Tour Of the Riverside County Corrections Facilities

Riverside County Corrections
There are five jails, or correctional facilities, in Riverside County, all managed by the Sheriff’s Department Corrections Division, one of the largest jail operations in the state and throughout the country. Rules at the jail facilities are strictly enforced to protect visitors, corrections staff and inmates.
Each jail has unique rules and you should carefully review the requirements and restrictions listed at the right before visiting the jail or sending mail or money to an inmate.
![]() |

Jail Interior For attorney or special visits. Photo Credit: Riverside County Sheriff Department

Interior view of a Riverside County jail housing pod. Photo Credit: desertsun.com

Interior view of a Larry D. Smith Correction Facility housing pod. Photo Credit: bernards.com

A typical Riverside County jail cell being searched with assistance from a sheriff’s K9. Photo Credit: Desert Sun
Alternatives to Jail
On March 15, 1983, the County Board of Supervisors authorized the Sheriff to establish a Work Release Program under the authority of section 4024.2 of the California Penal Code. Government agencies and qualifying non-profit organizations provide over 100 job sites for participants to complete their sentences throughout Riverside County. The following four programs are available as alternatives to incarceration.
- Full Time Work Release:
An approved inmate works 5 days a week at an assigned job site and works 8-10 hours a day in lieu of one day of jail time. - Part Time Work Release:
An approved inmate works 2 days a week in lieu of one day of jail time. - Full Time Supervised Electronic Release:
Inmate wears an electronic transmitter on the ankle and is eligible for time outside of the home at specified times. - Part Time Supervised Electronic Release:
Inmate wears an electronic transmitter on the ankle and must spend a minimum of 12 hours per day inside his/her home.
About the Jails

Photo Credit: nytimes.com
-
Robert Presley Detention Center (RPDC)
Located in the downtown area of Riverside, California, the Robert Presley Detention Center was opened in 1989 replacing the old Riverside County Jail. RPDC and the Hospital Security Unit at Riverside County Regional Medical Center are under the command of a Sheriff’s Captain and are administered under the direction of the Corrections Division Chief Deputy.

Photo Credit: riversidesheriff.org
-
Southwest Detention Center
Opened in 1993, the Southwest Detention Center is located in the southwest portion of Riverside County, adjacent to the cities of Temecula and Murrieta, in an area known as French Valley. The facility is under the command of a Sheriff’s Captain and administered under the direction of the Corrections Division Chief Deputy.

Photo Credit: pe.com
-
Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility
Located in the city of Banning, the Smith Correctional Facility is the Department’s largest correctional facility. The facility holds inmates as they await arraignment, hearings, trials, and sentencing, as well as inmates who have been sentenced to serve a county jail sentence.
The facility is also home to several Corrections Division programs such as the Supervised Electronic Confinement Program, Work Release Program, Residential Substance Abuse Treatment program, Sheriff’s Inmate Training and Education Bureau, a commercial printing shop, centralized warehouse and laundry services, as well as other counseling, vocational, and educational programs. The facility is under the command of a Sheriff’s Captain and is administrated under the direction of the Corrections Division Chief Deputy.

Photo Credit: kesq.com
-
Indio Jail
Located in the City of Indio, the Indio Jail serves the Coachella Valley which has experienced rapid growth over the past two decades. The facility is under the command of a shared Sheriff’s Captain and is administered under the direction of the Corrections Division Chief Deputy.

Photo Credit: RiversideSheriff.Org
-
Blythe Jail
Built in 1964, the Blythe Jail is administered under the direction of a shared Captain and the Corrections Division Chief Deputy.
County Jail Contacts
For more information about RivCo Jails visit: riversidecountysheriff.org | |
Blythe : | 760-921-5780 |
Indio: | 760-863-8252 |
Robert Presley: | 951-955-4500 |
Larry D. Smith: | 951-922-7300 |
Southwest: | 951-696-3050 |
Source: Riverside County Sheriff’s Department
Contact the writer: [email protected]