(A resource guide for parents whose children are detained at the Central Juvenile Hall in San Bernardino)
The Central Valley Juvenile Hall sits at 900 E. Gilbert Street (right behind the old Medical Building), San Bernardino, CA 92404. The San Bernardino juvenile courthouse is located on the same site.
Below our San Bernardino criminal defense lawyers will explain the following:
- 1. Intake procedure at the Central Valley Juvenile Hall
- 2. How to contact a child detained at the Central Juvenile Hall
- 3. Visiting procedures and schedule for the Central Juvenile Hall
- 4. Rules and regulations on mail correspondence at Central Juvenile Hall
You may also visit our related pages on the High Desert Juvenile Hall, California Juvenile Crimes Defense Lawyers, the juvenile court process, sealing of juvenile court records, the Division of Juvenile Justice and when minors in California can face trial in adult court.
1. Intake procedure at the Central Valley Juvenile Hall
Upon admitting your child at the San Bernardino Central Juvenile Hall, your child will be provided with the essentials while detained at the facility. These items include clean clothing, footwear, and other personal effects to maintain their hygiene. All personal care will be consistently replaced as necessary and will not be re-used to other children at the facility.
Each child will be provided his or her own set of personal items and will not be shared with other children. When your child is released or transferred into a different institution, all their clothing and personal items acquired at the Central Juvenile Hall will go with them wherever he or she will be relocated.
Once your child is released from Central Juvenile Hall, your child will be dressed in his or her own personal clothing and footwear when they were initially admitted and will receive their personal belongings upon discharge.
2. How to contact a detainee detained at the Central Juvenile Hall
Once your child is admitted for detention at the San Bernardino Central Juvenile Hall, he or she will be given the opportunity to make phone calls. Outgoing calls are limited to parents, legal guardians, and/or a responsible relative, your child’s employer, or an attorney for legal counsel. Once you have been notified and others on the list indicated above, all succeeding phone calls will require a court order or approval from the Supervising Probation Officer or Duty Officer.
To contact Central Juvenile Hall, please call the main line (909) 383-1769 and your call will be directed to the appropriate person who can help you.
NOTE: Shouse Law Group is an experienced group of San Bernardino criminal defense lawyers who will assist you in this process to secure your child’s safety and best interests.
3. Visiting procedures and schedule for the San Bernardino Central Juvenile Hall
Only parents, grandparents, legal guardians, and anyone approved by the Supervising Probation Officer are allowed to visit a child detained at the San Bernardino Juvenile Hall. All visitors are subject to search of their persons and belongings as a safety measure. Valid proof of identification is required upon conducting your visit. All visitors must be 21 years of age.
Due to ongoing Covid-19 concerns, visitors must wear face masks during their visitation. If you do not have a mask with you, the juvenile corrections staff can provide you with one.
Below is a list of accepted forms of identification at the Central Juvenile Hall:
- California Driver’s License or Identification Card
- U.S. Passport
- Alien Registration Card
- Military Card
While visiting a minor at the San Bernardino Central Juvenile Hall, consumption of food and drinks are not allowed in the premises. On that same note, the following items are not allowed to be brought while conducting your visit at the Central Juvenile Hall:
- Alcohol, drugs and/or any contraband
- Illegal weapons/firearms and/or objects that can be used to injure one’s self or another person
- Cell phones and handbags/purses
Anyone caught in possession of the items listed above (except for cell phones and handbags/purses) will result to non-admission to the facility to conduct visit and may be prosecuted by the law. On that same note, if a visitor appears to be intoxicated or under the influence of any drug or illegal substance while visiting, he or she will be denied admission and also may be prosecuted.
Visitors are not allowed to smoke in the premises at any time. Visitors are expected to arrive at the facility in proper attire. No revealing clothing, images that depict gang-related activities and/or of sexual nature. Anyone who is not in compliance to the above rules will not be granted visiting privileges.
Visiting Hours at the San Bernardino Central Juvenile Hall
Visiting Hours at San Bernardino Central Valley Juvenile Detention Center
The visiting hours for all units at the San Bernardino Central Juvenile Hall vary based on the juvenile’s housing unit. Appointments are NOT necessary, hence visits are accommodated on a first-come, first served basis. Check-in at least 30 minutes before visit time begins.
- Unit 1A: Sun 2:30 pm to 4:40pm
- Unit 2A: Sun 6 pm to 8 pm
- Unit 2B: Mon 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm
- Unit 2C: Fri 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm
- Unit 2D: Fri 6 pm to 8 pm
- Unit 3A: Sat 9:30 am to 11:30 am
- Unit 3B: Tue 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm
- Unit 3C: Wed 2:30 om to 4:30 pm
- Unit 3D: Thurs 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm
- Unit 4A: Wed 6 pm to 8 pm
- Unit 4B: Thurs 6 pm to 8 pm
- Unit 4C: Mon 6 pm to 8 pm
- Unit 4D: Tue 6 pm to 8 pm
To find out unit assignment of your child, call and speak to a Duty Officer at the Central Juvenile Hall before planning your visit. For a detailed list of rules and regulations, you may also visit the facility to get a copy prior to actual day of visit.
NOTE: If your child’s behavior has become a concern to his or her safety and the other children in the facility, this might result into termination of his or her privilege to receive visitors. For inquiry on your child’s condition while detained at the Central Juvenile Hall, you may call the Supervising Probation Officer or Duty officer at anytime. The Central Juvenile Hall is open 24 hours a day and will accommodate your calls to make sure your concerns are addressed.
4. Sending Mail to Children at the San Bernardino Central Juvenile Hall
While detained at the San Bernardino Juvenile Hall, your child may correspond with anyone through mail. The facility will provide your child supplies to enable him or her write letters to you or whomever they want to. That being said, all mail correspondence is inspected and reviewed for security purposes. All mail correspondence must be properly addressed with no slogans or symbols that depict gang-related activities.
All mailings that are suspected to be advocating any criminal activity will be subject to further investigation that might result to your child being put in mail restrictions. For the most part, only letters or greeting cards are allowed to be sent or received in the mail by your child. Below is a list of items not allowed to be sent to your child in the mail:
- Illegal substances and/or contraband
- Packages of any sort (i.e. gifts that contains clothing, jewelry, and others alike)
- Subscription to any publication such as books, magazines, comics, etc.
Ultimately, mail correspondence will be the most efficient way of communicating with your child while they are detained at the Central Juvenile Hall.