The Los Angeles County Men's Central Jail
(Inmate, bail and visiting information for the Men's Central Jail in Los Angeles)
The Men's Central Jail (MCJ) is physically located at 441 Bauchet St. Los Angeles, CA 90012, in between the 101, 110 and 5 freeways just north of downtown. The jail houses inmates awaiting trial, as well as inmates who have been convicted and are serving local county time.
With a maximum capacity of 6,750 inmates, the Los Angeles County Men's Central Jail is considered to be the world's largest jail. The MCJ has a fully equipped hospital where doctors and nurses can treat inmates with almost any medical condition, including mental health issues.
Location: East of US-101 (Santa Ana Fwy) or west of the 110 fwy; the facility is off Vignes St. and Bauchet St.
Parking for the Men's Central Jail:
A paid parking lot for the general public sits on the corner of Vignes Street and Bauchet Street.
The city of Los Angeles operates the parking lot and charges a $7.00 flat fee (all day).
NOTE: The method of payment for parking is CASH only.
Below you will find information regarding:
- Procedures on How to post bail
- How to get inmate information
- How to contact an inmate
- Visiting Information for inmates
- Schedule of visitation for different classification of inmates
- Basic Policies for sending mail
- How to put money "on the books"
- Inmate Services
- Procedure on "Return of Property"
Procedures on How to post bail for an inmate at the Los Angeles Men's Central Jail
The Men's Central Jail in Los Angeles accepts three types of payments to post bail for an inmate:
- Cash
- Cashier's Check
- Bail Bond
Cash - to post bail in cash for a Men's Central Jail inmate, you must have the full bail amount. Upon conclusion of all the court proceedings, you will get reimbursed the bail amount posted. However, a small administrative fee will be charged to you. You may bring cash to post bail 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at the Inmate Reception Center cashiering office.
Cashier's Check - to post bail using a Cashier's check; please make the Cashier's Check payable to "Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department." This can be done 24 hours a day 7 days a week at the Inmate Reception Center cashiering office.
Bail Bond - to post bail using a bail bond, please refer to a bail bond agent for guidance. Information on hiring a bail bond agent can be easily found by surfing the internet or by looking through the yellow pages. When dealing with bail bond agents, make sure to ask to see their license and identification prior to hiring their services. Also request itemized receipts of all charges, and copies of all signed contracts and agreements to keep for your own records.
NOTE: After posting bail, consult a Los Angeles County Criminal Defense Attorney for legal counsel.
How to get inmate information
Inmate information at the Men's Central Jail in Los Angeles is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week by calling the Men's Central Jail Inmate Reception Center at (213) 473-6100. Or you may access information online at the Inmate Information Website at http://app4.lasd.org/iic/ajis_search.cfm
To get inmate information, you will need the inmates' complete name, birth date and date of arrest. The operator will provide the inmate's booking number, jail housing location, next scheduled court date and the bail amount for him/her to be released pending trial.
How to contact an inmate at the Los Angeles Men's Central Jail
Initially the inmates are allowed one phone call to contact a family member or a friend and advise of their location. After this, they may not call outside numbers without a calling card.
These calling cards come in increments of $25 and $50 only. Global Tell Link is the name of the private telephone company where you can purchase them online using a credit card. To reach GTL.NET by phone, please call at 1-877-650-4249.
General mail address for all inmates is as follows:
Inmate Name, Booking Number
P.O. Box 86164
Terminal Annex
Los Angeles, CA 90086-0164
Basic Policies for sending mail
Question: What are the basic policies for sending mail to inmates at the Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles?
To ensure proper security at the facility, the Men’s Central Jail implements a set of strict guidelines for inmates when receiving mail. Any mail that violates these rules will be returned to the sender in the original condition.
Jail staff will confiscate any identified smuggled or illegal goods mailed to an inmate at the facility. These confiscated items can be used as evidence against you and the receiving inmate.
Question: What types of items sent by mail to the inmates at the Los Angeles Men’s Central Jail that are NOT allowed?
