Nevada County Jail Info – Bail, Visiting, Contacting Inmates

The Nevada County Jail, also known as the Wayne Brown Correctional Facility, is located in Nevada City, CA. This detention center holds pre-sentenced detainees as well as those who are serving sentences for California misdemeanor and felony crimes. Built in 1991, the facility has a current capacity to house 283 male and female inmates.

In December, 2018, a complainant filed a lawsuit against the Nevada County Sheriff’s Department alleging he suffered a broken leg during the jail booking process. Since then, a newly elected sheriff has taken over the leadership role; Ms. Shannon Moon is reported to be the first openly gay sheriff in California.

The Wayne Brown Correctional Facility is located about 60 miles northeast of Sacramento in Northern California. The address and phone number are:

950 Maidu Avenue
Nevada City, CA 95959
Phone: (530) 265-1291

Friends and family members of current Nevada County detainees and inmates will find important information below, provided by our California criminal defense lawyers team. Topics include:

• 1. Inmate Search
• 2. Bail Bonding Options
• 3. Contacting an Inmate
• 4. Commissary Cash Accounts
• 5. Visiting the Nevada City Jail
• 6. Mail Policies
• 7. Life in Detention

1. Search for a Nevada County Jail Inmate

The Nevada County Sheriff provides two online sites to check if you believe your friend or loved one may have been taken into custody. The “Inmates in Custody” link provides a list of all inmates currently incarcerated at the jail. Information provided here is the inmate’s booking date, booking number, and visitation details.

There is also a “Jail Media Report” which provides a list of inmates booked into the jail on any given date. This data includes the inmate’s birth date and occupation as well as criminal charges on file and the category (“type”) of offense, felony or misdemeanor.

2. Posting Bail

In many cases, a detained individual in the Nevada County Correctional Facility will be granted a bail bonding option. Friends and family members may wish to pay bail to gain temporary freedom for their loved one.

To determine if bail has been granted and other specific bonding details, call the Nevada County Jail at (530) 265-1291. You can also contact a bail bonding agency for assistance. Note that a bail bondsman will charge a nonrefundable fee for services.

3. Inmate Phone Calls

Initial detainees at the Nevada County Detention Center will be allowed three free local phone calls, which they can use to contact loved ones and/or a criminal defense attorney. Family and friends are not permitted to call into the Wayne Brown Correctional Facility to speak directly to a detainee or inmate.

Phones are available in common areas for inmate use, with all outgoing, personal inmate calls placed collect or funded by prepaid accounts. The jail contracts with TelWest to facilitate inmate phone communication services.

You can set up an account by calling TelMate at (866) 516-0115 or go online to the TelMate website. Once your account is set up, you can pay for phone minutes on the website, by calling the TelMate phone number, or using the kiosk in the jail lobby. The machine takes cash, credit and debit cards.

Note that all phone calls will be subject to monitoring and recording. To avoid negatively impacting a friend or family member’s pending criminal case, take care to avoid making incriminating statements pertaining to criminal charges.

4. Deposits for Commissary Accounts

Inmates at the Nevada City Jail can order food and other comfort items through commissary, and friends and families can contribute to an account set up for this purpose. To establish a payment account, go to the Touchpay website or call (866) 232-1899. To make a deposit, you will need the facility locator number, which is 295901, and the inmate’s booking number (which can be obtained with a phone call to the jail or online at in custody inmates).

Through the Touchpay system, you can deposit funds for an inmate cash account 24-hours a day using your credit or debit card or an electronic check. You can also make commissary deposits via the kiosk machine in the jail lobby. There will be transaction fees assessed for these services.

Another commissary option is purchasing “care package” items for an inmate at icaregifts.com. The selection includes various food packages, a hygiene kit, and a “stationary pack” to use for outgoing correspondence. The Nevada County Jail limits care package orders to one per week. Orders received by Sunday will be delivered the following Tuesday.

5. Visitation at the Jail

Wayne Brown Jail inmates are permitted one personal 30 minute visit per week, with a maximum of two people allowed per visit. (At least one of these visitors must be an adult.) Note that these are not contact visits; you will speak to your friend or loved one through a video screen. Due to ongoing Covid-19 concerns, masks will be required.

Visitation days and times depend on the inmate’s section number:

Tuesday: A section and N section group 1
Wednesday: Medical, D section, E section, F section, N section groups 1 and 2
Thursday: C section, N section group 1
Friday: “Make-up day”, N section group 1

You can obtain specific visiting hours for your loved one by using the online “Inmates in Custody” link. You can call the Wayne Brown Correctional Facility at (530)265-1291 to obtain or verify this information.

Appointments are required. For the latest information regarding appointments and requirements, call the jail at 530-265-1291. Inmates who are working will be unable to participate in visitation.

The following visitation rules are in effect at the Nevada County Detention Center:

• Visitors over 18 must have government-issued ID to participate in visitation.
• Minors under age 18 must be in the company of a parent or legal guardian.
• A mask, face-covering, or face shield is required during visitation. Social distancing protocols must also be followed.
• Children must be supervised at all times and may not be left unattended on the detention center premises.
• Children creating a disturbance will cause termination of the visit.
• Cell phones and cameras are not allowed in visitation rooms.
• You may visit one inmate only per visitation day. (This rule may be flexible in an emergency or other unusual circumstance.)
• “Appropriate” attire is expected. (This generally means avoid revealing or provocative clothing or attire displaying obscene, criminal, or drug-related content.)
• Visitors must be willing to submit to a screening and possible search.

6. Mail Policies

You can send an unlimited amount of postal mail to Nevada City Jail inmates, and inmates can also send unlimited outgoing correspondence. Include your full name and address on the envelope, which should be addressed as follows:

Inmate Name
Wayne Brown Correctional Facility
P.O. Box 928
Nevada City, CA 95959

Note that packages are not accepted, and money/checks are also not accepted through the mail. All incoming personal mail will be opened and inspected before it is passed along to the inmate.

There is a list of prohibited items that are considered contraband for Nevada County Jail inmates.

These include:

• Envelopes, stationery and stamps (which are available for purchase through commissary)
• Stickers
• Items containing gang communications or graphics
• Material from a hate group or that condones or incites violence
• Pornography

If you wish to send softcover books or magazines, you can do so by ordering them for delivery directly from the publisher or retailer.

7. Life and Health at the Jail

Inmates at the Nevada County Correctional Facility will be housed according to classification. After assessing the criminal history and other factors, a determination will be made regarding need for minimum, medium, or maximum security accommodations.

In addition to food and basic necessities, WBCF inmates are provided with access to medical treatment, dental services, and mental health care, if needed. Healthcare is provided through the California Forensics Medical Group. Dietary needs for diabetics and vegetarians are accommodated by the kitchen.

Programs provided for inmates at the Nevada County Jail include drug and alcohol recovery support, religious services, and educational classes through Nevada Union Adult School. There are also classes regarding parenting and anger management as well as “mindfulness” courses geared toward managing stress and recognizing dysfunctional thought patterns. Area volunteers offer enrichment for inmates, such as theater arts and yoga classes.

Minimum security inmates have the opportunity to participate in work detail at the jail, with positions in the kitchen and laundry, as well as for general clean-up and painting duties. Some inmates also work in the Sheriff’s Department offices.

The Wayne Brown Correctional Facility follows protocols of the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). More information pertaining to PREA enforcement at this jail, including assault and harassment incident reports, is provided on the Nevada County Sheriff’s website.