Find Sacramento County Jail inmates...

Sacramento County Jail

Main Jail Division
651 I Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 874-6752

Interview with Zach, Trevor, Andy, Adam, Wesley, Jackie, Ruth, Kristal and Chris

JM: How long was your sentencing for?
Zach: Sentencing took alittle longer, I was in the court room for about 3 to 5 minutes, as I was trying to keep from going back to prison, so I was asking for a drug program.
Trevor: 338 days, I did 78 days straight downtown.
Andy: 30 days for a driving on suspended license charge
Adam: a five month bid of which I done four of it
Wesley: 2 years elligible for 1/2 time
Jackie: my sentencing was for 180 days, by the time i was sentenced i had 61 days in already so with their 'good time' i had 122 days served. you really only do half of the time they sentence you, so i had 90 days to do actual time. they allowed me to be released to go sign up for work release, thats where i am now, at home on ankle monitor finishing up my last 28 days.
Ruth: Got time served a for a 3 year prison term at 50% with 6months probation
Kristal: 6 months + 3 days, and 5 yrs Probation.
Chris: 3 Years time Was sentencing

JM: Did you spend time in a holding cell after your sentencing? If so, what was that like? If you didn't where did they they take you instead?
Zach: Yes, very over crowded, 15 to 20 dudes all stressing all mad, very loud.
Trevor: Yeah. They are filthy and you'd find yourself elbow to elbow with other inmates as they fill them entirely too much. Way over any legal limit possible.
Andy: Spent only a couple of hours in the holding cell but too much people in there at one time though.
Adam: Yes I did and it was not nice. Was real crowded and overflowed and I could tell it was some real racial tension and everyone clicking up and everyone was trying to not start drama
Wesley: The holding cell I was in at that time was full of other inmates waiting to go to court or coming from court. No place to sit and everything is oarnge
Jackie: after your sentening like i said you go back to the court holding tank until all women have been seen, then you go back up to your floor and go back to your original cell. there are many different cases after being sentenced, you could be sentenced and if you have more in custody time to do then you leave immediately the next morning out of your cell around 8 am to go out to RCCC. if you get sentenced with time served or work release or a program modification then you are released anytime that night ranging from as early as 2 pm til 11 pm. at that time you are called out of your cell, turn in your blankets, towels and go downstairs to the release tank where you can spend anywhere from 2 to 6 hours waiting to get released from that holding tank. its just a waiting game at that time.
Ruth: After sintinsing I was still in a cell I got out later that night but still had to wait in my cell ant the county jail till my release .
Kristal: The holding cell was probably the worst experience of all. There was about 7 or 8 women in there no place to sit. Vomit all over the floor, the community toilet was backed up and wads of toilet paper in and around the whole cell. It took about 4 1/2-5 hrs to begin processing any of us.
Chris: It was the same experience as any other court date. waiting in a tiny holding cell with other women waiting too. It was a horrible time, and one I will never forget.

If you have ever driven by the Sacramento County Jail you may have wondering what life is like behind those locked doors. Maybe you are expecting to be sentenced to some time there, or know someone who will. Either way, you have come to the right place.

We have interviewed former inmates of Sacramento County, and have made their interviews available to you on this site. You can read the questions and answers by clicking on links to the left.

Going to jail can be scary, but having the right information can make the transition go a little smoother. So whether you are just curious, or are headed there yourself, take a few minutes to read the stories of ex inmates and learn what life is really like in Sacramento County Jail.

Food
Sacramento County provides three meals per day to inmates. Breakfast is served in the early morning at 4am, lunch at 10am and dinner at 4pm. The food is rated as mediocre. Some of the favorite meals of inmates are the gravy and rice for breakfast and the spaghetti which is served on Friday nights.

If you're lucky enough to be in the 3West 100 or 200 pod then most of the time you're able to get double trays during breakfast and dinner, while at lunch you'll get plenty of sandwiches and soups. Inmates who have money on their jail account can order additional snacks from commissary to supplement the food the jail provides.

Telephones and Visitation
Keeping in touch with family and friends on the outside is a high priority for most inmates. Sacramento County has telephones in the dayrooms which are available to use when inmates are out of their cells. The only types of calls that can be made are collect, and the cost is $5 just to connect the call.

Calls are monitored by the jail, so keep this in mind as you carry on your phone conversations.

Inmates are allowed visitors twice a week. Visits are held in booths that have thick glass dividing the inmate from the visitor. If you are planning to visit someone in this jail, make sure you arrive early because processing the visitors in can take quite awhile.

Continue to the interview