San Francisco Booking Records

San Francisco County recent bookings show up in the Sheriff's online inmate search within hours of arrest. The San Francisco Sheriff's Department operates jail facilities throughout the city and county. You can search for people in custody by entering their name or booking number on the free public website. The system shows charges, bail amounts, booking dates, and facility locations. San Francisco is both a city and a county so the Sheriff handles all adult detention for the entire jurisdiction. Anyone can access these booking records at no cost any time. The database updates regularly as new arrests occur and inmates are released or transferred between facilities.

Search San Francisco Inmates Online

The San Francisco Sheriff inmate search portal lets you find people in custody. Enter the first three letters of both the first name and last name in the spaces provided. The system searches its database and returns matching results. You can also search by SF number or booking number if you have that information.

Results show the person's full name and current location. The booking date tells when they arrived at the jail. Charges appear with statute codes. Bail amounts indicate what money is needed for release. Some inmates have no bail which means a judge must decide before they can leave.

The Intake and Release center sits at 425 7th Street in San Francisco. Call (415) 553-1430 for information about inmates or the booking process. This number also reaches Central Records located at 850 Bryant Street, Room 460. Staff can answer questions about custody status, visiting, and release procedures during business hours.

San Francisco combines city and county government. This means the Sheriff handles all adult detention for the entire jurisdiction. There is no separate county jail outside the city. All arrestees booked by San Francisco Police or any other law enforcement agency in the city go to Sheriff facilities.

San Francisco Jail Facilities

The Sheriff operates multiple jail facilities in San Francisco. County Jail 1 and County Jail 2 sit in the Hall of Justice complex on Bryant Street. These facilities handle intake, housing, and court transportation. The location is convenient for the courts and criminal justice agencies downtown.

County Jail 5 sits at 425 7th Street. This is the main intake and release center. When someone gets arrested anywhere in San Francisco, they typically come here first for booking. Staff complete the intake process which includes fingerprints, photos, and medical screening. The classification process determines which facility will house each inmate.

Different housing units separate inmates by security level and gender. Some units hold pretrial detainees awaiting court dates. Others house sentenced inmates serving county jail time. Medical and mental health units provide specialized care for those who need it. Staff work around the clock to maintain safety and order in all facilities.

Court transportation happens daily as inmates attend hearings. Vans move people from the jails to courtrooms throughout the city. This ensures everyone makes their scheduled court dates. The proximity of jails to courts makes this process more efficient than in counties where facilities are far apart.

Information in SF Booking Records

San Francisco County booking records contain standard arrest details. You see the person's full legal name as recorded during intake. The booking date shows when they arrived at jail. Each booking gets a unique number that stays with that custody episode.

The SF number is another identifier the Sheriff's Department uses. This number can help you track someone across multiple bookings if they have been arrested before. It stays with the person even if they get released and booked again later on different charges.

Charges list the crimes the person is accused of. California Penal Code sections identify most offenses. You might see PC 459 for burglary, PC 211 for robbery, or HS 11350 for drug possession. The bail schedule determines how much money must be posted. Judges can modify bail amounts up or down based on individual circumstances.

The current location tells you which facility holds the inmate right now. They might be at County Jail 5 for intake or transferred to another facility for housing. This information helps if you plan to visit or need to contact them through the jail's communication systems.

Release information appears when applicable. Sentenced inmates might have a scheduled release date. People awaiting trial show their next court date instead. The system updates as new information becomes available from court hearings and other proceedings.

Request Detailed Records

The online search provides basic booking information for free. More detailed records require a formal public records request. Contact the Central Records office at 850 Bryant Street, Room 460, to start this process. You can also call (415) 553-1430 during business hours.

Tell staff exactly what records you need. Include names, dates, and any booking or SF numbers you have. Specific requests get processed faster than vague ones. The California Public Records Act gives agencies 10 days to respond. They can take a 14-day extension for complex requests. Simple booking records usually come back within the initial timeframe.

Fees depend on what you request and how many pages are involved. Standard copying costs run about 10 cents per page. Certified copies cost more. Some requests involve staff research time which adds to the total. Ask for a fee estimate before you finalize your request. You can modify or withdraw the request if the cost is higher than expected.

Certain records have privacy protections under California law. Criminal history information is confidential per Penal Code section 11105. Only the subject of the record or authorized agencies can access detailed criminal histories. Ongoing investigations might be temporarily exempt from disclosure. Staff will explain any exemptions that apply to your specific request.

Note: Basic inmate searches on the Sheriff website cost nothing and give instant results.

San Francisco City and County

San Francisco is unique in California. It is both a city and a county in one jurisdiction. This consolidated government means the Sheriff serves the entire area. There is no separate county jail outside city limits. All law enforcement agencies operating in San Francisco use the Sheriff's facilities for booking and custody.

The San Francisco Police Department is the main law enforcement agency. SFPD makes thousands of arrests each year. All their bookings go to the Sheriff's jails. Other agencies like the California Highway Patrol and various federal law enforcement also bring arrestees to these facilities when arrests happen in San Francisco.

This arrangement streamlines the criminal justice system. Instead of coordinating between city and county agencies, everything happens within one government structure. The Sheriff works closely with the courts, district attorney, and public defender. All these offices sit near each other in the downtown civic center area.

VINE Custody Notifications

VINE works in San Francisco like the rest of California. This free service alerts you when an inmate's custody status changes. Call 1-877-411-5588 or visit vinelink.vineapps.com/state/CA to register. Search for an inmate by name and other details.

After registration, VINE tracks that person's status. You get notified when they are released or transferred. Choose phone calls, texts, or emails for your alerts. The database updates every 15 minutes from jail records. This gives you near real-time information about custody changes. Crime victims use VINE to know when offenders leave jail. Families use it to track release times. The service is anonymous and confidential.

Nearby California Counties

San Francisco County sits on a peninsula surrounded by water on three sides. It borders a few other counties with their own jail systems. Check these nearby counties if you cannot find someone in San Francisco County: