Crime victims tracking San Diego county jail inmates online

A website that lets crime victims anonymously track jail inmates is up and running in San Diego County. Anybody can register online and be notified when an inmate is released.

It’s called VINE – Victim Information and Notification Everyday, and it’s been available on the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department website for the past six weeks.

“It’s designed for victims, but concerned citizens and members of the public can use this system,” sheriff’s VINElink project manager Rich Luczak said.

Just go to the San Diego sheriff’s website and click on Who’s In Jail. Search by last name to locate the inmate, then on the inmate’s booking page, register with VINElink. Simply enter your email or phone number, and you’ll be notified as soon as that person gets released or transferred from county jail.

“It’s extremely important to have a valid phone number and a valid email address or the individual will not get a notification,” Luczak said.

Since July 1, more than 4,100 people have registered to track inmates. That’s about 100 registrations per day, and the process is completely confidential.

Many of the inmates being tracked by victims are charged with domestic violence crimes, but anyone can track an inmate for whatever reason.

“If a neighbor was vandalizing or stealing in the neighborhood and you were worried about when he might be released from jail, you could certainly register and get the heads-up,” Luczak said.

Right now this system only works for San Diego county jails. It does not track inmates in state prison, but that may be coming next year.

San Diego Inmate Locator

Click below to locate your loved one in any San Diego County Jail.

Toll Free: 1-877-279-1999

If you cannot find them please feel free to call us or email us and we will be happy to search for them on your behalf:

Arrest and Booking Procedure

When the arresting officer takes a defendant to a San Diego County Jail, he or she is now in the process of being “booked” for their particular offense. The booking process at the main San Diego Central Jail is generally very slow, so please be patient.

During this booking process the jail is running the arrestee’s name and fingerprints searching for any other pending warrants in other states and cities. If any other warrants do arise there may be additional charges and bails assigned to the defendant. Once the identity is verified a picture is taken, and a booking number is assigned. The defendant is also given a court date, along with a bail amount. The bail amount generally coincides with the charges.

Please be aware there is no way anybody outside the jail can initiate a direct contact with the defendant. If a defendant has called you, let them know you have called Abierto 24/7 Bail Bonds and to not hire or work with another agency. If more than one agency becomes involved, a lot of confusion might occur, which will delay a defendant’s release from jail.

Santee sues county over planned Las Colinas jail expansion

Santee sues county over planned jail expansion
By Michele Clock
Union-Tribune Staff Writer

July 24, 2009

SANTEE — The city of Santee has filed a lawsuit against the county of San Diego over the county’s $308.5 million planned expansion of Las Colinas women’s jail in Santee.

In the case, filed in San Diego Superior Court Wednesday, the city alleges that the county violated state environmental law in its preparation and approval of the expansion plans.

The county Board of Supervisors last month approved plans for a new 45-acre jail in Santee to replace the current 1960s-era facility. The city argues the county did not adequately evaluate the project’s impacts on traffic and public safety, among other issues, nor did it lay out sufficient steps to mitigate the effects.

Deborah McCarthy, chief deputy county counsel, said yesterday her office hadn’t had a chance to fully review the lawsuit yet, but that she assumed the county’s environmental documents would hold up in court.

“I don’t have any reason to believe that our (environmental impact report) is in any way insufficient,” McCarthy said.

Santee lost a suit it filed against the county last year over the county’s handling of a $100 million state grant for the jail expansion project. The city is appealing the decision.

Ryan Companies US Inc., which was developing a 1.9 million-square-foot mixed-use project next to Las Colinas, also filed a suit yesterday against the county over the expansion project