Del Norte County Inmate Population Overview
The Del Norte County inmate population is split between two very different custody systems. The Citizen RIMS Incarcerated People roster covers people booked into the Del Norte County Jail, including current jail custody and very recent releases. The California Incarcerated Records and Information Search covers sentenced prisoners in CDCR custody, including people housed at Pelican Bay State Prison. Those two systems should not be blended into one count. The jail roster is an operating feed. The state prison population is a CDCR institution count.
On May 31, 2026, the official Citizen RIMS API returned 122 Del Norte County Jail roster records, with 78 marked In Custody and 44 marked Released. That roster count is useful for search, but it is not the same as a daily jail census because the county setting keeps recent releases visible for seven days. For a more stable jail-population trend, the BSCC jail population series reported Del Norte County at 83 average daily population for January through September 2023. The right number depends on the question being asked.
Del Norte County Inmate Population Statistics
Del Norte County's jail capacity is published in two official source types. The county's 2022 jail facility assessment RFP described the jail as a Type II local detention facility with 133 state-rated beds. The BSCC rated-capacity file updated April 24, 2026 lists Del Norte County with 146 Type II beds. Both figures belong in context because one describes the county assessment record and the other is the current statewide capacity table. The live custody count from Citizen RIMS on May 31, 2026 was 78, which is 53.4 percent of the 146-bed BSCC rated capacity.
| Measure | Figure | Source / Date |
|---|---|---|
| Del Norte County Jail roster records | 122 total, 78 in custody | Citizen RIMS API, inspected 2026-05-31 |
| Roster release age-out | 7 days | Citizen RIMS agency configuration, 2026-05-31 |
| Jail rated capacity | 146 Type II beds | BSCC rated-capacity file, updated 2026-04-24 |
| Facility assessment capacity | 133 state-rated beds | County jail assessment RFP, 2022 |
| Pelican Bay State Prison | 1,942 population, 1,804 design capacity | CDCR TPOP1, as of 2026-04-30 |
Del Norte County Inmate Population Trends
The jail trend moved down from 2019 into 2022 and then rose in the partial 2023 BSCC series. The figures below are average daily population values, so they are better for trend work than a single roster pull. The 2026 roster snapshot sits close to the 2023 average, but it should be read as a custody-search count taken on one date, not an official annual average.
| Year | ADP / Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 105 ADP | BSCC Jail Population Trends, Del Norte County |
| 2020 | 88 ADP | BSCC Jail Population Trends, Del Norte County |
| 2021 | 87 ADP | BSCC Jail Population Trends, Del Norte County |
| 2022 | 72 ADP | BSCC Jail Population Trends, Del Norte County |
| 2023 | 83 ADP | BSCC trend report through Q3 2023 |
| 2026-05-31 | 78 in custody | Citizen RIMS roster snapshot, not annual ADP |
Del Norte County Jail Population Makeup
Citizen RIMS displays enough field detail to show the makeup of the current jail roster without exposing dates of birth, real addresses, or booking photos. In the May 31, 2026 in-custody set, the public data showed 68 males, 9 females, and 1 blank sex field. Race fields showed 50 White records, 13 American Indian or Alaska Native records, 7 Hispanic records, 2 Black or African American records, 2 Native Hawaiian records, 2 Unknown records, 1 Asian Indian record, and 1 Other Asian record. These are roster fields, not a demographic report, so they should be read as operational custody data.
- Sentenced status: BSCC reported 2023 ADP at 26 sentenced and 57 non-sentenced people for Del Norte County.
- Charge level: Citizen RIMS charge rows identify felony and misdemeanor levels when that field is public.
- Arresting agency: Inspected bookings included CHP, Crescent City Police Department, sheriff, court, and DA-related agency codes.
- Public fields: Age, sex, race, height, weight, hair, eyes, build, complexion, charges, bail, and status can appear.
Del Norte County Jail Capacity
The Del Norte County Jail is the county's only jail facility, located in a building complex that began with the 1963 sheriff and jail structure. The 1984 modification added an exercise area, and the 1994 addition added a direct-supervision section with five dorms, a control room, recreation space, kitchen, laundry, one program room, a modified booking area, and a redesigned sally port. The county's 2022 RFP sought an assessment of condition, ADA compliance, detention standards, useful life, and functionality. That makes capacity more than a bed number. It is also a building, staffing, classification, and safety issue.
The May 31, 2026 live in-custody count was below the BSCC listed capacity, while Pelican Bay State Prison's April 30, 2026 CDCR population stood above design capacity at 107.6 percent. Those figures describe different systems. The Del Norte County Jail holds local bookings, pretrial detainees, short local sentences, and holds shown on Citizen RIMS. Pelican Bay holds sentenced state prisoners under CDCR control.
Laws for Del Norte County Inmate Data
California law sets the frame for what can be made public, what must be withheld, and how jail information is governed. Del Norte County's public-records page points to the California Public Records Act and uses NextRequest for county records. The jail roster is a faster first stop for current or recent custody, but a record request is still the route for older booking records, copies, or records not published in Citizen RIMS.
Key Statutes:
Government Code section 7920.000 names the California Public Records Act framework used by the county PRA process.
Government Code section 7923.610 requires release of specified arrest and booking information, subject to safety and investigation limits.
Penal Code section 6030 requires BSCC minimum standards and biennial review for local detention facilities.
Penal Code section 10008 requires specified in-custody death information to be posted online within 10 days.
