West Valley Detention Center – How The Jail Works

West Valley Detention Center (WVDC)
Address/phone	9500 Etiwanda Ave. Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91739 (map) (909) 708-8371
Find an inmate	Inmate locator
Bail info	Call jail at (909) 350-2476
Visiting hours	Wednesday through Saturday from 8:30am to 7:00pm (schedule a day in advance online)
Capacity	3,347 inmates
Send care packages	Icaregifts.com

The West Valley Detention Center (WVDC) – also known as the San Bernardino County Jail in Rancho Cucamonga – is one of the largest county jails in California.

Operational since 1991 with a staff of 600, this jail primarily houses medium to maximum security inmates awaiting their trials. West Valley also houses some convicted defendants awaiting transfers to other facilities.

Inmates can make certain court appearances such as arraignments via video with the San Bernardino, Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga, Chino, Victorville and Barstow courts. This way, they do not have to leave the jail.

Located approximately one mile in between the 10 and 15 freeways, the West Valley Detention Center (WVDC) is at

9500 Etiwanda Ave
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91739
(909) 350-2476

Free parking is available in the visitor’s center parking lot.

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

• 1. How do I post bail?
• 2. How do I search for an inmate?
• 3. Can I call an inmate?
• 4. When can I visit?
• 5. How do I send mail?
• 6. How do I put money on an inmate’s books?
• 7. What services does the jail provide?
• 8. How do I pick up inmate property?
• 9. Additional Resources

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

1. How do I post bail?

You can post bail in person 24/7 at the San Bernardino County Jail by using either

1. cash paid in full (the quickest way to get an inmate released)
2. cashier’s checks or U.S. Postal money order paid in full (made out to the San Bernardino Trial Courts)
3. property bonds (which puts a lien on your property)
4. bail bonds (where you pay a bondman 10% of the bail amount in exchange for them putting up the rest)

The bail money will be returned to you at the end of the case as long as the defendant never fails to appear in court. If you hired a bail bondsman, the money will be returned to the bondsman as long as the defendant never failed to appear in court (the 10% you paid is nonrefundable).

If the defendant does not attend court, then the bail money is forfeited to the court. This means if you hired a bail bondsman, they can go after you for the 90% they paid the court.

Note that if you took out a property bond, and the defendant does not appear in court, the court can initiate foreclosure proceedings against you.

After you post bail, you should immediately consult with one of our experienced Rancho Cucamonga criminal defense attorneys² who can help you schedule a bail hearing to hopefully reduce or even waive the inmate’s bail.

For additional bail information, call the jail at (909) 350-2476. Also refer to the San Bernardino County Bail Schedule and our article, How to Post Bail in California.

2. How do I search for an inmate?

To search if your loved one is incarcerated at the San Bernardino County Jail in Rancho Cucamonga, either

• call the facility directly at (909) 708-8371, or
• go to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s inmate locator information website.

Typically, inmates must be arraigned within two days of being arrested. To look up case information for an inmate, visit the San Bernardino Case Information website.

3. Can I call an inmate?

No, but West Valley Detention Center inmates are given designated times throughout the day to call you free of charge.

4. When can I visit?

West Valley Detention Center visiting hours are Wednesday through Saturday from 8:30am to 7:00pm. Visits must be scheduled a day in advance by

• using the online Inmate Locator/Visiting portal at any time of day, or
• calling (909) 887-0364 on Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Inmates are permitted two visits per week for an hour total, and no more than two visitors may be present. Children 12 and older do not need an adult to visit.

Be sure to show up 30 minutes in advance, and bring a government-issued photo I.D., 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.

You may not bring in purses, weapons, or any electronic devices. Masks are still required to wear. Plus all visitors are subject to searches and warrant and parole checks, so you can be arrested if the jail staff finds you in violation.

If you are a convicted felon, Penal Code 4571 requires you to get written permission from the facility commander before visiting. You can fill out the request form here, which you would then mail to the jail at 9500 Etiwanda Ave., Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91739. They will mail you back a notice.

People on probation and parole also need advanced permission from the facility commander in order to visit an inmate, so contact your P.O. for instructions.

If you are a member of the clergy, you can call Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center at (909) 473-1761 to schedule a visit.

5. How do I send mail?

To send letters to inmates at the West Valley Detention Center, address the envelopes to:

[Inmate’s name and booking number]
9500 Etiwanda Avenue
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91739

The envelope must be plain, and the enclosed paper must be plain or lined. Any postcards may not be cardstock thickness.

Also include your name and return address on the envelope. Letters can include up to 50 photographs.

All mail gets inspected, and packages will be returned. The following items are prohibited:

• blank paper, cardstock paper, or construction paper
• stamps
• manila envelopes or blank envelopes
• greeting cards
• perfume or cologne on the mail
• kiss impressions on the correspondence
• anything that is related to gangs
• drawings or photos that depict full or partial nudity
• letters that are dirty or otherwise stained
• food, including gum
• anything metal or plastic
• stickers, labels, tape, or glue
• white out or white out tape
• color pencils, crayons, paint, markers, or glitter

Any books, newspapers, or magazines must be sent directly from the publisher or a service such as Amazon. The materials cannot be violent or sexually explicit.

6. How do I put money on an inmate’s books?

To deposit money into a West Valley Detention Center inmate account, go to the lobby and use one of the deposit kiosks. They are available 24/7 and accept:

• cash
• credit cards
• debit cards

The kiosks do not accept checks or money orders. You can also mail money to an inmate using a:

1. a U.S. Postal Service money order or a Western Union money order, or
2. a bank-issued cashier’s check.

Money orders and cashier’s checks must be payable to the West Valley Detention Center and must include the inmate’s name and booking number. The mailing address is:

[Inmate’s name and booking number]
9500 Etiwanda Avenue
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91739

Before mailing anything, you should call the jail at (909) 350-2476 to check on current deposit limits.

Inmates can use the money in their accounts to buy items from the commissary, such as snacks, phone cards, and hygiene items. You can also send care packages through icaregifts.com.

Note that whatever money is in the inmate’s possession at the time of booking will be placed into their account (as long as it was not stored as evidence relating to the arrest).

7. What services does the jail provide?

The West Valley Detention Center offers inmates:

• educational programs including General Education Diploma (“GED”) classes,
• vocational programs, such as
  • culinary arts (the “Food Services Division”),
  • laundry services, and
  • landscape maintenance,
• medical, dental and mental health services,
• anger management classes,
• a library,
• substance abuse counseling,
• religious services performed by chaplains from a wide variety of religious denominations, and
• a commissary.

Note that when an inmate is first booked, they will undergo a full body check, health screening, fingerprinting, and mugshot.

8. How do I pick up inmate property?

When someone is booked into the West Valley Detention Center, they can sign a “release of property” form to release their belongings to someone else.

If you are designated to pick up the property, you will receive a call with instructions to retrieve the property at the jail within a couple of days.

To pick up property, you must bring valid identification. The name on the release form must be the exact name that appears on your I.D.

9. Additional Resources

• Inmate Rules and Regulations – San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Detention and Corrections Bureau
• Inmate Services – San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department
• Bail Bonds – California Department of Insurance
• Public Information Plan – San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Detention and Corrections Bureau
• California Board of State and Community Corrections
• California Code of Regulations Title 15 – Crime Prevention and Corrections
• Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) – California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR)
• National PREA Resource Center

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