I have unfortunately had a family member in custody on and off at this jail for several years now. The reason I am leaving a review is because of Deputy "Demilio" I hope his name was. I made it a point to ask him his name and department (the lobby he said) because he was the most attentive, companionate and proactive person I have ever spoken to throughout this unfortunate experience as a family member of an inmate. I received a concerning phone call from my son's dad today who I am separated from that he was having some medical issues and the fire dept was called due to breathing issues. Dept. Demilio made sure to contact the housing facility and confirm that he was OK. Thank you for giving me some piece of mind and not just dismissing me or transferring me to some dead end like I have experienced before. read more

Yes, as a visitor 4 stars ! If you have someone that you want to visit, that's incarcerated here, don't forget to call to schedule the appointment. In addition, there are no more same-day visits. Unfortunately, there are no handicap spots for parking. Except those a distance away in a paying parking structure. There's a loading and unloading area, but for the duration of a visit, there are none. (handicap spots) Unless I'm mistaken. Please make sure that you follow all the rules and guidelines, because they seem to change often depending on circumstances . For my visitation, I had to bring cash (no credit card ) to put money on my friend's books. Don't Forget: you need your approved ID, And of course your car key. (I also tried to refrain from wearing any metal belts etc. going through the metal detector. There are outside lockers, however I've never used them before. Don't forget to bring the booking number of the inmate. And when you call up, make sure that the visit is not during their lunchtime, or if they have a work assignment time. (rarely, something may come up that will disrupt all visitation for the day) This may sound silly, but I always make sure that I wear my glasses, because if I wear contacts, the dust inside really does affect them. Additionally, (if you like) make sure that you bring wipes for the visit phone, who knows who used it last, by multiple people. The guards there were very nice and professional, the wait wasn't long at all. Note: There are restrooms inside, but there is NO drinking fountain. Reminder, no cell phones allowed, which is why I only took one outside picture! And that's my review! read more

Theo Lacy Jail - Visiting someone at the Theo Lacy Facility - Jails & Prisons Near Me - Orange, California

Sheriffs doing the check in can be rude and sarcastic. I ahaha don't visited in a long time and couldn't remember where to take the elevator and when I asked he gave me a rude look like I should know. The cashier to put money on books was very rude as well. There was no line and I walked up to the window cause I wasn't sure how that worked and with a rude attitude she told me next time I have to wait in line and wait for them to call me if I want to be helped. read more

Went on Easter with my 14 and 15 year old was a few minutes late and they wouldn't let me my kids and I see their dad. Unable to message inmates in this facility, and you can't hug your loved one it's you only get to visit and see them through the glass on the other side while talking on the phone. read more

From an external perspective, my use of the facilities at Theo Lacy is limited to the times when I am scheduled to teach a class. The demeanor of the guards can vary significantly, depending on who is assisting--whether it is the guard operating the buzzer or the one stationed behind the glass. On one occasion, as I was walking to my car, you could hear a deputy addressing a driver parked in the red zone just outside the command post. The driver was waiting to pick up a recently released inmate. The deputy, speaking into the microphone, communicated with an unprofessional level of frustration and a dismissive tone, escalating the situation unnecessarily. The interaction was abrupt and unnecessarily aggressive. Conversely, there are deputies who approach interactions with professionalism and composure--those who are firm yet respectful, ensuring that their duties are carried out efficiently while maintaining a sense of dignity in their communication. In any profession, individuals who treat others with respect tend to excel in their careers and establish strong relationships. Regardless of a person's past decisions, they should be afforded the same level of respect they would expect in return. Of course, there are circumstances where respect may not be warranted, particularly in cases involving egregious harm to others (e.g., malicious acts against one's family). read more

I had to visit a person in facility check-in was quick and fast guards were very friendly and accommodating. The facility was spotless. They keep this place nice and clean the warden or whoever runs this facility runs a tight ship. read more

Theo lacy is the most professional correctional center. The corrections officers/clerks are super easy going and make the whole process of visiting a smooth experience. It is very cold in there so make sure to bring a jacket if you are visiting. The phones were decent quality, I heard my friend very clearly. I also deposited money into my friends books which was super easily and smoothly. read more

Went to drop off something for an incarcerated person and I was treated very disrespectfully. I literally felt like I was the prisoner. Completely treated me poorly due to my gender because a person of the opposite gender was treated 100% the opposite. Very ugly place. read more

as this chapter of our journey comes to an end and a new chapter begins, i would like to give a very big thank u to the visiting staff for making the visiting process so smooth. After 2 1/2 years of visiting at TL I dont have one complain. U guys are awesome. Keep up the good work and keep the smiles on ur faces. Shannon & Alex P read more

Theo Lacy Detention Facility Is located across the street from the "block" in orange. Parking is not free, and can be found down the block in front of the children's court house for $2.00 every 20-minutes. The other alternative is to park at the the block in orange and risk getting towed! visiting is scheduled in advance Limited public visiting in Orange County Jails has resumed. Visiting is limited to two (2) visits for each inmate each week (Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday) https://oc-jail.com/ Central Men's and Women's Jails Visiting Hours: Friday - Monday 8:00am to 5:00pm Central Jail Scheduling Number: 714-647-4543 VISITING PROCEDURES Visiting will be BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. No walk-ups will be accepted. Visiting is limited to two (2) visits for each inmate each week (Friday, Saturday, visiting lockers are available on-site but require $0.50 per one time use as NO cell phones are allowed in the Jail. for more information or to find someone in jail visit https://oc-jail.com/ read more

