Find Modoc County Booking Information

Modoc County recent bookings are available by calling the Sheriff's Office at (530) 233-4416. The county does not currently offer an online inmate search portal. Staff at the jail can tell you if someone is in custody and provide details about their booking. Modoc County sits in the far northeast corner of California with the smallest population of any county in the state. The main jail facility serves Alturas and all surrounding areas. California public records laws apply to Modoc County just like larger counties. You can get booking information by phone during business hours at no cost.

Check Modoc Jail Status by Phone

To find someone in Modoc County jail, call the Sheriff's Office at (530) 233-4416. Staff can search their system and tell you if the person is in custody. They provide information about booking dates, charges, and bail amounts. The phone line works during regular business hours. You do not need to visit the jail in person to get basic booking information.

When you call, have the person's full name ready. If it is a common name, know their approximate age or date of birth to help staff find the right record. The Sheriff's Office handles calls efficiently even though Modoc County has a small staff. Most custody inquiries get answered quickly. Staff can also tell you about visiting hours and procedures if you plan to visit an inmate.

Modoc County lacks an online inmate search portal due to its small size and limited resources. The county has fewer than 9,000 residents spread across a large area. Building and maintaining an online system costs money that small counties often cannot spare. Phone-based searches work well for a county with low booking volumes. You may wait less time than navigating an online portal in busier counties.

If you need to check on someone outside business hours, try the statewide VINE system. VINE pulls data from Modoc County jail and lets you search by phone 24 hours a day. Call 1-877-411-5588 or visit vinelink.vineapps.com to search. The system updates regularly so you can find current custody status even when the Sheriff's Office is closed.

Modoc County Jail in Alturas

The county jail sits in Alturas which is the county seat. Alturas is a small town with a population around 2,600 people. The jail serves the entire county which covers over 4,000 square miles. Despite the large area, Modoc County has California's smallest population. Most of the land is rural with ranches, farms, and public lands. The jail is small compared to urban county facilities. It handles local arrests and pretrial detention.

Inmates at Modoc County jail include people awaiting trial and those serving short sentences. Sentences over one year typically get transferred to state prison. The facility provides basic services including meals, medical care, and phone access. Visitation occurs on scheduled days. All visitors must follow security procedures. The jail works with limited staff which is typical for rural counties in California.

Modoc County sits in the far northeast corner of the state bordering Oregon and Nevada. The region sees cold winters and hot summers. The terrain includes high desert, mountains, and valleys. Law enforcement covers vast distances with few officers. The Sheriff's Office handles most police services because only one city, Alturas, is incorporated. All arrests from across the county go to the central jail. This creates one location for booking records and custody operations.

Note: Modoc County's remote location means limited access to resources compared to urban areas. Services may take longer but staff work hard to meet public needs.

Information Available from Modoc County

When you call about a booking, staff can share several details. They tell you if the person is in custody right now. The booking date shows when they arrived at jail. Charges list the alleged crimes using California code sections. Common charges in rural counties include drug offenses, DUI, theft, and domestic violence. You might also see charges related to illegal hunting or timber violations.

Bail amounts appear in the system for most bookings. This tells you how much money must be posted for release. Some charges have no bail which means a judge must review the case. Staff can tell you about upcoming court dates. Modoc County has a small court system so hearings get scheduled quickly compared to busy urban counties. Most inmates see a judge within a few days of arrest.

The Sheriff's Office maintains records of past bookings though these may not be available during a simple phone inquiry. For historical records submit a formal public records request. Staff will search their archives and provide documents based on California law. Simple booking records are public while some details stay confidential to protect privacy and ongoing investigations.

Request Records from Modoc County

Phone inquiries about current inmates are free. For certified copies or detailed arrest reports, submit a written public records request. Send your request to the Modoc County Sheriff's Office in Alturas. Include the arrestee's name, booking date, and any case numbers you have. Staff will search their records and tell you what documents exist.

California law gives agencies 10 days to respond to public records requests. They can take a 14-day extension if needed. Small counties like Modoc often respond faster than large ones because they have fewer requests to process. Fees apply for copies and certified documents. Costs are usually reasonable due to low volumes. Ask about fees before submitting your request.

You can visit the Sheriff's Office in person at their Alturas location. Bring photo ID and be ready to fill out forms. Staff can answer questions about available records and costs. In-person visits work well if you are already in the area. Alturas is remote so many people handle requests by mail or phone. The Sheriff's Office accommodates out-of-area requesters since few people live nearby.

VINE Notifications for Modoc County

Modoc County participates in the VINE system. VINE stands for Victim Information and Notification Everyday. Call 1-877-411-5588 any time to access VINE by phone. You can also visit vinelink.vineapps.com/state/CA online. Select California then choose Modoc County from the location menu.

Search for an inmate by entering their name. The system shows current custody status. You can register for alerts about status changes. When the person gets released, you receive a notification by phone, text, or email. VINE updates every 15 minutes so information stays current. The service is free and anonymous. Anyone can use it without explaining why. Crime victims commonly use VINE to track offenders. Families use it to know when someone is released. The system works 24 hours a day which is helpful when the Sheriff's Office is closed.

Communities in Modoc County

Alturas is the only incorporated city and serves as the county seat. It has a population around 2,600 which makes it small by California standards. The city has no separate police department. The Sheriff's Office provides all law enforcement for Alturas and the rest of the county. Other communities include Cedarville, Likely, and Tulelake. These are unincorporated areas with tiny populations.

Most of Modoc County consists of ranches, farms, and public lands. The population density is the lowest in California. Sheriff's deputies patrol hundreds of square miles with few residents. All arrests from across the county go to the jail in Alturas. This centralized system is the only practical approach for such a sparsely populated area. The small jail rarely fills to capacity. Booking volumes are low compared to urban counties where jails process hundreds of people per day.

Nearby California Counties

Modoc County sits in the far northeast corner of California. It borders Oregon to the north and Nevada to the east. Within California it borders several other counties. Each runs its own jail system. Check these nearby counties if you do not find someone in Modoc County: