View San Diego County Mugshots for Free

Use official government tools to perform a free San Diego County mugshot search and find crucial inmate information.

The Public Records Act permits the residents of California access to public records, including mugshots.¹ This statute allows the members of the public to make copies of public documents, typically at no cost, and grants the right to access them.

By utilizing this streamlined resource, the record seekers will be able to discover how to efficiently look for mugshot information in San Diego, California.

Where Can Mugshots Be Found at No Cost?

Mugshots are usually available at the county-level. Residents of San Diego County can search for recent arrests and mugshots of incarcerated individuals using the who’s in jail search tool provided by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office.²

Additionally, records of arrests, particularly those made recently, may be available from the local community police department for fewer populated areas.

Furthermore, citizens can utilize the free incarcerated search tool offered by the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation (CDCR). This functions as a database of information about offenders arrested in the state, despite the fact that it doesn’t display mugshots.

The next section will go into detail on how to use the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office’s offender search tool to locate mugshots and inmate information.

How To Obtain San Diego County Mugshots (Free)

Record seekers can make use of the who’s in jail system hosted by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office. Although it doesn’t display mugshots, this jail roster tracks down the defendant’s information as well as the charges against them.

To make a search, you need to input at least two characters for both last name and first name of the inmate you want to look up. After that, you will see a list of offenders together with their full name, gender, ethnicity, and birthdate.

You can click the prisoner’s last name from the list to find additional information about the incarcerated individual. These include the following details:

• Full Name
• Booking Number
• Date of Birth
• Gender
• Race/Ethnicity
• Age
• Hair
• Eyes
• Height
• Weight
• Housing Location
• Arresting Agency
• Booking Date & Time
• Bail Status
• Bail Amount
• Release Information
• Case/Charge Information

For more assistance in locating mugshot information, patrons can browse the contact page of the sheriff’s office or visit the agency in person using the address provided below:⁴

San Diego County Sheriff’s Office
John F. Duffy Administrative Center
9621 Ridgehaven Court
San Diego, California 92123

Phone: (858)-974-2222

Citizens can also look into the steps on acquiring arrest records throughout San Diego County to gain additional knowledge about recent jail records, prior arrests, police reports, bail details, court dates, probation information, etc.

If you want more mugshot search options, you may also use third-party service providers such as VINELink.

Inmate Services: Contact Information, Visiting Procedures & Commissary

Friends and relatives can still express their concern and support for an offender while they are in custody by sending money, mail, e-mail, or paying a visit. Each option’s details are specified below.

• Send Funds: As permitted under the Penal Code §4025, the Incarcerated Persons’ Welfare Fund (IPWF), which is primarily funded from jail commissary earnings, is administered by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office. This is utilized largely for the welfare, education, and benefit of inmates housed in the county jail. More information about IPWF is posted on the sheriff’s office website.
• Commissary: Detainees can order a range of stash goods to be delivered to their corresponding cell. The San Diego Sheriff Commissary e-commerce website allows money to be deposited into an inmate’s account. A list of commissary items together with its prices can also be found on the website.
• Send E-mail: Messages can only be one page long and may not include attachments or images. Since jail staff will review every message, this option should not be used for legal or confidential mail. Inmates will not be able to reply by e-mail and outgoing correspondence will continue to send out via U.S. mail.
• Telephones: San Diego County Sheriff’s Office jails have offered free phone calls since July 1, 2021. International, long distance, and local calls are all free. A prisoner is allowed to call as many times as they want each day.

Each call will be limited to 15 minutes in order to provide equal chance for everyone to use the phone, while video visits are restricted to two 30-minute video visits per week to give everybody an opportunity to spend time with their loved ones virtually. If you have more questions and concerns, you can review the free phone call and video visitation FAQ page displayed in the website.

• In-Person Visits: Reservations for in-person visits can be made online or telephone. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 619-409-5000 or through who’s in jail website. You can refer to the visitation instructions for comprehensive instructions on how to book face-to-face visits online.
• Send Mail or Packages:⁵ A person in custody is allowed to send and receive an unlimited amount of mail. In addition to the sender’s name and return address, the mail must include the recipient’s name, booking number, and facility. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office Jails can be reached via mail at the following address:

Mail Processing Center
451 Riverview Parkway, Building C
Santee, California 92071

How To Find Mugshots via Cities Within San Diego County California

San Diego citizens can also find mugshot information inside city law enforcement departments in addition to county-level searches, particularly if the arrest was just made and you need to gather further information right away.

The table below lists the contact details of the three most populous cities in San Diego County for convenience.

Note: Patrons can search for “[city name] police department” of “[city name] mugshots” in any search engine and go through the top few results for the correct agency website to find police photographs or booking details in other cities.

Interested parties can also check out the tutorial on acquiring public records in San Diego County to learn more about warrants, arrests, probation, vital records, and many more.

In the following section, you’ll discover how to utilize state resources to get mugshot information.

How To Look Up California Prison Mugshots (State & Federal)

Although they’re typically taken of prisoners, mugshots can also be taken following an arrest. Mugshots of state prisoners may be accessible, although they are rarely made available through county-level resources.

You can find official information about incarcerated people through the California Incarcerated Records & Information Search (CIRIS), which is maintained by the state’s Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation (CDCR).

A person’s name or CDCR number can be used to search the database, and the inmate’s age range or commitment county can be used to further refine the results.

This tool contains critical information, including the detainee’s name, CDCR number, age, date of admission, current correctional facility, commitment county, and date of parole eligibility, but it does not include mugshots.

The extensive inmate locator handled by the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) provides important details such as offender’s name, race, age, gender, and release date, however it is unable to display mugshots. In order to do a search, you must enter the prisoner’s name or BOP number.

San Diego citizens are entitled to freely access a variety of public records under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the state’s Public Records Act. However, it is illegal to utilize these records to harass, stalk, or intimidate someone in breach of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

Performing a San Diego mugshot search may seem tedious, but this article makes the process streamlined and seamless to acquire the information you’re seeking.