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Orange County Central Men’s Jail Information

If you have a loved one incarcerated at the Orange County Central Men’s Jail in California, finding the information you need — from how to plan a visit to how to make a bail payment — can be initially overwhelming. With that said, contacting a criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible may help reduce the amount of time your loved one spends there.

General Information on the Central Men’s Jail

Since its opening in 1968, the Orange County Central Men’s Jail continues to serve the area as a maximum security facility. It currently boards a total of 1,428 inmates, both sentenced and pre-tail. Located inside the facility is courtroom CJ1, used for arr

aignments. 

Inmates at the Orange County Central Men’s Jail have access to in-facility medical care, including dental and mental health care, and to commissaries, outdoor recreation, television, and the local newspaper. The jail also offers religious services as well as educational and vocational programs. 

Inmates can also provide labor via a work program to the jail’s kitchen or labor crews in exchange for work credits. The credits may be used to reduce sentencing time. Inmates who meet the eligibility criteria may also participate in Orange County’s Electronic Monitoring Program or Community Work Program. 

To access information about a current inmate, you can use the Orange County Inmate Locator online tool.

Visiting the Orange County Central Men’s Jail

Most inmates at the Orange County Men’s Jail receive a maximum of two visits a week. Visiting hours at the jail are generally offered on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. However, they may be offered on a more limited basis depending on where in the jail an inmate is held. 

Visits to the Orange County Men’s Jail must be scheduled 24 hours in advance, and each visit typically lasts for at least 30 minutes. Visitors are expected to arrive 15 minutes before their scheduled visitation time and must bring valid ID. Parking is available in the parking garage across from the Santa Ana Police Department. 

Each visit is limited to a maximum of two adults and two minors. Visitors should be prepared to pass through security, only being permitted to bring car keys and identification into the facility. 

All other personal items, including cell phones, should be left at home or in a parked vehicle, as personal storage lockers may not be available.

Visitors can call the Central Jail scheduling number between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, to schedule a visit and to receive more information before visiting. 

Visitation Restrictions

Not all inmates at the Orange County Central Men’s Jail are allowed to see visitors, and not all visitors will be allowed into the jail as a result. 

Visitation restrictions dictate that inmates cannot have visitors in the following situations:

• The first 14 days of intake
• During quarantine
• During medical isolation

In addition to visitation restrictions for inmates, the jail also sets a number of limitations on visitors, which are as follows: 

• No unattended minors without approval from the Watch Commander
• No parolees or felons without prior approval
• No non-relative visitors who have been released from jail in the past 60 days 
• Blood relatives recently released from jail must have approval 
• No offensive, revealing, or inappropriate clothing
• No visitors under the influence of drugs or alcohol 
• No disruptive behavior

All visitors are encouraged to inform an inmate of their planned visit, especially in situations in which an inmate may not wish to see visitors. 

Sending Mail To the Orange County Central Men’s Jail

Detainees at the Orange County Central Men’s Jail are permitted to send and receive mail. There is no limit on how much mail an inmate is allowed to send or receive at once. However, to fully ensure that mail is successfully delivered, it must adhere to all guidelines.

Inmates can receive letters, photographs, and money orders from friends and family. Mail must be written on a postcard or plain or lined paper, not cardstock, and it should not include any decorative items, such as glitter or stickers. 

All mail sent to the Central Men’s Jail must bear the inmate’s name and booking number, as well as the sender’s name and address. Envelopes must not be decorated with any additional words or artwork, and packages cannot be sent in anything larger than a 9” by 12” manilla envelope.

New books and magazines will be accepted when they are sent directly from a bookstore or book distributor. 

Inmates are permitted to have a maximum of five books in their possession at any time, but limitations on materials include the following:

• No leather-bound books
• No hardcover or vinyl-bound books
• No pornographic material
• No material that depicts partial nudity or content that is sexually suggestive
• No material featuring drugs, gangs, weapons, or illegal activities 
• No materials condoning racism or violence

Prisoners cannot accept oversized boxes or mailing materials. Stamps, envelopes, and other writing materials used by inmates must be purchased through the commissary, and all mail is subject to search. Mailing illegal or unsafe items (or any items that do not adhere to the mail guidelines) are subject to seizure. 

Making Calls To the Orange County Central Men’s Jail

Inmates at the Orange County Men’s Jail are permitted to conduct phone calls through the Inmate Telephone System. 

Phone calls are not the responsibility of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and are instead facilitated through Global Tel Inc. (GTL). That means that friends and family who wish to contact an inmate by phone must set up a GTL account and pay fees directly to GTL.  

Inmates have the right to private calls with their attorney. These can be facilitated by completing the online attorney-client private call form.

Inmate Accounts and Bail Payments

Inmates cannot have cash on their person, but they are permitted a maximum of $500 on their inmate account. To add money to an inmate’s account for commissary purchases, money orders can be mailed directly to the inmate or to the Jail Cashiering offices. 

The Jail Cashiering offices accept cash bail payments. Bail bonds must be submitted to the Theo Lacy Facility between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily or to the Intake Release Center (IRC), which operates 24 hours a day. 

Consult a Criminal Defense Lawyer If Your Loved One Is in the Orange County Central Men’s Jail

The Rodriguez Law Group is an experienced criminal defense law firm in Los Angeles. Our attorneys have a long track record of helping clients in Los Angeles fight back against criminal charges. If someone you know is facing criminal charges, learn how we can help by contacting our firm, you can call us today at (213)-995-6767.