What Happens After an Arrest in Riverside County: From Booking to Arraignment

After an arrest in Riverside County, the person is usually taken to one of the county's five jails for booking. Depending on the charge, they may be released with a promise to appear, released after bail is posted, or held until they see a judge. California law generally requires an in-custody arraignment within 48 hours of arrest, not counting Sundays and holidays.

Here is what each stage looks like, and what you can do as a family member while it happens.

Who made the arrest?

Riverside County has a mix of police agencies, and knowing which one made the arrest helps you know who to call.

• City police departments. Some cities, such as Riverside, have their own police department.
• The Riverside County Sheriff's Office as a contract police force. Many cities contract with the Sheriff for police services instead of running their own department. Coachella and La Quinta, for example, are served under contract by the Sheriff's Thermal Station.
• The Sheriff in unincorporated areas, and other agencies such as the California Highway Patrol.

No matter which agency made the arrest, adults are usually booked into a county jail run by the Sheriff's Office.

Where people are booked

The Riverside County Sheriff's Office runs five correctional facilities:

• Robert Presley Detention Center, 4000 Orange Street, Riverside. (951) 955-4500
• Cois M. Byrd Detention Center, 30755-B Auld Road, Murrieta. (951) 696-3050
• Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility, 1627 S. Hargrave Street, Banning. (951) 922-7300
• John J. Benoit Detention Center, 82675 Highway 111, Indio. (760) 863-8252
• Blythe Jail, 260 N. Spring Street, Blythe. (760) 921-5780

Where someone ends up generally depends on where in the county they were arrested. A person can also be moved between facilities after booking, so check the inmate lookup again if you can't find them where you expected.

What booking involves

Booking is the jail's intake process. Staff record the person's identity, take fingerprints and a photo, collect and inventory their property, check for warrants and holds, and do a basic health screening. Booking takes time, and it can take longer on busy nights.

Until booking is finished, the person may not appear in the online search and staff may not be able to tell you a bail amount. Waiting is frustrating, but it is normal.

How to find someone in custody

The Sheriff's Office offers an online inmate information search at jimspub.riversidesheriff.org. Search by name. When you find the person, write down:

• Full legal name, exactly as listed
• Booking number
• Facility
• Charges and bail amount, if shown
• Court date and courthouse, if shown

That information is what a bail agent or attorney will ask for first.

How bail is set in Riverside County

Each California county's superior court judges adopt a countywide bail schedule every year (Penal Code section 1269b). The Superior Court of California, County of Riverside adopted its current Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule effective October 24, 2025.

Riverside's schedule does more than list dollar amounts. It sorts offenses into categories that affect whether the person can be released before seeing a judge:

• Cite and Release and Book and Release offenses. For these, the court's schedule says the Sheriff's Office may release the person on a signed promise to appear, without posting bail.
• Other bailable offenses. The Sheriff's Office may continue to accept bail in the scheduled amount.
• Offenses marked for arraignment review. These generally go before a judge first.

If the arrest was on a warrant, the schedule does not control. Bail is set by the judge who issued the warrant. And at any point, a judge can change bail. The schedule says the court weighs public safety (the primary consideration), the victim's safety, the seriousness of the charge, the person's record, and the likelihood they will return to court.

Arraignment: the first court date

Arraignment is the first court appearance. The judge tells the person what they are charged with, addresses whether they have a lawyer, takes a plea, and decides on bail or release conditions.

For someone who stays in custody, California Penal Code section 825 requires that they be brought before a judge without unnecessary delay, and in any event within 48 hours after arrest, excluding Sundays and holidays. If that deadline falls when court is not in session, it extends to the next court session. The statute also has a specific rule for arrests on a Wednesday after court has closed: the person must be arraigned no later than that Friday, unless Friday is a court holiday.

This is a legal deadline, not a promise of a specific release time. If charges are not filed, the person may be released. If they are filed, the judge decides what happens next.

If the person was released before arraignment, they will have paperwork with a court date and courthouse. They need to appear on that date.

Release options

Promise to appear or citation

For some lower-level offenses, the person may be released on a signed promise to appear without paying anything.

Bail

Bail can be posted in cash for the full amount, or through a licensed bail agent who posts a bond. A bond premium is typically 10% of the bail amount, based on rates filed with the California Department of Insurance, and it is not refundable. Our page on how bail works explains the difference in more detail.

Own recognizance (OR)

A judge can release someone on their own recognizance, meaning no bail is paid. Under Penal Code section 1318, the person must sign an agreement promising to appear at all court dates, follow any conditions the court sets, not leave California without permission, and waive extradition if they fail to appear and are arrested out of state.

What families should do, step by step

1. Get the basics. Find out the person's full name, date of birth, and where and when they were arrested. If they call you, ask for their booking number.
2. Look them up. Use the Sheriff's inmate search. If they are not listed yet, booking may still be underway.
3. Write everything down. Booking number, facility, charges, bail amount and court date.
4. Do not discuss the case on jail phones. Jail calls are generally recorded. Talk about logistics, not what happened.
5. Decide on bail. If bail is set and you want to post it, choose between cash and a bond. Before signing with any agent, ask for their license number and check it on the California Department of Insurance website.
6. Consider an attorney. A defense attorney can advise on the charges and can ask a judge to lower bail or grant OR release.
7. Plan for the court date. Once the person is out, help make sure they get to every hearing. Missing court can lead to a warrant and a forfeited bond.

For more on bail across the county, see our Riverside County bail bonds page.

This article is general information, not legal advice. For questions about your case, talk to a criminal defense attorney.

Need help now?

OnCall Bail Bonds' licensed agents answer 24/7 in English and Spanish, and you can sign from your phone. Call our Riverside County line at (951) 339-3801 or start bail online.