Santa Clara books every arrest at the Main Jail downtown, across from the Hall of Justice. Many people are then moved to the Elmwood complex in Milpitas, which has a men's side and a women's side.

Santa Clara County Inmate Search lists housing, bail and the next court date. Inmate inquiries answer 408-808-2804.

Jailed defendants reach a judge within two court days, usually at the Hall of Justice, 190 West Hedding Street. Read Santa Clara court steps.

Santa Clara uses its 2026 criminal bail schedule for starting amounts, and Pretrial Services screens most new arrests for release before or at arraignment. Bail is posted at the jail, possibly at the Administrative Booking window at 885 North San Pedro Street, or by a licensed agent. Call first to confirm where. Ability to pay is part of every judge's decision. See the Santa Clara bail guide.

The Public Defender, 120 West Mission Street (408-299-7700), takes most cases. Conflicts go to the Alternate Defender (408-970-2700) or Independent Defense Counsel (408-758-4250).

Downtown and Milpitas keep separate visit calendars. Book ahead for the right facility and bring photo ID. See Santa Clara visiting and video visits.

Address mail with the booking number to the facility on the roster. Topics: Custody Bureau mail, trust funds, canteen, calling, messages, tablets.

Juvenile hall is at 840 Guadalupe Parkway (408-278-5850). Probation also runs a boys ranch in Morgan Hill (408-201-7600). The main Probation number is 408-435-2000.

The Custody Bureau never calls relatives to demand store cards or money transfers for release. Check by calling inmate inquiries, 408-808-2804, yourself.

Officers from the ATF and the Secret Service handle federal arrests. This county belongs to the Northern District of California's San Jose courthouse; cases are held in San Jose, 280 South 1st Street, San Jose, CA 95113. Clerk staff there answer at 408-535-5363. An initial appearance happens fast, before a magistrate judge. Plan on questions with a pretrial officer, who reports to the judge. Release is not based on a schedule at the U.S. District Court. Applying the Bail Reform Act, a judge runs a short hearing to decide detention or release.

Look them up on the county roster first. This district's Marshals staff in San Jose can tell you where they are: 408-535-5496, 280 South 1st Street, Room 2100, San Jose, CA 95113. During the case, U.S. Marshals in most cases keep them in a nearby jail through a contract. Once a prison sentence is imposed, they move to BOP custody, often weeks later. Look them up through the BOP locator.

• Right after arrest, fingerprints are shared with Homeland Security. ICE can then send a detainer.
• Paying bond does not erase the detainer.
• With a detainer, ICE requests that the jailers push back the release for at most 48 hours. Even holidays and weekends count.
• While the hold lasts, ICE may send officers for them. If ICE never comes, this should mean the inmate goes free.
• Loved ones can look for your loved one online at the ICE online locator, using an A-number plus their birth country. Without an A-number, enter the name as spelled on ID with DOB and native country.
• Their next facility depends on ICE.
• This county is covered by ICE's San Francisco field office, reachable at 415-365-8800; the office is at 630 Sansome Street, Room 590, San Francisco, CA 94111.

Prison time falls to California's corrections department (CDCR). For now, they stay in the San Jose jail while the CDCR sends for them. The ride ends at intake, where they're held checked in. Staff review everyone based on custody level, health care needs, and known gang ties. Finally, they go to a prison that matches the results.

Families can search for a CDCR inmate by name or number in the CDCR inmate locator. For each unit, read our California prison guide.

Check the Santa Clara jail roster for the person; Santa Clara may not post mugshots there.

California's rule is Section 13665. It covers social media posts. It applies to most nonviolent arrests. Agencies may not post those photos there. Photos posted there expire after 14 days. Fugitives and threats are the exceptions. The sheriff's own website isn't covered. Still, most California rosters show no photos.

Unreleased mugshots go to sheriff's staff; journalists can phone 408-299-2311. ICE photos come out just through an ICE public records request, though release isn't promised. Federal agencies don't hand out mugshots to the public or reporters. Marshals rules keep sharing to three cases: for a fugitive or escaped inmate, if there's an urgent danger to residents, or when sharing it may help find them or warn the area.

• San Jose Police non-emergency: 408-277-8900
• Santa Clara Police non-emergency: 408-615-5580
• Sunnyvale Public Safety non-emergency: 408-730-7180
• Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office non-emergency: 408-299-2311

Cupertino, Saratoga and Los Altos Hills contract with the Sheriff.