visit inmates in custody. After 24 hours from the time of arrest, all inmates are transferred into a housing unit.
NOTE: Even though phone reservations are heavily suggested, you may show up at the facility without one, but you are not guaranteed a slot during visiting hours.
Rules and regulations for sending mail to inmates at the San Francisco County Jail
Since phone and visiting privileges are limited, the best alternative to communicate with an inmate is through mail correspondence. When sending mail to an inmate, make sure that a return address is provided otherwise mail will not be delivered. All mail correspondence goes through rigid inspection for security reasons. Only correspondence between inmates and their lawyers is private.
Mail delivery occurs daily except on Sundays and holidays. Inmates may receive an infinite amount of mail but they are not allowed to receive any packages, unless they are books sent directly from the publishing company. Inmates are not allowed to receive cash in the mail. If family members or friends would like to send money to the inmates, it must be in a form of a money order not exceeding the amount of $100. No other forms of money accepted besides money orders (preferably issued by the United States Postal Service or bank money orders).
All mail correspondence must be clear of any illegal substances. Inmates are not allowed to receive stamps and envelopes in the mail. These are items they can purchase at the commissary for their convenience. Nude photographs and/or sexually suggestive images are prohibited and will be discarded if sent in the mail. No food, jewelry and homemade items will be accepted in the mail either.
It is important that the booking number of the inmate is indicated on the mail correspondence for proper delivery. As a precaution, it is safe to assume that only letters are allowed to be sent in the mail. Anything beyond that would be best not sent in the mail.
How to put "money in the books" for inmates at the San Francisco County Jail
Anyone may deposit money into an inmate's account otherwise known as "putting money in the books" as a convenience to the inmates at San Francisco County Jail. Such accounts give, inmates access to cash to purchase items available from the jail's commissary. Cash (U.S. currency) will only be accepted when making a deposit in person. Otherwise, money orders are also accepted. No personal checks, third party checks, business checks, or money orders from foreign banks are accepted.
By mail, you may only send money orders (issued by the USPS or a bank) with the inmate's name and booking number noted in the reference line. Money order must be made payable to the "San Francisco Sheriff's Department" or they will be returned to the sender and the amount must not exceed $100.
To put money into an inmates' account, you may go to the County Jail #9 (Intake & Release Facility) 425 7th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103 between the hours of 7:30 am till 12:00 pm, 12:30 pm till 2:00 pm, and 3:15 pm till 5:30 pm, 7 days a week.
Procedure on "return of property" of inmates at the San Francisco County Jail
Once the booking process is concluded, and if the incarcerated inmate stays in custody, all property in the inmate's possession will be placed in storage. The jail will provide the inmates with clothing to wear while they are in custody. Upon discharge of the inmate, all property held in storage while they are in custody will be released at that time.
Special programs available for inmates at the San Francisco County Jail
At San Francisco County Jail, the inmates are very fortunate to be provided with programs that help them better their lives while incarcerated by learning things inside the jail so that once they are released they are able to smoothly reintegrate back into the community. These programs consist of general education, skill development, and counseling services.
For general education and skill development, the inmates are provided with programs that will allow them to have high school equivalence certification. Training is also available in English as a second language, creative writing, health and nutrition, computers, multi-cultural and ethnic studies, and an array of other vocations.
For counseling services, the inmates have access to a wide range of programs that include substance abuse recovery, individual and group counseling therapy, anger management, conflict resolution, violence prevention, and other tools for healing that benefit the well-being of the inmates as part of their rehabilitation.
San Francisco County Jail teaching programs are staffed by professionals from San Francisco City College, the School District of Milpitas, the Department of Public Health, and the California Arts Council.
For more information and for a free consultation with a San Francisco criminal defense lawyer, contact us at (415) 333-0300.
