Inyo County Inmate Population
The Inyo County inmate population is centered on the Inyo County Jail, the sheriff-run local facility in Independence. The official jail page says it is the only correctional facility in the county, and it houses people awaiting court proceedings along with people serving county jail sentences. That means the local jail count is not the same as the state prison count, and it is not the same as federal or immigration custody.
For population research, the strongest public numbers in the captured material come from the Vera Institute Inyo County fact sheet, the BSCC Jail Profile Survey dashboard, the sheriff custody manual, and Census QuickFacts. These sources show a small rural jail system spread across a very large county. They also show why one number never tells the full story. Arrests, court release decisions, warrants, state prison sentences, and transfers all change the Inyo County inmate population.
The official Inyo County Jail page does not publish a live inmate roster. Current custody questions therefore start with the jail phone, and records questions move to the sheriff's records process or the countywide public-records portal. State prison custody is searched through CDCR CIRIS, including Owens Valley Conservation Camp #26.
Inyo County Inmate Population Statistics
Vera reported an average day of 45 people in the Inyo County jail in 2021, with 521 county jail admissions and 679 arrests that year. It also reported that 79% of the jail population was pretrial, so most people counted in the jail population had not been convicted of the charges pending against them. The same 2021 fact sheet reported 29 people from Inyo County in state prison and 19 sentenced to state prison.
| Measure | Figure | Source / Year |
|---|---|---|
| Average daily jail population | 45 people | Vera fact sheet, 2021 |
| Jail admissions | 521 admissions | Vera fact sheet, 2021 |
| Arrests | 679 arrests | Vera fact sheet, 2021 |
| Pretrial share | 79% | Vera fact sheet, 2021 |
| People from Inyo County in state prison | 29 people | Vera fact sheet, 2021 |
| County population estimate | 18,485 residents | Census QuickFacts, July 1, 2024 |
The 96-bed capacity figure appears in public jail lists, but the official county jail page captured in the research does not publish rated capacity. For that reason, the figure should be treated as a public-listing reference, not as an official county statement.
The BSCC Jail Profile Survey dashboard is the official state route for checking California jail population reporting beyond the dated Vera snapshot.
The dashboard is useful because Inyo County Jail population data is reported through state jail-profile channels even when the sheriff page does not show a live roster.
Inyo County Jail Population Trends
The research file captured a solid 2021 snapshot and identified official BSCC sources for fuller trend work. It did not capture a complete current multi-year series. The sheriff custody manual still matters because it requires daily and monthly population reports. Those reports must include sentenced and non-sentenced counts, gender, juvenile status, medical and mental-health needs, highest one-day population, bookings, warrants, grievances, discipline, and other demographic data.
| Year or Period | Figure | Use |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 45 average daily jail population | Best captured county jail population snapshot |
| 2021 | 521 admissions | Shows jail flow, not just one-day count |
| 2011-2015 | BSCC data exists | Research noted the public data set but did not fully extract it |
| Current | Not captured | Use BSCC JPS and sheriff records for updates |
Inyo County's geography can affect trends. The sheriff describes the county as California's second-largest by area, with remote routes through Death Valley, U.S. 395, Bishop, Lone Pine, and Independence. A small numerical change can be meaningful in a jail system with a low average daily population.
Inyo County Custody Makeup
The Vera 2021 fact sheet reported that 79% of the Inyo County jail population was pretrial, 25% had mental-health needs, and 61% of arrests were misdemeanors. Those figures show that the Inyo County inmate population is not just a sentenced population. Many people are held while a case is pending, while a court decides release terms, or while a warrant or outside hold is resolved.
- Pretrial custody: People held while court charges are pending or release terms are unresolved.
- County sentences: People serving local jail time remain under sheriff custody.
- State sentences: People sentenced to CDCR custody leave the county jail lookup path.
- Temporary city custody: Bishop Police may hold adults briefly before release or transfer.
- Federal or ICE custody: BOP and ICE use separate federal locator systems.
Inyo County Population Laws
California law makes many government records available, but it also protects investigatory files, confidential juvenile material, some victim and witness information, and records sealed by court order. In Inyo County, that balance shows up in the sheriff records process. The records page and request form tell requesters to expect eligibility checks, redactions, and a determination period before release.
Key Statutes:
Government Code sections 7922.500-7922.605 describe California Public Records Act request handling.
Government Code section 7923.600 protects many law-enforcement investigatory and correctional files from automatic disclosure.
15 CCR section 1040 requires jail population accounting reported to BSCC.
Penal Code section 851.91 allows eligible arrest-record sealing when an arrest did not result in conviction.
Inyo County State Prison Search
State prison custody is separate from the Inyo County inmate population held in the local jail. CDCR runs California Incarcerated Records and Information Search, known as CIRIS, for people in state custody. The research also identified Owens Valley Conservation Camp #26 near Bishop, a CDCR and CAL FIRE camp, as a state-custody facility physically in the county. People assigned there should be searched through CDCR, not through the Inyo County Jail phone line.
The CDCR CIRIS search interface is the correct lookup source when an Inyo County case has moved from county custody to state custody.
This image belongs with the state-prison section because Owens Valley Conservation Camp #26 is searched through CDCR, not through an Inyo County jail roster.
CDCR's contact page lists the Identification Unit at (916) 445-6713 for help accessing or viewing CIRIS material during weekday business hours. That unit is not a county jail records desk. It helps with state custody records.
Search Inyo County Inmates
No official online Inyo County jail roster, booking report, or mugshot gallery was located in the county and sheriff sources captured for this build. A current Inyo County inmate search therefore uses a fallback chain. Start with the jail information line, use the sheriff's records process for releasable booking or incident records, then check state and federal systems if the person may have moved out of local custody.
- Confirm the local custody route on the official Inyo County Jail page.
- Call the jail at 760-878-0370 for custody information, not to reach the inmate directly.
- For report or booking-related records, contact Sheriff's Records at 760-878-0336 during Monday-Friday records hours.
- Use Inyo County NextRequest for formal public-records requests.
- Search CDCR CIRIS, BOP, ICE ODLS, and VINELink when local jail custody is not the right system.
The county jail page says the jail does not receive incoming calls for inmates. That is a narrow but important point. The jail can be a custody information channel, but it is not a telephone transfer service for people in custody.
Inyo County Roster Fields
Because no official public roster was located, there is no official Inyo County jail search form to describe. That is different from many larger counties where a search form accepts a last name, first name, booking number, or date. Inyo County users should avoid assuming that missing online results mean a person is not in custody.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| No official public jail roster located | n/a | n/a | The sheriff jail page does not expose a public inmate search form. |
| Jail phone | Phone contact | No | Use 760-878-0370 for jail information. |
| Records request | Form or portal | Depends on record | Use sheriff records or NextRequest for releasable records. |
Inyo County Inmate Records
The official public sources did not show a county jail inmate profile with booking number, charge list, bond amount, housing pod, or release date. The Inmate Handbook does confirm that people entering the jail are photographed and fingerprinted, asked identity and health questions, issued a wristband, and assigned a bunk. Those are booking facts, not proof of a public online profile.
| Possible Record Field | What Research Supports |
|---|---|
| Mugshot or booking photo | Created during booking, but not published in an official online gallery. |
| Charges | May appear in court records or releasable law-enforcement records. |
| Bond or bail | Confirm with the jail or court after booking. |
| Housing location | Not published online in the captured official source. |
| Release status | Not published online through an official Inyo roster. |
Inyo County Jail vs CDCR
The Inyo County Jail covers local pretrial custody and local jail sentences. CDCR covers people sentenced to state prison and people assigned to state facilities such as Owens Valley Conservation Camp #26. BOP covers people in federal prison, while ICE ODLS covers current immigration detention and some CBP custody over 48 hours.
| System | Who It Covers | Where to Look |
|---|---|---|
| Inyo County Jail | Pretrial and county jail sentences | Jail phone and sheriff records |
| CDCR | Sentenced state custody | CIRIS |
| BOP | Federal prison custody | BOP Inmate Locator |
| ICE | Immigration detention | ICE ODLS |
| Notifications | Custody alerts where covered | VINELink |
Inyo County Detention Facilities
The Inyo County inmate population can touch three different local or state custody settings. Each has a different role. The county jail is the main local custody facility. Bishop Police is a short-term holding point, not a full jail. Owens Valley Conservation Camp #26 is CDCR state custody.
- Inyo County Jail - the sheriff-run local jail for pretrial custody and county jail sentences.
- Bishop Police Department Holding Cell - short-term city police holding before release or transfer to the county jail.
- Owens Valley Conservation Camp #26 - a CDCR and CAL FIRE camp for state-custody fire crews and work programs.
The Inyo County Sheriff's Office is led by Sheriff Stephanie J. Rennie. The sheriff's site is the main local entry point for jail, records, public safety, and custody information.
Inyo County Records Requests
The sheriff's records route is the main fallback when no online Inyo County jail roster exists. The Sheriff Records page says report copies may be released only to authorized parties under state law. It lists the records phone, email, eligibility rules, and report fee. The report request form says the office may take up to 10 business days to determine whether a report can be released.
The source page for the next image is the Inyo County Sheriff's Records page, which shows the report-copy process and public-records portal reference.
The records page supports the practical point that Inyo County inmate records often require a phone call, an email, or a formal public-records request rather than a public roster search.
Inyo County Court Path
After a jail arrest, the court record develops separately from the booking record. The District Attorney reviews law-enforcement reports, decides whether to file criminal charges, and prosecutes cases in Inyo Superior Court. The court records-search page says name search requests can be emailed for a free hit or no-hit search of the electronic system from 1992 to present, while case information, copies, and older records use mail or in-person procedures.
Calendars are also separate from jail custody. The court posts daily calendars by 10:00 a.m. for the next day and weekly calendars Thursdays by noon for the following week. Bishop and Independence departments have separate calendars.
Inyo County Custody Terms
Several record terms matter when reading Inyo County inmate population data or a jail record. A short definition can prevent a wrong search path.
- Booking
- The jail intake process after arrest, including identity questions, photo, fingerprints, wristband, and housing assignment.
- Pretrial
- Custody before a case is resolved by dismissal, plea, trial, or sentence.
- Detainer
- An outside-agency hold or request that can affect release.
- Own recognizance
- Release based on a promise to appear, without posting bail.
- CIRIS
- CDCR's statewide locator for people in California state custody.
Inyo County Inmate FAQ
How large is the Inyo County inmate population? Vera reported an average day of 45 people in the county jail in 2021. The same fact sheet reported 521 admissions and 679 arrests for that year.
Is there an official Inyo County online jail roster? No official public jail roster was located in the captured county and sheriff sources. Start with the jail phone and use sheriff records or NextRequest for records.
Where are sentenced state prisoners searched? Search CDCR CIRIS. That is the correct state custody system for people sentenced to CDCR or assigned to Owens Valley Conservation Camp #26.
Can a Bishop arrest show up at the county jail? Yes. Bishop Police may hold adults briefly, but the Grand Jury material says adults must be released or transported to Inyo County Jail within the short holding limit.
Are mugshots posted online by the sheriff? No official Inyo County mugshot gallery was found. Booking photos are created during intake, but public access may require a records request and can be limited by law.