The Robert Presley Detention Center (Riverside County Jail)

Address/phone	Robert Presley Detention Center (RPDC) 4000 Orange St. Riverside, CA 92501 (map) (951) 955-4500
Find an inmate	Inmate locator
Visiting hours	Call (951) 341-8888 to make an appointment
Send care packages	Securepak

The Robert Presley Detention Center is a large jail in Riverside California that holds up to 760 inmates. This facility temporarily houses inmates arrested for misdemeanors or felonies until they

• post bail,
• are released on their own recognizance (known as an O.R. release),
• appear for their arraignment, or
• reach the conclusion of their criminal case.

If an inmate is ultimately convicted, they will then be transferred to another Riverside County jail or will be sent to the California state prison. Some inmates convicted of only misdemeanors remain at Robert Presley Jail to serve their sentence there.

In this article, our Riverside County criminal defense attorneys¹ will explain the following:

• 1. Posting bail
  • 1.1. Cash bail
  • 1.2. Bail bonds
• 2. Inmate search
• 3. Inmate phone calls
• 4. Visitation
  • 4.1. Rules and restrictions
• 5. Sending mail
  • 5.1. Prohibited items
• 6. Inmate funds
• 7. Services and amenities
• 8. Releasing property
• 9. Work release
• 10. Jail history
• Resources for inmates and families

If, after reading this article, you would like more information, we invite you to contact us at Shouse Law Group.

1. Posting bail

The Robert Presley Detention Center (RPDC) accepts bail 24/7 in the jail lobby. You can pay by cash or bail bond.

The bail amount is determined by the Riverside County Bail Schedule and the unique facts of the case. A criminal defense attorney can ask the court for a bail hearing to plead for a lower bail amount or even O.R. release.

1.1. Cash bail

When you pay (or “post”) cash bail, you must pay the entire bail amount. You will get all your money back at the conclusion of the case (minus a small administrative fee). However, the court will keep the money if your loved one misses any court appearances.

1.2. Bail bonds

You can hire a bail bondsman to post the entire bail amount for you. In return, you pay the bondsman a non-refundable fee of 10% of the full bond amount.

Note that if your loved one does not make all required court appearances, you will be liable for repaying the entire bail amount to the agent.

2. Inmate search

You can check inmate status at the Robert Presley Detention Center by calling (951) 955-4500 or searching your loved one’s name at the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department’s inmate information website.

3. Inmate phone calls

You may not call people incarcerated at the Robert Presley Detention Center. Though they can call you at designated times during the day.

Each inmate’s first call out is free. After that, they need to call collect or use a calling card.

4. Visitation

To schedule a visit with your loved one at the Robert Presley Detention Center, call (951) 341-8888 one day before the desired visiting date between 9am and 5pm. Inmates are entitled to two 45-minute visits within a seven-day period.

Only two visitors are allowed per appointment, and you must be at least 18 years old. At the jail, you must present a government-issued photo I.D. card, such as

• a California driver’s license,
• a California identification card,
• a U.S. Passport,
• an alien registration card, or
• a U.S. military card.

There is metered public parking on the streets surrounding the Jail and two public parking structures located at the corner of Lemon and 12^th Streets.

4.1. Rules and restrictions

You must abide by the dress code, which means no:

• provocative clothing
• gang-related images
• sexually suggestive images
• clothes with pictures or writing that is offensive

You may not bring the following items into the visiting area:

• food or drink, including alcohol
• illegal drugs,
• weapons, or
• cameras.

Note that you are subject to a search and warrant check prior to entering the Jail.

Learn more at the Riverside County Sheriff website – visitation.

5. Sending mail

People incarcerated at the Robert Presley Detention Center may send and receive an unlimited number of letters each day. If you wish to send mail to your loved one, address it to:

[Inmate’s name and booking number]
Robert Presley Detention Center
P.O. Box 710
Riverside, CA 92501

Be sure to include a return address; otherwise, it will be rejected. Also note that all mail gets inspected, so do not reveal anything incriminating.

