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The Kern County Jail system is actually a system of several jails in Kern County, California which is run by the Kern County Sheriff. The Kern County Sheriff is Donny Youngblood. The Kern County Sheriff’s Detentions Division is run by Shelly Castaneda. Together, the various jails in the Kern County Detention System are responsible for handing the detention of people legally confined in Kern County.
The Kern County Jail consists of the following facilities: the Central Receiving Facility, the Lerdo Pre-Trial Facility, the Lerdo Minimum Security Facility, the Lerdo Max/Med Security Facility, the Mojave Jail, and the Ridgecrest Jail. The Central Receiving Facility is the primary facility for receiving inmates arrested in the Bakersfield Area.
Because the Kern County Jail system is a large facility, the Kern County Sheriff has to be responsible for transporting inmates from the various facilities to the Metropolitan Court Building, which is located in downtown Bakersfield. The Metropolitan Court Unit has several deputies, where they hear felony arraignments and jury trials.
The Kern County Sheriff’s Office Transportation Unit transport inmates to medical appointments, prisons, and court appointments.
There are several different Kern County Jail Facilities. Most inmates are processed through the Kern County Central Receiving Facility, but they may be taken into the Mojave Jail and the Ridgecrest Jail. The physical address for the Kern County Jail facilities are listed below:
Kern County Central Receiving Facility
1415 Truxton Ave
Bakersfield, CA 93301
Lerdo Maximum-Medium Facility
17645 Industrial Farm Road
Bakersfield, CA 93308
Lerdo Pre-Trial Facility
17695 Industrial Farm Road
Bakersfield, CA 93308
Lerdo Minimum Facility
17635 Industrial Farm Road
Bakersfield, CA 93308
Mojave Jail
1771 State Highway 58
Mojave, CA 93501
Ridgecrest Jail
128 E Coso Ave
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
Some, but not all of the mailing addresses for each of the Kern County Jail facilities is the same as the physical address. Inmates do not send or receive mail from the Mojave or Ridgecrest locations, because those are temporary facilities. To send mail to the jail facility, you use the mailing address:
Kern County Central Receiving Facility
PO BOX 2208
Bakersfield, CA 93303-2208
Lerdo Maximum-Medium Facility
17645 Industrial Farm Road
Bakersfield, CA 93308
Lerdo Pre-Trial Facility
17695 Industrial Farm Road
Bakersfield, CA 93308
Lerdo Minimum Facility
17635 Industrial Farm Road
Bakersfield, CA 93308
Mojave Jail
1771 State Highway 58
Mojave, CA 93501
Ridgecrest Jail
128 E Coso Ave
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
The mailing addresses for the Kern County Jails are the same as the physical addresses for those facilities.
Inmate’s Full Name, Booking Number
Kern County Central Receiving Facility
PO BOX 2208
Bakersfield, CA 93303-2208
Inmate’s Full Name, Booking Number
Lerdo Maximum-Medium Facility
17645 Industrial Farm Road
Bakersfield, CA 93308
Inmate’s Full Name, Booking Number
Lerdo Pre-Trial Facility
17695 Industrial Farm Road
Bakersfield, CA 93308
Inmate’s Full Name, Booking Number
Lerdo Minimum Facility
17635 Industrial Farm Road
Bakersfield, CA 93308
Inmates have access to the U.S. Postal Service, and may correspond with persons and organizations subject only to the limitations necessary to maintain order and security. All incoming and outgoing mail is checked by staff for content, cash, money orders, and any unauthorized items considered to be contraband before being delivered to the appropriate person.
Inmates are generally prohibited from corresponding with each other or with inmates of other facilities, but the Chief Jail Administrator can give permission for those communications. Unless permission is granted, inmates cannot correspond with other inmates at a Kern County Jail facility or at any other correctional facility. Inmates may also be prohibited from contacting prior inmates at Kern County or other correctional facilities.
Inmates must include a complete return address on any outgoing mail.
Any incoming mail will be monitored. Legal correspondence is not read, but will be checked for contraband.
