the central men’s prison only houses male inmates. The women are housed at the Century Regional Detention Center. and male inmates are sometimes transferred between the Los Angeles Twin Tower facility or the pitchess detention center, depending on a variety of circumstances.
In this article, our Los Angeles County criminal defense attorneys1 will explain the following:
You are reading: Men’s central jail money on books
- 1. procedures on posting an inmate’s bail at the l.a. Central County Men’s Jail
- 1.1. cash bond
- 1.2. cashier’s checks
- 1.3. money orders
- 1.4. bonds
- 4.1. visiting hours
- 4.2. rules and restrictions for visitors
- 5.1. prohibited items
- 5.2. acceptable elements
- 5.3. care packages
If after reading this article you want more information, we invite you to contact us at shouse law group.
1. procedures on posting an inmate’s bail at the l.a. central county men’s jail
“bail” refers to the amount of money a defendant must post to be released from jail. it is intended to assure the court that the defendant will appear in court as expected. if the defendant attends all court appearances, the bail will be returned at the end of the case. If the defendant does not attend all of his court appearances, he will lose that money in court.
once an inmate has been registered with the mcj, anyone can post (or “pay”) bail on their behalf. you can do it 24/7 in downtown l.a. inmate reception center (“irc”) which is across the street from the jail, located at
450 bauchet street, los angeles, ca 90012 (213) 893-5875
Bail for an mcj inmate will be set according to the Los Angeles County bail schedule based on the crimes for which he was arrested.
The Inmate Reception Center accepts four types of bail payments (many of which are discussed in detail in our article on paying bail in california): cash bail, cashier’s checks, money orders, and bail bonds.
1.1. cash bond
If you post a cash bond, it must be for the full amount of the bond. once bail is paid in cash, the inmate is released pending his arraignment. if the inmate attends his court appearances, the bail will be returned after the conclusion of the criminal case (minus a small administrative fee). If the inmate does not attend those appearances, he will lose his money in court.
1.2. cashier’s check
As with cash bail, if you choose to use a cashier’s check, you must post the full amount of the bail. The Central County Men’s Jail only accepts cashier’s checks drawn on California banks. Checks should be made payable to the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. they must also include the inmate’s full name and register number.
Because funds must be verified before the jail releases an inmate, it may take some time for an inmate to be released, depending on the time of day and if the arrest takes place over the weekend.
1.3. money orders
again, money orders must be made payable to the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department and must be for the full amount of the bond.
1.4. bail
Since most people don’t have the funds to post a cash bail or cashier’s check, posting bail is the most common way to get someone out of jail on bail. This is because, assuming the defendant shows up for all of his court appearances, he is only required to pay a maximum of 10% of the total bail amount.
You get a bond from a bail bondsman (also known as a bail bondsman). if the defendant shows up for all of your court appearances, you pay nothing besides the 10%, but you don’t get that 10% back. is the bondsman’s non-refundable fee. If the inmate does not make those appearances, he will be responsible for returning the full amount of the bail to the officer.
When you use a bond, the application process only takes about half an hour. the inmate is usually released shortly after that.
You can look up bail bond agents online or in the phone book. Be sure to verify the bondsman’s license and keep copies of all documents for your records.
*note: once you post bail, you should immediately consult with a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney who can schedule a bail hearing to argue that bail should be reduced or eliminated. One of our experienced local defense attorneys can also help design the most effective legal defense to help your loved one fight their case.
2. how to get information about the internals hosted in the mcj
See Also: Phaedra Patrick – Book Series In Order
You can get information about inmates at Los Angeles Men’s Central Jail 24/7 by
- calling the l.a. inmate reception center (“irc”) at (213) 473-6100, or
- by visiting the Los Angeles Sheriff’s inmate information website.
That said, inmate information is generally not available until at least two hours after the time of booking.
