Access San Francisco Released Inmates

Released inmate records in San Francisco County are managed by the San Francisco Sheriff's Department. The sheriff runs an online inmate locator that lets you search for people booked at the county jail. San Francisco is unique in California because it is both a city and a county. That means the sheriff handles jail operations for the entire jurisdiction. You can look up released inmates through the sheriff's search tool, the statewide VINE system, or the CDCR CIRIS database for state prison records. This page covers how to search for released inmate records in San Francisco, what data is public, and the legal rules that apply.

San Francisco Sheriff Inmate Locator

The San Francisco Sheriff's Department runs an inmate locator at sfsheriff.com/find-person-jail. The tool lets you search for people who are currently in jail or who have been recently released from San Francisco County custody. It is free. No login is needed. Enter a person's name and the system returns matching records from San Francisco County jail facilities. Each record shows the booking number, charges, bail status, and whether the person is still in custody or has been released.

San Francisco County operates the County Jail system, which includes facilities at the Hall of Justice on Bryant Street and County Jail facilities in the San Bruno area. The sheriff's department manages all bookings and releases. Because San Francisco is both a city and county, there is no separate city jail. Everyone arrested by the San Francisco Police Department, BART police within San Francisco, or other agencies operating in the area ends up in the county system. When a person is released from a San Francisco County jail, the inmate locator updates to show the new status.

Call (415) 553-1430 for general questions about jail operations or records requests in San Francisco.

How to Find Released Inmates in San Francisco

Go to the SF Sheriff's inmate locator page. Type the last name of the person you want to find. Add a first name to narrow down results if the name is common. Hit search. The system checks San Francisco County jail records and shows a list of matches. Each result shows the person's custody status. If they have been released, you will see the release date. If they are still in custody, the record shows the housing location and scheduled court dates when that data is on file.

For state prison inmates who were sentenced out of San Francisco County, use the CIRIS database from CDCR. That tool covers California state prisons, not county jails. It shows names, CDCR numbers, admission dates, and commitment counties. Search by name or CDCR number. CIRIS runs all day and is free to use. Between the sheriff's inmate locator and CIRIS, you can cover both county jail and state prison released inmates connected to San Francisco.

San Francisco County released inmate records generally include:

• Full name and date of birth
• Booking number and date of arrest
• All charges at time of booking
• Bail amount set by the court
• Release date and type of release
• Arresting agency within San Francisco

San Francisco Released Inmate Laws

Government Code 7923.610 requires the San Francisco Sheriff to make booking and arrest information public. The data that must be shared includes the full name and physical description of every person arrested, their date of birth, time and date of arrest, time and date of booking, arrest location, charges, bail amount, and the time and manner of release. An agency may hold back a specific detail only when disclosure would endanger someone or compromise an active investigation. This rule covers every released inmate who passes through San Francisco County jails.

State prison parolees returning to San Francisco are subject to Penal Code 3003. Under this law, CDCR must tell local law enforcement about each parolee heading to San Francisco. The information package includes the person's name, physical description, tattoos, scars, criminal offenses, parole length, and their planned address. Released inmates must return to the county where they lived before prison, unless CDCR approves a transfer to a different county. Each person gets $200 in release money from the state.

San Francisco has a dense urban population, which means a large number of parolees and released inmates live in a small geographic area. Local agencies work with CDCR and parole officers to track these individuals. The California Public Records Act also lets you request documents from the sheriff and other San Francisco agencies. Expect a response within 10 calendar days, with a possible 14-day extension.

VINE Alerts for San Francisco County

The VINE system tracks custody changes across San Francisco County jails. It is free to use and runs 24 hours a day in more than 200 languages. Sign up to get alerts by phone, email, or text when an inmate's status changes. Victims and their families rely on VINE most, but anyone can register. VINE covers about 2,900 facilities in 48 states, including every San Francisco County detention center and California state prisons.

To register, go to vinelink.com or call 1-877-411-5588. TTY access is at (866) 847-1298. Once you sign up for a person, the system monitors their status. When something changes, you get your alert within minutes. Many San Francisco residents use VINE to find out when a released inmate leaves county jail. It is often faster than checking the sheriff's online tool repeatedly.

The screenshot below shows the San Francisco Sheriff's inmate locator at sfsheriff.com/find-person-jail, the main tool for searching released inmates in San Francisco County.

Use this tool to check if a person is currently in San Francisco County custody or has been released. Results include booking details and custody status.

State Resources for San Francisco Inmates

Several state agencies hold records that relate to released inmates from San Francisco. The CDCR Public Records Portal takes requests about people who served time in state prison. Response time is 10 calendar days. The California DOJ maintains state-level criminal history data. If you want your own record, visit the DOJ record review page and follow the instructions for Live Scan fingerprints. The fee is $25. Most requests are processed in 2 to 3 days, though some take up to 2 weeks.

Third parties cannot request another person's criminal history from the California DOJ. Penal Code 11142 makes that a misdemeanor. For records about someone else who was released from custody in San Francisco, submit a public records request to the sheriff's department at (415) 553-1430, or go through the county court system. San Francisco Superior Court records are a separate resource for case dispositions and sentencing details tied to released inmates.

Nearby Counties

San Francisco sits on a peninsula and connects to neighboring counties by bridge and highway. If you cannot find a released inmate in the San Francisco system, try one of these nearby counties.

San Francisco City and County

San Francisco is both a city and a county. There is no separation between city and county government here. The San Francisco Sheriff handles all jail operations for the entire jurisdiction. Everyone arrested within San Francisco city limits goes into the county jail system. The San Francisco Police Department makes most arrests, but the sheriff runs the jails. For released inmate records, the sheriff's inmate locator is the single source. You can find more details on our city page for San Francisco, which covers police records requests and city-specific resources.