San Diego County Custody
San Diego County Jail & Detention Center Directory
Seven facilities, one central custody system, and a real shared complex in Otay Mesa most families have never heard of. Where a loved one is actually held, and how to post bail — 24 hours a day.
Table Of Contents
Why This Directory Exists
Seven facilities, one system, and four of them at the same street address.
The Seven Facilities
Every county detention facility, with the fact that actually distinguishes it.
Visiting Policy
Video and in-person visits, and the 24-hour scheduling rule.
What This Directory Covers
The standard every facility page is held to.
Cities We Serve
Every San Diego County city and community page.
FAQs
Shared addresses, women's intake, and same-day visits.
Seven Facilities, One System, Over 5,000 People In Custody
The San Diego County Sheriff's Office operates 7 detention facilities with a combined average daily population of over 5,000 inmates.
Here is the structural detail that trips families up: 4 of those 7 facilities sit on the exact same address in Otay Mesa — 446 Alta Road — distinguished only by suite number. If you're told a loved one is at "446 Alta Road," that alone doesn't tell you which specific facility they're actually in; the suite number is what matters.
All custody information across every facility runs through one central line: (619) 409-5000 — callers select the option for the specific facility they need.
The Seven County Detention Facilities
Same-complex facilities — George Bailey, East Mesa, Rock Mountain, and South Bay/Detention Facility 8 — all sit at 446 Alta Road, distinguished by suite number only. San Diego Central Jail's exact address needs independent confirmation before its own page is built.
San Diego Central Jail
Downtown San Diego — exact address not yet confirmed
Primary booking facility for male arrestees countywide
Most men arrested in San Diego County are booked here first. Because it is the front door of the county system, it is also the facility where a search comes back empty in the first hour or two after an arrest, before booking is complete.
Every source we checked described this facility's location only as “downtown San Diego” without a precise street address. We are not publishing one until it is confirmed against the Sheriff's own materials.
View facility pageGeorge F. Bailey Detention Facility
446 Alta Rd, Ste 5300, San Diego, CA 92158
Shared Otay Mesa complex — suite number identifies the facility
The largest facility in the county — maximum security, capacity 1,380, built 1991
Maximum-security housing in the Otay Mesa complex, and the largest facility San Diego County operates. In-person visiting runs 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, with a 60-minute advance check-in required.
View facility pageLas Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility
451 Riverview Parkway, Santee, CA 92071
The county's primary intake for women — capacity 1,270, trauma-informed care model
Women arrested anywhere in San Diego County are booked and housed here, not in the Otay Mesa complex. The campus in Santee was rebuilt around a trauma-informed care model rather than a traditional cellblock layout.
View facility pageVista Detention Facility
325 S. Melrose Dr, #200, Vista, CA 92081
Nearly 50 years old — publicly discussed modernization needs
The North County facility, adjacent to the Vista civic complex. Its age and modernization needs have been discussed publicly by the county for years. North County arrests frequently route here rather than downtown.
View facility pageEast Mesa Reentry Facility
446 Alta Rd, Ste 5200, San Diego, CA 92158
Shared Otay Mesa complex — suite number identifies the facility
Medium security, capacity 760, focused on rehabilitation and job training
Medium-security housing in the Otay Mesa complex, built around reentry programming and job training rather than long-term custody. A 60-minute advance check-in is required for in-person visits.
View facility pageRock Mountain Detention Facility
446 Alta Rd, Ste 5400, San Diego, CA 92158
Shared Otay Mesa complex — suite number identifies the facility
Primarily federal contract housing — not part of the standard county population
Also in the Otay Mesa complex, but used primarily for federal contract housing. Someone held here is often not in the ordinary county custody population, which changes how a case and a release are handled. A 60-minute advance check-in is required for in-person visits.
View facility pageSouth Bay Detention Facility (Detention Facility 8)
446 Alta Rd, Ste 5300, San Diego, CA 92158
Shared Otay Mesa complex — suite number identifies the facility
One of the smaller facilities — capacity 386
One of the smallest facilities in the county system, sharing the Otay Mesa address and suite range with George Bailey. The suite number, not the street address, is what identifies where someone actually is.
View facility pageEvery facility below has its own full page, built to the same depth standard used in Los Angeles and Orange County. Call us any hour and we will confirm the exact facility, suite, and bail amount before anyone drives out to Otay Mesa.
Visiting Policy
Confirmed countywide policy, applied the same way across every facility. The 24-hour scheduling rule is the one families most often learn the hard way.
Video visits through the Sheriff's “Who's In Jail” eVisit system: Wednesday through Sunday, 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
In-person visit reservations by phone: Wednesday through Sunday, 6:30 AM to 6:00 PM, calling (619) 409-5000.
All visits must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance — there is no same-day scheduling.
George Bailey Detention Facility in-person visiting hours: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
A 60-minute advance check-in is required at George Bailey, Rock Mountain, and East Mesa specifically.
Visitors under 18 must be accompanied by a qualified adult with valid photo identification.
What This Directory Covers
Addresses, booking timelines, and bail bond guidance for facilities across San Diego County. If a facility isn't yet listed with its own full page, the same countywide rules still apply — bail is set at booking from the county schedule and can be posted at any hour. Call our office and we will locate the booking and confirm the amount before anything is signed.
The Real Facility, Not A Guess
Addresses and phone numbers come from the Sheriff's Office's own facility and visiting pages, never from a third-party jail-directory site.
The Suite Number, Not Just The Street
Four facilities share 446 Alta Road. Every page here names the suite, because that is the part that tells you where someone actually is.
Where The Bond Actually Gets Filed
A bond is filed at the facility physically holding the person, and a transfer can happen the same day. We confirm the current facility before anyone drives anywhere.
Honest Flagging, Never Guessing
San Diego Central Jail's exact street address and the county's courthouse assignments are not yet confirmed against official sources — so we say that here instead of publishing a plausible guess.
Cities We Serve
Arrests across San Diego County route into this same custody system. Each city and community page covers the arresting agency, the local station, and what is specific to that jurisdiction.
Directory FAQs
Why do multiple facilities share the same address?
George Bailey, East Mesa, Rock Mountain, and South Bay/Detention Facility 8 all sit on the same Otay Mesa complex at 446 Alta Road, separated by suite number. Being told someone is at “446 Alta Road” does not tell you which facility they are in — the suite number does. Call us or the central custody line and we will confirm the specific facility before you drive out there.
Which facility will a Sheriff's-contract-city arrest go to first?
It depends on where in the county the arrest happened rather than on a single fixed rule. North County arrests commonly route to the Vista Detention Facility, men arrested elsewhere are typically booked at San Diego Central Jail, and women are booked at Las Colinas in Santee. We confirm the actual booking location before a bond is signed.
Which facility holds women arrested in San Diego County?
Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility at 451 Riverview Parkway in Santee is the county's primary intake and housing facility for women, with a capacity of roughly 1,270. Women are not housed in the Otay Mesa complex.
Can I visit same-day if I show up at a facility?
No. Every visit — video or in person — has to be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance. On top of that, George Bailey, Rock Mountain, and East Mesa require a 60-minute advance check-in. Showing up unannounced results in a wasted trip.
Is there one phone number I can call for any facility?
Yes. All custody information runs through (619) 409-5000, where callers select the option for the specific facility they need. Our own line is staffed 24 hours a day if you would rather have us locate the booking and confirm the bail amount for you.