To obtain inmate information, you must provide the inmate’s full name and date of birth or register number. once you have provided this information, an officer will provide you with the inmate’s information
- registration number (if you do not already have it),
- exact location of jail housing,
- next scheduled hearing date, and
- bail information.
Generally, inmates who are in custody must be processed within two (2) days of their arrest. at that time, the judge will continue with the arraignment or set the case for a pre-trial hearing. if you would like to view case information and/or upcoming court dates for an inmate or defendant housed in downtown Los Angeles. Men’s Central Jail, visit the Los Angeles County Case Information website.
3. how to contact an inmate at los angeles men’s central jail
when an inmate enters the mcj, they can make a free outgoing phone call. beyond that, all outgoing calls must be collect or made with a calling card. inmates cannot receive incoming calls.
If you want to send an inmate a prepaid phone card, you have two options:
- send money to the inmate according to the policies set forth in section 6. how to put money “on the books” so you can buy one at the jail commissary, or
- send inmate a prepaid phone card in a commissary care package (discussed below in subsection 5.3. Care Packages).
If you have a loved one in Men’s Central Jail, please contact your local phone company to make sure collect calls and calling card calls are not blocked on your phone plan.
The good news is that contact with inmates at Los Angeles Men’s Central Jail is not limited to phone calls. You may also visit an inmate in person or communicate by mail. these options are discussed in the next two sections.
4. visiting hours and policies
Most inmates at the mcj are able to receive visits from family and friends at the facility.
4.1. visiting hours
if you want to visit an inmate at the Los Angeles prison. central men’s jail, you can usually do it from Thursday to Sunday between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. m. and 3:00 p.m. m. and 5:00 p.m. m. to 7:00 p.m. m. And while reservations are not required, you may want to call ahead before planning a visit, as these hours are subject to change without notice and because certain inmates may not be entitled to visiting privileges.
Generally speaking, each inmate is allowed one visit per scheduled visiting day with a maximum of three (3) people at a time. each child counts as one (1) person. And, on that note, those under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian and must present a valid school photo ID.
Attorneys and members of the clergy are not subject to these hours or visitor limits and have 24/7 access to inmates. That said, members of the clergy generally adhere to a regular visiting schedule and attorneys are preferred to visit during “attorney hours,” which is 8:00 am to 7:00 pm.
4.2. visitor rules and restrictions
All visitors are subject to a search of their person and property. Additionally, all visitors must provide a government-issued photo ID. card, like
- a california driver’s license,
- a california identification card,
- a us identification card uu. passport,
- alien registration card, or
- us identification card. military card.
even with valid identification, certain individuals are prohibited from visiting inmates at mjc. this includes people who:
- have been incarcerated in the california state prison,
- are on formal parole and do not receive prior permission from the jail unit commander, or
- they have an outstanding warrant for their arrest.
Visitors are also prohibited from bringing any
- wallets,
- cameras,
- mobile phones,
- writing tablets,
- recording devices or
- weapons
inside the visitor’s lobby. and at no time may visitors bring anything to inmates.
5. rules and regulations regarding mail correspondence with inmates at the mcj
If you wish to send mail to an inmate at the Los Angeles County Central Jail for Men, address [inmate’s full name and seven-digit register number] p.o. box 86164, terminal annex los angeles, ca 90086-0164
See Also: Custom Photo Books: 8 Types for the Coffee Table | Shutterfly
All mail must comply with the facility’s rules and regulations below. if you don’t, it will be returned intact to the sender. however, if the mail contains something inherently illegal, it will be stored as evidence and could subject you to criminal prosecution.
5.1. prohibited items
Prohibited items include (but are not limited to):
- food,
- cosmetics,
- stationery, blank envelopes, envelopes with metal clasps, paper clips, staples, pencils, glitter, stickers, postage stamps, glued or stickers, cellophane tape, or any type of tape on a letter, or envelopes with gang or suggestive pictures/artwork,
- cash, personal or second person checks, traveler’s checks, checks payroll, blank money orders, out-of-state non-US money orders, or any money order over $200,
- musical, plastic, or blank postcards/greeting cards larger than 6″x9 ″,
- rosaries, balloons, string bracelets or other jewelry items,
- lottery tickets or
- prepaid phone cards.
