The Three Intake Calls & Daily Phone Hours at Mendocino County Jail
When someone you care about gets arrested, the first thing you want to know is:
Newly admitted inmates at Mendocino County Jail get at least three phone calls during intake. These can be local or collect long-distance calls - the point is to help your loved one reach family, handle immediate needs, or start figuring out next steps. This isn't optional. Phone access is supposed to be provided immediately upon request, or as soon as practicable after booking allows for it. California Penal Code 851.5 reinforces this: an arrested person has the right to make at least three completed phone calls no later than three hours after arrest. That's the timeline Mendocino County Jail operates under during intake.
Note: Under Penal Code 851.5, an arrested person has the right to make at least three completed phone calls no later than three hours after arrest.
Custodial parents get extra calls. Under Penal Code 851.5, someone responsible for a minor child can make at least two additional phone calls specifically to arrange childcare. If this applies, make sure your loved one asks for those extra calls during booking - getting childcare sorted quickly matters.
Expect a recorded message at the start of every call. All outgoing inmate calls at Mendocino County Jail are subject to monitoring and recording - you'll hear that notice before the conversation begins.
TDD phones are available for accessibility needs. Each housing unit and booking cube has one for hearing-impaired inmates or for calls to hearing-impaired recipients.
After intake, general population inmates typically have phone access daily from 0900 to 2300 hours. That said, access can be limited during lockdowns or if restrictions are in place. A sudden drop in calls doesn't always mean something's wrong - it might just be a schedule or security change.
Funding Options
- ✓ Debit Accounts - telephone time can be purchased using money from the inmate’s Jail Trust Account.
- ✓ Prepaid Call Accounts - call time can be paid in advance through a prepaid setup.
- ✓ Collect calls - the receiving party accepts the charges.
- ✓ Intake calls - newly admitted inmates are allowed at least three local or collect long-distance calls as part of intake.
However the account gets set up, Mendocino County Jail prioritizes prompt phone access at the start of custody. Calls can be funded through debit, prepaid, or collect options depending on what works for your situation.
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