Below is a list of items not allowed to be sent by mail to the inmates:
- Food or cosmetic items
- Stationery, blank envelopes, envelopes with metal clasps, postage stamps, envelopes with gang or suggestive drawings/art work
- Cash, personal or second party checks, traveler’s checks, payroll checks
- A single money order exceeding the $200 limit
- Blank money orders (money orders must be signed and made payable to the inmate)
- Non U.S. Post Office out-of-state money orders (out-of-state money orders must be from the U.S. Post Office)
- Musical, plastic, plastic covered, blank, greeting or post cards larger than 6”x9”
- Identification card or facsimiles
- Paper clips, staples, pens, pencils, glitter, stickers, glued or gummed labels
- Rosary beads, balloons, string bracelets, or other jewelry items
- Lottery tickets or prepaid telephone cards
- Cellophane tape or any type of tape on letters
If you are sending photos and computer-generated pictures, please be sure that they follow the rules as listed below:
- There is a maximum number of five (5) photos permitted (inmates are only permitted to possess five (5) photos at any time) per inmate.
- Photos or computer generated pictures should be a minimum of (2”x3)” and a maximum of (4”x6)” size
- Photos that are nude and suggestive in nature, showing gangs, gang tattoos, or hand gestures (signs) will not be permitted.
If you are sending books, publications, or periodicals, please be aware that the Men’s Central Jail does not accept the following:
- Anything NOT sent directly from a bookstore or publisher
- Anything of an explicit sexual nature
- More than three (3) books per week
- More than three (3) magazines per week
NOTE: Although this is a current list, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and the Los Angeles County Jail System reserve the right to update this list as well as reject any mailed items deemed inappropriate and potentially unsafe.
Visiting Information for inmates at the Los Angeles County Men's Central Jail
All visitors are required to bring in valid photo identification including:
- A valid California Identification Card or driver's license
- U.S. Military identification card
- A valid Passport/Visa
- Alien Registration card
Schedule of visitation for different classification of inmates
The schedule of visiting hours for the general custody inmates at the Men’s Central Jail is from Thursday through Sunday, 10am - 3pm and 5 pm - 7pm. These visiting hours are subject to change without prior notice.
Each inmate is allowed 2 visits a week, with a maximum of 3 persons at a time. A child counts as 1 person. There are no appointments required prior to planning your visit. Although it is advisable to call the jail facility ahead of time just in case you have any specific questions.
Upon arriving at the facility, the visitor will go through a standard search procedure and then will get in line to wait for a visitor pass. Once it is your turn, a deputy will summon you and escort you to the visiting area. The waiting time is never the same as it always depends on how busy they jail is on the day of your visit.
How to put “money in the books”
To deposit money or (“put money on the books”) for an inmate held in custody at the Men’s Central Jail: This can be done at the cashier's window in the lobby at Inmate Reception Center. They are open from 12:30 am until 11:00 pm, 7 days a week. For any specific questions, you may also contact the cashier’s office at the IRC at 213-893-5875.
To mail money to an inmate held custody at the Los Angeles Men’s Central Jail, please send a Bank Cashier's Check, Money Order or Postal Money Order to P.O. Box 86164 Terminal Annex Los Angeles, CA 90086-0164. Refer to the Inmate Mail Regulations for further guidelines.
Inmate Services
The Men's Central Jail provides several services for inmates including religious services, school, recreation, library, barber and counseling.
The Men’s Central Jail has a chapel that provides a religious venue to inmates which gives them the opportunities to practice their religion of choice while they are detained at the jail. There are Chaplains working at the facility that come from different backgrounds which include Protestant, Catholic, Buddhist, Jewish and Islamic.
Procedure on “Return of Property”
Once an inmate goes through the intake process at the Los Angeles Men's Central Jail and decides to release any property they had in their possession at the time of their arrest, they may do so by filling out appropriate release form (blue for property or pink for money.) These forms are provided to inmates during jail visits. Upon conclusion of the family member or friend’s visit, they must wait in the lobby for a copy of the release form which usually takes approximately 10 minutes.
After getting the money or property release forms, the recipient of these items must take them across the street to the INMATE RECEPTION CENTER LOBBY (450 Bauchet Street, Los Angeles, Calif. 90012.) Upon arrival, they will be required to provide official identification to get property or money released to them.
To get a vehicle released you must contact the arresting agency. The vehicle MAY be impounded, which means it legally has to stay in the impound yard for a specified length of time before it can be released. The arresting agency will be able to provide details about the particular vehicle in question.