5.2. acceptable items
You may submit up to five (5) photographs to an mcj inmate (inmates may only possess five (5) photos at any one time) as long as they are a minimum of 2″x3″ and a maximum of 4″x6″. Photos containing nudity, sexually suggestive or gang-related content will not be submitted.
And for reading materials, you can submit up to (3) books per week and up to three (3) magazines per week. books, magazines, etc. Acceptable entries must be sent directly from an actual or online bookstore or publisher and may not be sexually explicit in nature.
5.3. care packages
Although you are personally prohibited from shipping certain items (such as food or prepaid phone cards), you can request that these types of items be shipped through a commissary care package. Sheriff Keefe contracts with Men’s Central and offers a variety of care packages you can choose to have delivered to an inmate.
deliveries are made to the mcj every Monday except holidays. For more information, visit the Keefe Commissary website.
please know that you must go through this service exclusively. Jail mail rules and regulations not only prohibit you from sending these types of items on your own, but care packages sent from outside sources will also not be accepted.
6. how to put “money on the books” for an inmate
When you “put money on the books” for an inmate at Los Angeles Men’s Central Jail, it means that you create or contribute to an “internal” bank account that allows the inmate to make purchases at the Los Angeles commissary. jail .
if you would like to mail money to an mcj inmate, please send a cashiers check drawn on a california bank, money order or us cashiers check. uu. postal service money order to
[inmate’s full name and seven-digit register number] p.o. box 86164, terminal annex los angeles, ca 90086-0164Be sure to follow the rules/regulations described above in Section 5. Rules and Regulations Regarding Correspondence by Mail.
If you want to “put money on the books” in person, you can do so 24/7 at the cashier’s office in the inmate reception center located at
450 bauchet street, los angeles, ca 90012.
7. inmate services
Because Los Angeles County Central Jail for Men is the largest correctional facility in the world, it offers a number of services to its inmates. some of these include:
- a commissary where inmates can purchase a variety of items such as food, reading materials, hygiene products, games, etc.
- two exercise yards offering recreational activities such as basketball, handball and soccer,
- televisions,
- a barbershop,
- a library (and a law library for inmates who wish to represent themselves, also known as “pro per per ”,
- educational courses and high school equivalency certificates (g.e.d.),
- chapel services for all major religious denominations (in addition to conducting services, chaplains they also provide hygiene services to indigent inmates. items) and
- a fully equipped hospital where doctors and nurses can treat inmates for a wide variety of medical problems including both physical and mental health problems. mental health, but despite these medical services, Inmates who have serious medical needs will generally be taken to the Los Angeles Twin Towers Correctional Facility. this facility also houses Los Angeles maximum security inmates.
8. procedures for the “return of goods”
When an inmate is booked into the mcj, their belongings are collected and stored. this property is generally returned to the inmate upon his release. alternatively, an inmate may designate another person to claim that property by completing a property release form.
If an inmate completes this form designating you as the person to whom the property should be released, they may go to the Inmate Reception Center lobby across the street (450 Bauchet Street, Los Angeles, ca 90012) Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. to pick up the property.
If you are trying to free an inmate’s vehicle, you should contact the arresting agency. they will be able to provide details about the particular vehicle in question, such as where the vehicle is located and whether or not it has been impounded (in which case, it will need to remain impounded for a specified period of time).
See Also: 2013 Notable Children’s Books | Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)
call us for help.
If you or a loved one is charged with a crime and is looking to retain an attorney to represent you, we invite you to contact us at shouse law group. we can provide a free consultation in the office or over the phone. We have local offices in Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, Pasadena, Long Beach, Orange County, Ventura, San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, Riverside, San Diego, Sacramento, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose and throughout California. /p >