Generally, inmates are prohibited from sending or receiving anything that can pose a danger to the jail facility or anything that could be contraband or a way to deliver contraband into the facility. The jailers determine what is considered contraband and have discretion about what contents inmates can receive or send.
The general rules regarding inmate mail are listed below:
-Do not send money in any form (cash, checks, or money orders) to an inmate.
-No sexually explicit material.
-No postage due or COD material.
-No stickers or stamps.
-No tape.
-No photographs.
-No photocopies.
-No blank paper, envelopes, or greeting cards.
-No oversize, large, musical, or glitter greeting cards.
-No personal checks.
-No lipstick, perfume, or other foreign substances on letter.
-No personal checks.
-No hair.
-No address labels.
-No white out.
-No glitter.
Any attempts to send contraband to an inmate may be a violation of state law and can subject the sender to prosecution.
Inmates can get books and periodicals through the mail if they are sent directly from the publisher. There is a limit of two books per shipment. Inmates cannot receive hardbound books. Inmates can also receive periodicals. Periodicals are also limited per shipment.
The general information number for the Kern County Jail is 661-391-7500.
Inmates cannot receive incoming phone calls. Jail staff will not take messages for inmates for incoming phone calls. For information on phone calls from inmates, see our inmate phone call section.
To reach specific parts of the Kern County Detention System, use the directory below:
Kern County Jail maintains a public records and arrest records online, which allows you to view inmates currently in any of their correctional facilities. It does not pull up a full roster, but allows you to search current inmates by first name, last name, or inmate number. Once you find the inmate, you can pull up a more complete record by clicking on that inmate’s name or the inmate’s SO or inmate number. The record includes the arresting agency, booking date, court case number, criminal case number, bail amount, inmate number, charges, and the anticipated release date. It does not contain booking photos.
Kern County Jail maintains a public records and arrest records online, which allows you to view inmates currently in any of their correctional facilities. view current inmates. You can also call each individual facility to determine if an inmate is being held at that facility. If you use the Kern County inmate viewing tool, you can search current inmates by first name, last name, or inmate number. Once you find the inmate, you can pull up a more complete record. The record includes the arresting agency, booking date, court case number, criminal case number, bail amount, inmate number, charges, and the anticipated release date. It does not contain booking photos.
The Kern County Sheriff’s Office maintains an Arrest Records Section, which is located at the Central Receiving Facility, behind the Superior Court. The address is 1415 Truxtun Avenue. The office hours are 7am to 3pm, Monday-Friday. To obtain a local criminal history, submit fingerprints to the Department of Justice. Fingerprinting can be done Monday-Thursday from 7am to 3pm, but must be done by appointment. There is a $10 fee for fingerprinting, plus additional state fees. It can take two to twenty weeks to receive your criminal history from the California Department of Justice. You can also find local criminal history information on the Superior Court website.
The Kern County Jail does not maintain an online mugshot database and does not have mugshots available as part of a criminal record. You may be able to access mugshots by ordering an individual’s criminal record.
The Kern County Jail’s visitation rules depend on the facility.
At the Central Receiving Facility, all visitors must have proper identification. Visits are monitored and recorded. The visiting week resets on Monday. Inmates are allowed a maximum of two (2)- 30 minute visits per week. Inmate laborers may have a maximum of three (3)- 30 minute visits per week. Visitors cannot take anything in the visiting area, except for a photo ID, baby bottle, baby diaper, or keys.
Inmates may have one adult visitor and two children or two adults and one child, but no more than two adults. Children are considered anyone under 18 years of age.
Visiting times for inmates at the Central Receiving Facility with Last Names from A-M are Saturday 11am-3pm. Visiting times for inmates with Last Names from N-Z are Sunday 11am-3pm.
Visiting rules for the Lerdo Facility with last names A-F are Tuesday and Friday 12pm-2:30pm and 6:00pm-8:30 pm. Last names from G-M are Wednesday and Saturday 12pm-2:30pm and 6:00pm-8:30 pm. Last names N-Z are Thursday and Sunday 12pm-2:30pm and 6:00pm-8:30 pm.