Del Norte County State Prison Population
Pelican Bay State Prison is physically in Del Norte County, but it is not part of the county jail roster. The CDCR Pelican Bay facility page describes a state prison with Level I, Level II, Level IV, restricted housing, medical, infirmary, and mental-health crisis beds. The CDCR TPOP1 report listed PBSP at 1,942 people as of April 30, 2026. Del Norte County court cases can send sentenced people into CDCR custody, but a person sentenced from Del Norte County may be housed at PBSP or at another state institution. CIRIS is the proper search system after transfer.
Search the Del Norte County Inmate Population
The official county jail search path starts on the sheriff page and moves to the Sheriff's Public Information Portal. The portal route for custody is Incarcerated People. It is free, public, and did not require a public login during research. It covers Del Norte County Jail bookings, including records from arresting agencies such as the sheriff, CHP, Crescent City Police Department, and court or DA-related codes when they appear in the roster data.
- Open the Del Norte County Sheriff's Office page and choose the Sheriff's Public Information Portal.
- Select Incarcerated People to reach the Del Norte County jail roster.
- Search by first and last name or scroll the current and recent booking list if the mobile view is narrow.
- Open the booking card to read status, booking time, arresting agency, charge rows, bail, and public physical descriptors.
- If the person is no longer in local jail custody, check CDCR CIRIS, California VINE, BOP, ICE ODLS, or a records request.
Del Norte County Roster Lookup
The roster configuration shows that the inmate module is enabled, booking photos are disabled, and release records can remain visible for seven days. That means a Released status may still appear after a person has left the jail. The count endpoint returned 122 records on May 31, 2026. The public notice also warns that juvenile and sensitive calls may be omitted and that data can be incomplete or delayed while filing is pending in court.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| First | Text | No | Bound to firstName in the Citizen RIMS inmate component. |
| Last | Text | No | Bound to lastName and useful for narrowing a long list. |
| Record expansion | Click or tap | No | Opens booking details and nested charge rows. |
| Pagination | Dynamic controls | No | Listing can include in-custody and recent-release records. |
The Citizen RIMS Incarcerated People page is the public screen tied to those fields.
The roster screenshot shows why status matters. A search result can represent current custody or a recent release retained by the seven-day age-out setting.
Del Norte County Released Records
Recent releases can remain on Citizen RIMS for a short period, but older booking records require a request. The sheriff-linked records request form accepts requests for crime reports, calls for service, arrest information, and other public sheriff documents, with questions routed to dnso-records@co.del-norte.ca.us. The form says a response should be provided within 10 days. The county's Public Records Request page also points requesters to NextRequest and says requests must identify records rather than ask general questions.
Del Norte County Inmate Record Fields
Citizen RIMS records are detailed even though mugshots, dates of birth, and real addresses are suppressed. Public records inspected through the official portal API included booking ID, booking agency, original arresting agency, booking and arrest date or time fields, release status, out date when present, physical descriptors, charge rows, and bail. Some fields can be blank because they depend on what has been entered and what is public for that record.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Name | Full name, usually formatted last, first, middle. |
| Status | In Custody or Released. |
| Booking Date/Time | When the jail booking record was entered. |
| Arresting Agency | Agency code such as CHP, CCPD, DNSO, DNSC, or DNDA. |
| Charges | Charge code, description, level, count, arresting agency, and bail. |
| Bail | Bail amount per charge plus total bail when available. |
| Hidden Fields | Booking photo, date of birth, and real address are not public in this module. |
Del Norte County Jail vs Prison Lookup
A Del Norte County inmate lookup should start with the type of custody. Local bookings and short local custody belong in Citizen RIMS. Sentenced California prisoners belong in CDCR CIRIS. Federal prison records use the BOP Inmate Locator. Immigration custody uses ICE ODLS. California VINE at VINELink can help with custody status and release notification, and the sheriff publishes the VINE phone line as 1-877-411-5588.
| County Jail | State Prison | |
|---|---|---|
| Who is held | Pretrial detainees, local sentences, holds, recent bookings | Sentenced California prisoners |
| Run by | Del Norte County Sheriff's Office | California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation |
| Where to search | Citizen RIMS Incarcerated People | CDCR CIRIS |
| Local facility | Del Norte County Jail | Pelican Bay State Prison |
Del Norte County Detention Facilities
Del Norte County has two confirmed detention facilities that matter for custody search. They are in the same city, but they serve different legal systems. The county jail is a sheriff-operated Type II local adult detention facility. Pelican Bay is a CDCR state prison.
- Del Norte County Jail - local jail for arrests, pretrial custody, local sentences, warrants, holds, and recent releases shown in Citizen RIMS.
- Pelican Bay State Prison - CDCR state prison for sentenced California prisoners, searched through CIRIS rather than the county roster.
Del Norte County Inmate Population FAQ
How big is the Del Norte County inmate population?
The answer depends on the source. Citizen RIMS showed 78 people in custody at the county jail on May 31, 2026, while BSCC reported 83 ADP for 2023. Pelican Bay State Prison, a separate CDCR facility in the county, had 1,942 people as of April 30, 2026.
How do I search Del Norte County inmates?
Use Citizen RIMS for current or recent Del Norte County Jail bookings. Use CDCR CIRIS for sentenced state prisoners, BOP for federal prisoners, and ICE ODLS for immigration detention. VINE can also provide custody status and release notifications.
Why does the roster show released people?
Del Norte's Citizen RIMS configuration keeps recent release records visible for seven days and converts them to Released status. A roster count can include both current and recent-release records, so read status before treating a record as current custody.