5.1. Prohibited items

Any mail that contains any of the following items will not be delivered:

• more than 10 photographs at a time (plus photographs may not be larger than four by six inches),
• photos that contain nudity, sexual undertones, violence or gang-related images,
• mail written in gel-type ink, crayon, lipstick, or containing glue or “white-out” correction fluid,
• odor-causing substances like cologne or perfume,
• instant photos, stickers, labels or stamps of any kind,
• pens, plastic, glitter, tape, stationary, envelopes, “post-its”, craft materials, ribbon, parchment paper, black paper, staples or paperclips,
• “care” packages, flowers, candy, clothes, food, or other items,
• phone cards, greeting cards or postcards, or
• cash or personal checks (although U.S. Postal Service money orders are okay).

Note that paperback books, magazines, or newspapers must be sent from the seller/mail order company through the U.S. Postal Service. Plus you may not send more than three books at a time.

Learn more at the Riverside County Sheriff website – mail.

6. Inmate funds

There are four ways to put money in your loved one’s account at the Robert Presley Detention Center so they can purchase items through the commissary:

1. Online using Access Corrections
2. By phone using Access Corrections (call 1-866-345-1884)
3. By kiosk in the jail lobby (open 24/7)
4. Mailing the jail a money order that includes your loved one’s full name and booking number

Note that whatever money is in your loved one’s possession when they are booked automatically goes into their account.

Learn more at the Riverside County Sheriff website – money.

7. Services and amenities

Robert Presley Detention Center offers a number of inmate services. These include (but are not limited to):

• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings,
• education programs designed to earn a General Education Diploma (G.E.D.),
• computer training,
• religious services and counseling run by a variety of chaplains from different denominations,
• a library,
• a recreational yard, and
• a commissary to purchase goods.

The Riverside County Regional Medical Center in Moreno Valley treats inmates who require serious medical attention or have severe mental health issues.

8. Releasing property

If your loved one is incarcerated at the Robert Presley Detention Center, they can fill out a property release form designating you to pick up their clothes, keys, etc. from the jail. However, you have only 24 hours after they are booked to pick up their cash; once a full day elapses, the money will only be released:

1. when your loved one is released, or
2. pursuant to a court order.

You need a valid I.D. to pick up property at the Riverside County Jail.

If you wish to drop off court clothing or prescription medication or wish to have an inmate sign checks or other legal documents, contact the Robert Presley Detention Center directly at (951) 955-4500 to make arrangements ahead of time. Pick-up times are daily from 7am to 11pm in the jail lobby.

Learn more at the Riverside County Sheriff website – inmate property.

9. Work release

Eligible inmates at the Robert Presley Detention Center may be able to live at home as long as they participate in a work release program (WRP). Putting in eight-to-10 hours a day equals one day of jail time.

Your loved one’s attorney can ask the judge to refer them to the WRP. Non-violent, low-risk offenders have a greater chance of being accepted into the program.

Learn more about Riverside County’s work release program.

10. Jail history

In 1933, a detention facility called the Riverside County Jail opened. It was renamed Robert Presley Detention Center in 1989 after a state senator.

The jail also moved across the street to where it is now and can hold up to 1,100 inmates. The original facility – called the “Old Jail” – closed in 2011.

Resources for inmates and families

For help with reentry following incarceration, former inmates and their families can refer to the following:

• From Corrections to Community: Reentry Health Care – Information by the California Health Care Foundation about connecting people released from custody with community-based medical services.
• List of Reentry Programs in California – Guide compiled by HelpForFelons.org.
• Decarceration Resources – Guide compiled by the Riverside County Library.
• Social Services – An array of social work help by the Riverside County Department of Public Social Services.
• Self-Help Legal Services– Legal forms and instructions at the County of Riverside Court website.

Also see our pages on other Riverside County Jails, including the Indio Jail, the Blythe Jail, the Southwest Detention Center, the Larry D. Smith “Banning” Jail.