Men’s Central Jail

Men’s Central Jail is the older of the two large men’s housing facilities on the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s downtown site. It sits at 441 Bauchet Street, immediately beside the Inmate Reception Center and Twin Towers at 450 Bauchet. People often use all three names interchangeably; for getting someone out, the difference matters.

Facility details

Source: the Los Angeles County services locator entry for the Los Angeles County Sheriff – Men’s Central Jail. Verified 18 September 2026. Visiting arrangements change; confirm before travelling.

Three buildings, two street numbers, one release door

• 441 Bauchet Street — Men’s Central Jail. Housing. People are held here.
• 450 Bauchet Street — Inmate Reception Center. Intake and release. This is where a bond is processed and where someone actually walks out.
• 450 Bauchet Street — Twin Towers. Housing, including the county’s largest mental health housing.

If you are told someone is “at Central”, the release will still happen through the IRC, and the wait is measured in hours.

Is a bond even needed?

In Los Angeles County this is a genuine question. Since 1 October 2023 the Superior Court’s pre-arraignment release protocols have replaced money bail for a large share of arrests. Someone held on a bailable dollar amount is usually in one of the excluded categories — domestic violence, a serious or violent felony, a constitutionally excluded offence — or is being held on a warrant or hold. Check before paying anyone: LA County bail amount lookup.

State classification: Type II

The California Board of State and Community Corrections classifies this facility as Type II. Under California Code of Regulations, Title 15, § 1006, that means a county jail — used for detention pending arraignment, during trial, and on a sentence of commitment.

The classification is the regulatory limit for the building, not a prediction for any individual — but it tells you how much time the situation realistically allows. What kind of jail is holding them? sets out every classification and the class of every facility we cover in both counties.

What to do first

1. Locate them. The Inmate Information Center publishes no record for the first two hours after booking.
2. Get the charge and the bail status.
3. Check for holds — probation, parole, another county’s warrant, or a PC 1275.1 hold.
4. Call us before paying anything. If no bond is needed we will say so.

Questions we get asked most

What is the address of Men’s Central Jail?

441 Bauchet Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 — next door to the Inmate Reception Center and Twin Towers at 450 Bauchet Street.

What are visiting hours at Men’s Central Jail?

Thursday through Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Confirm before travelling, because visiting arrangements change.

Where is someone released from Men’s Central Jail?

Through the Inmate Reception Center at 450 Bauchet Street, which handles intake and release for the downtown complex.

What is the phone number for Men’s Central Jail?

(213) 974-4921. For inmate location and general custody questions, call (213) 473-6100.

Related resources

Twin Towers · Inmate Reception Center · Century Regional · Los Angeles County jails · LA inmate search · Los Angeles County bail bonds