Public Jail Tours

Members of the public are encouraged to tour our facilities to learn
more about how their local county jail facilities operate. The purpose
of the program is to promote public awareness and understanding of
local jails. The Sheriff is committed to the safe, secure and humane
detention of suspected and convicted offenders while the process of
the law is served.

During the Jail Tour you will learn about:

• Conditions of confinement including food, clothing, and hygiene.
• Inmate classification, segregation, and protective custody.
• Violence, gangs, drugs and escapes.
• The impacts of jail overcrowding on inmates and correctional staff.
• What it is like to work in a correctional facility.

Jail Tours are available at the Main Jail, located in Santa Cruz.

Visitor Criteria:

To be eligible to participate in a jail tour the visitor must:

• Be at least 18 years old.

• Possess photo identification issued by a governmental agency.

• Not be on parole or probation.

• Not have an arrest warrant or a pending criminal matter.  

• Not be a sex, arson, gang, or narcotics registrant.

Visitor Conduct:

All visitors must:

• Follow all instructions given by Correctional Officers.

• Not communicate with any inmate and not pass any item to an inmate.

• Wear a Visitor badge at all times while in the facility.

• Remain with the visitor tour group at all times.

• Not touch any equipment.

• Not be under the influence of illegal drugs, alcohol, or medication that
  impairs judgment. 

Violation of these rules shall result in your tour being terminated. Our primary
concern is for your safety and the safety of the persons living and working at
the facility.

Prohibited Items:

Bringing certain contraband items into a jail facility is unlawful and may result
in arrest and prosecution. All visitors are subject to a security-screening search
before entering a jail facility. The following items are not permitted inside jail
facilities during the tour:

• Weapons of any kind, including firearms, ammunition, knives, or chemical sprays.

• Tools, explosives, flammables, or chemicals. 

• Illegal drugs, alcohol, tobacco, matches or lighters.

• Cell phones, cameras, pagers, audio or video recorders, or any electronic devices.

• Keys, purses, backpacks, bags, or any bulky item.

Dress Code:

Visitors must be appropriately dressed to participate in a Jail Tour. Shoes and
shirts are required. The following is not permitted:

• Clothing or accessories that display images, words, or symbols that are
   offensive, obscene, gang related, hate related, distracting, or disruptive.

• Clothing that is transparent or revealing.

• Shorts or sandals.

• Spaghetti strap, strapless, halter tops, midriff tops, tube tops, tank tops,
   slingshot shirts, short dresses or skirts.

• Any clothing or accessories with spikes, razor blades, or other sharp objects. 

• Display of tattoos or other body art that is offensive, gang related, or hate related.

Correctional Officers will determine the appropriateness of clothing and accessories. 

Notice of Risk:

Correctional staff will do everything possible to maintain the personal safety of all visitors
and to minimize risks to visitors. There is, however, some degree of risk involved by reason
of the nature of being in a correctional facility. Those risks include, but are not limited to,
exposure to loud noises, offensive odors, offensive speech, slippery surfaces, infections
diseases, and injury. By requesting a Jail Tour the visitor assumes any and all risks to which
he or she may be exposed during the Jail Tour. Visitors will have the opportunity to discuss
risks and safety hazards before entering correctional facilities.

Schedule a Jail Tour:

Jail Tours are available every Sunday at 1 pm and last approximately 1 hour.

Jail Tours are by appointment only and are limited to a maximum group size of 10.

Individuals are limited to one Jail Tour each calendar year.

All requests must be received 5 days prior to the requested tour date. A separate
request must be received for every individual requesting a Jail Tour.

All visitors must present photo identification issued by a governmental agency on
the day of the tour. All tours meet at the facility reception area.  

Read the FBI magazine article about our Jail Tour Program.

To schedule a Jail Tour, click here.