Visitors to either facility need to maintain to a dress code. The dress code prohibits:
-Short or mini skirts;
-Short shorts;
-Excessively torn clothing;
-Midriff shirts;
-Spaghetti straps;
-Tank tops;
-Low cut shirts;
-Excessive or oversized jewelry;
-Any see through or revealing clothing; and
-Anything with obscene material or gang references.
The Kern County Jail allows inmates to make outgoing phone calls. Phone calls may be collect calls or use funds from an inmate’s commissary account. Inmates cannot receive incoming phone calls and the Jail will not take messages for inmates.
Telephones are located in each of the inmate housing units, and are available throughout the day, except for at meal times and during lockdowns.
Inmates may place outgoing calls through Securus Tech, which can be reached at 1-800-844-6591.
Inmate trust accounts can be used for both commissary and canteen purchases and are a way for inmates to food and hygiene items that are not provided by the Kern County Jail, during the period of their incarceration.
Inmates may no longer receive money for inmate accounts through the mail. In addition, the jail facilities do not accept money through at the window. You can still make inmate deposits in a number of ways.
You can mail money orders to Touchpay at:
TouchPay
P.O. Box 3182
Coppell, TX 75019
You can deposit money online at www.touchpaydirect.com. The facility code is 293301 for online deposits.
You can deposit money by phone at 866-232-1899. The facility code is 293301 for phone deposits.
You can deposit money at the lobby kiosks located at the different jail facilities. There are kiosks located at the Central Receiving Facility, on the 2nd Floor at 1415 Truxtun Ave., Bakersfield, CA 93301; the Work Release Facility at 1415 Truxtun Ave., Bakersfield, CA 93301; and the Lerdo Facility at Max-Med at 17645 Industrial Farm Rd., Bakersfield, CA 93308.
In Kern County, inmates bail will be set according to a bail schedule, which is available online at the Kern County Superior Court.
To find out if an inmate is eligible for bail, you can look at the inmate viewer and view the charges against the defendant and the bail for each of those charges.
The Court can order bail, and can order how bail is paid. Generally, inmates can be released on cash bonds, security bonds, and on their own recognizance. You can find information about the Court of Jurisdiction in an inmate’s record.
Bonding Company Bonds:
Professional bonding companies are available to post bonds for inmates in Kern County.
Court Services Division:
For additional information on bail, you can contact the Court Services Division. The phone numbers for the Court Services Division are:
Metropolitan Court 661-868-4926
Justice Building Court 661-868-2470
Juvenile Justice Center Court (Screening):661-868-4225
Traffic Court (Screening): 661-335-7140
Transportation Unit: 661-868-5632
The Kern County Jail system is actually a system of several jails in Kern County, California which is run by the Kern County Sheriff. The Kern County Sheriff is Donny Youngblood. The Kern County Sheriff’s Detentions Division is run by Shelly Castaneda. Together, the various jails in the Kern County Detention System are responsible for handing the detention of people legally confined in Kern County.
There are several facilities in the Kern County Jail System: the Central Receiving Facility, the Lerdo Pre-Trial Facility, the Lerdo Minimum Security Facility, the Lerdo Max/Med Security Facility, the Mojave Jail, and the Ridgecrest Jail. Each facility has its own rules and regulations regarding the treatment of inmates, visitation, mail, phone calls, and inmate accounts.
Warden or Supervisor: Chief Deputy Shelly Castaneda Daily Inmate Count: 230 Security Level(s): medium
1350 Norris Road
Bakersfield, CA 93308
Phone Number(s):
661-391-7577
Fax Number:
661-391-7515
Email Address:
[email protected]
1350 Norris Road
Bakersfield, CA 93308
Other Prisons in California:
San Quentin State Prison | Wasco State Prison | North Kern State Prison | Folsom State Prison | Correctional Training Facility | California Substance Abuse Treatment Center and State Prison Corcoran | California State Prison Corcoran | California Men's Colony | Sierra Conservation Center | Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary