Santa Rita County Jail, CA

Visiting Santa Rita Jail is straightforward, but the rules are strict. Anyone entering or leaving jail property can be searched—walking onto the grounds is treated as your consent. Photography is prohibited unless you have explicit permission from the Commanding Officer, and unauthorized photos may be confiscated. Bringing firearms, narcotics, or alcohol onto jail property is a felony, and violators will be arrested. Your eligibility to visit may also depend on your history: if you were confined in the Alameda County Jail System within the last six months, have certain felony convictions (including violent or contraband-related), were confined in California state prison, or are currently on county probation or parole, you'll generally need authorization from the Commanding Officer. Check the Santa Rita visitation page for scheduling details, and plan to bring a valid photo ID along with any approved visiting-list requirements.

Starting Feb 23, 2026, Santa Rita Jail no longer processes regular incoming mail onsite. All non-privileged mail must go through Pigeonly Corrections' mail processing center. Include the incarcerated person's full booked name and PFN on every envelope so it can be accepted and forwarded. Privileged legal mail is handled separately, and publications mailed directly from a publisher or distributor to a named incarcerated person are also excluded from Pigeonly routing. If you send regular letters directly to the jail, know that any non-privileged mail received at Santa Rita after Mar 25, 2026 will be returned to sender. Mail is screened for contraband, so follow standard content and addressing rules.

Need assistance with someone incarcerated at Santa Rita Jail? Reach the jail's Ombudsperson through the facility's online form or leave a voicemail at 510-667-4373. When leaving a message, include your name and phone number, the incarcerated person's name and PFN, a brief description of the issue, and whether you've already tried to resolve it. Keep those identifiers handy whenever you contact any facility office—it helps your request move faster. The Ombudsperson is not an attorney and can't help with legal questions; contact your attorney for legal matters. This channel isn't monitored around the clock and shouldn't be used for emergencies. Call the main jail at 925-551-6500 for urgent situations.

Need to raise a medical concern at Santa Rita Jail? The process depends on who's reporting. Incarcerated people should use the facility's medical-request process, while members of the public can contact Wellpath to share outside concerns. If someone is having trouble getting access to care or submitting a concern, the Ombudsperson can help with access issues. For complaints about inadequate health care, file a grievance with the Jail Grievance Unit or send one to Wellpath using the tablet system or a paper form (available from the Housing Unit). ADA evaluations or services can be requested through a tablet message or paper form submitted to the Americans with Disabilities office. For emergencies, call 911. For non-emergencies, call 510-667-7721.