Imperial County Jails

The Imperial County Sheriff's Office operates three jails facilities in El Centro, California: The Herbert Hughes Correctional Center, the Oren R. Fox Medium Security Detention Facility, and the Regional Adult Detention Facility. These facilities have a total inmate capacity of 876.

These jails house adult males and females who have been arrested by county or municipal law enforcement and are awaiting trial, inmates who have been sentenced to the county jail, and inmates being held for transport to the California Department of Corrections.

The Herbert Hughes Correctional Center (HHCC)

This facility was built in the 1960s and named after a former sheriff. It consists of six dormitory style housing units, with space for up to 314 inmates. 

The Oren R. Fox Medium Security Detention Facility (OFDF)

The OFDF opened in 2018 and features six two-tiered housing areas that can each house 45 inmates. This facility has a state-of-the-art medical center and ample programming space for education and life skills classes.

The Regional Adult Detention Facility (RADF)

This facility was built in the late 1970s and has housed inmates since 1981. It is a linear style jail with twelve two-tier housing areas (modules). Each module has two-person cells, and the facility can house a maximum of 288 inmates.

All inmates are first housed at RADF while awaiting their medical screening and classification interview. Upon completion, an inmate can remain housed at RADF or be transferred to OFDF or HHCC. 

Inmate Search

To find out if your loved one is being held at one of the Imperial County Jails, call (442) 265-2220, or use VINE (see below). 

VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday)

Victim Information and Notification Everyday (VINE) is a free and anonymous telephone service that provides victims of crime both information and notification. VINE monitors the custody status of offenders in the Imperial County Jails and receives updated information every 15 minutes.

The Toll Free Number for California VINE is 1.877.411.5588. Anyone can call the California State VINE line to determine an inmate's custody status. To search for offender information, callers will need one of the following items:

• Offender name or alias
• Secondary search option (if there is more than one offender with the same name), such as:
  • Arrest date
  • Date of birth
  • Middle initial
  • Offender identification number

VINE will let callers know about the offender's current custody status, the location of the inmate, and their offender number.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

Visiting hours at the Regional Adult Detention Facility are as follows:

Visitation Schedule/Horario de Visitas 

All visitors must sign up one hour before visitation/Registrese una hora antes de la visita. 

Module “A”                                                                                          Module “G”
Tues/Mar: 7pm/8pm                                                                         Mon/Lun: 1pm
Thurs/Juev: 9am                                                                                Wed/Mier: 9am/1pm
Sun/Dom: 9am/2pm 

Module “B” and Female Med Ward                                                   Module “H”
Mon/Lun: 9am/10am                                                                          Mon/Lun: 12pm
Wed/Mier: 8pm                                                                                     Sat/Sab: 2pm
Sun/Dom: 1pm                                                                                      Sun/Dom: 10am 

Module “C” and Male Med. Ward                                                       Module “I”
Mon/Lun: 11am                                                                                    Wed/Mier: 10am/9pm
Wed/Mier: 6pm                                                                                     Thurs/Juev: 1pm
Sun/Dom: 11am/7pm                                                                          Sat/Sab: 11am/7pm 

Module “D”                                                                                              Module “J”
Tues/Mar: 10am/1pm                                                                          Thurs/Juev: 9pm
Thurs/Juev: 11am/7pm                                                                        Sat/Sab: 12pm/1pm
Fri/Vier: 9am/8pm                                                                                  Sun/Dom: 12pm
Sat/Sab: 10am 

Module “E”                                                                                                Module “K”
Wed/Mier: 11am/7pm                                                                            Tues/Mar: 9am
Sat/Sab: 8am/6pm                                                                                  Sat/Sab: 9am/9pm
Sun/Dom: 8am/6pm 

Module “F”                                                                                                 Module “L”
Tue/Mar: 11am                                                                                          Fri/Vier: 8am/7pm
Thurs/Juev:10am/8pm                                                                            Sun/Dom: 8pm/9pm
Fri/Vier: 10am/9pm                                                                                  Sat/Sab: 8pm

For visiting hours at OFDF and HHCC, call the jail information line at (442) 265-2220.

Visiting Rules

Inmates housed at the Imperial County Jail facilities are entitled to a minimum of two visits totaling one hour per inmate each week, but no more than one visit per day.

Anyone wishing to visit an inmate must show a valid identification card to sign-up for visit. Valid ID’s at a minimum will contain the person’s name, date of birth, and a photograph. In addition, any ID presented must be current (not expired).

Visitors should follow the dress code: no low cut shirts, no short shorts, no tank tops, no see-through clothing allowed, no dresses or skirts that are shorter than mid-thigh allowed, no spaghetti straps or strapless clothing allowed.

Each inmate will be allowed a maximum of two visitors. A child able to walk will be counted as one of the visitors. Babies-in-arms will not be counted as visitors; however, there may not be more than two babies-in arms per inmate. 

All visitors are subject to search. They are not allowed to bring any items other than an identification, wallet, and/or car/home keys during the visit. All other items such as purses, bags, etc., will not be allowed in the facility. Such items will be properly stored and secured by the visitor.

How to Call an Inmate

Inmates at the Imperial County Correctional Facility cannot receive incoming phone calls. However, they can make outgoing collect calls from the inmate housing area.

California law has established the right of an arrested person to make at least three free local telephone calls upon being booked: one call to an attorney, one to a bail bond agent, and one to a relative or other personal contact.

How to Send Money

To send money to an inmate at any of the Imperial County Jail Facilities, click here.

Programs For Inmates

The Educational Programs available at all jail facilities are:

• G.E.D.
• E.S.L.
• Volunteers of America
• 24/7 Dad
• Second Chance
• Anger Management
• Inside Out
• 24/7 Mom
• AA/NA
• Family Literary Events

Inmate Worker Program

Inmates housed at the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office Herbert Hughes Correctional Center (H.H.C.C.) and Regional Adult Detention Facility (R.A.D.F.) are given the opportunity to take part in the inmate worker program. The program maintains a safe working environment and educational opportunities for the inmate population.

Worker Programs Include:

• General grounds clean-up
• Roadside clean-up
• Culinary
• Commissary
• Housekeeping
• Laundry Services
• Car Wash

Inmate workers who successfully complete and graduate from educational courses may take part in graduation ceremonies accompanied by family members.

Pictures of Imperial County Jails

Careers at Imperial County Jails

If you are interested in a career with the Imperial County Sheriff's Department and would like more information about the job openings at one of the Imperial County Jails, click here. For details about the recruitment requirements, click here.