They can make you wait 10-15 minutes after your scheduled visit to go in and end your visit short but if you are less than 5 minutes late they reject you from visiting, When it's not busy and they could have accepted me. read more

It was my 1st time visiting an inmate and I was very confused. A Sheriff obviously saw that I didn't know the procedure of visiting, lockers, ID, keys, line up, money on books etc. A Sheriff came over to me and explained everything to me and walked me through the process. He definitely should work in human resources. read more

Don't do anything that will land you here. -For example, don't drink and then drive home. This will be your new home. It's not a hotel fellas. It's all bad, so just stay smart and stay safe. read more

Food is terrible and moldy. They don't give any incentive to the workers for volunteering to work, like food anymore.

So i get a phone today, Why is the jail serving frozen food that is not cooked? What their lives don't matter? I'm sorry but if the coronavirus is hurting the staff from doing their job, Then I think you should find other people to make sure the food is cooked.. If you think I'm going to let this slide, I'm not!! You know the staff is wonderful up in front but inside the facility is a whole different story.. Serve them food that is cooked not RAW they are not all Savages.. Thank you read more

Most of the sheriffs treat you with respect or maybe bcuz I've been going for so long. I go 2X/week to visit my husband. Who knows when it's going to finish. The only thing I don't like is the parking is so far from the jail and you must pay read more

officers are lazy asses not doing there job properly I was trying to make an appointment today for tommorow to visit my dad and I called them around 1:00 and I have no clue what those people do that is so important but besides treat the poor inmates poorly or maybe there just lazy to answer or asist people but they had me on the phone for three hours and usually when I call to make a appointment they usually answer less then 30 minutes but today I don't know what happened no one had answered the phone and I took screenshots of the time and once It was 4:00pm the only thing I heard was that "Are office hours are close have a good day" after that I got really pissed because I called ahead of time then I get this shit like I don't know why these officers chose these careers if they don't don't do there jobs properly. But hopefully this comments helps. read more

Stayed 9 months in barracks. Was like a holiday retreat. Guards very professional and respectful. My record has been expunged this month and I've turned my life around. Thank you for the experience read more

I'm writing as a visitor, not an inmate. Although, I heard it's pretty bad in there (but so is every jail, right?) Anyway... let's start with waiting times. This is what I've experienced. (Times vary by busyness, how quick staff is, and if there are any delays with the inmates (ie. Count, lunch, lockdown) Line outside: 0-30 min Line inside to get checked in: 2-30 min Cashier line: 5-unknown. I left after waiting 20 min and the line wasn't moving. Line to get checked into the phone area: 0-15 min Waiting at your designated spot to talk to your loved one: 5 min (this only happened once) - 2 hours!!! Soooo... allow yourself a lot of time when you go in. On average, I'm usually there for 2 hours total. Ok, now for the facility. It's pretty clean in the lobby and bathroom. Once you get into the area where you can talk to your loved one by phone, it's not as clean. There's always greasy hand prints on the glass and even lipstick from kisses (GROSS. Why would you kiss that glass?!) I don't know how often they wipe down the small metal seat and counter and phone for your designated spot. It feels grimy and I avoid touching it. If you go during a busy time, the phone area gets hot and so stuffy because they don't pump enough AC in there. Everyone's cranky from waiting and it doesn't help when the kids and babies start crying and screaming. (There are ALWAYS young children there). Ok now I'd like to review the staff: deputies and cashiers that help visitors... it's been hit or miss. I always make sure I'm very friendly and kind to everyone I talk to there. 2 deputies were nice and even cracked a joke with me. They gave me instructions on my first visit and it was helpful. The other deputies have a stick up their bum and won't even smile or show any sort of courtesy. They take their sweet time checking you in so it can take some time. The cashiers are usually nice but they're so slow. According to my loved one, this jail is the worst (for inmates) out of all the OC jails in terms of cleanliness, food, strictness, inmates, and treatment by deputies. It's high security for those who committed a more punishable crime. They only get 1 hour a day in the yard if they even get to go outside at all. It breaks my heart to hear these things, but I hope it will help him learn a permanent lesson. Remember to be strong for your loved one when visiting. They're having a harder time than you. Your visits are the only time they can get away from the sh*t inside. They don't need to feel worse. read more

The facility and bathroom are very clean, officers are nice and helpful. The two young girls in the front was so so nice and helpful, she guided me on what to do since it's my first time. I arrived at 12pm today and was able to visit my friend right away. I waited at the phone booth for 15 mins before my friend came out, the guard was very nice too. The parking was $6 Paid with CC. You have to park near the UCI parking structure. Kinda confused a bit. Overall it was a pleasant experience. read more

Shitty food, mistreatment of inmates. I know jail isn't supposed to be pleasant, but come on. They are still human beings. Parking...I won't take a chance on parking across the street, as there are signs in several locations warning you not to. The most I have paid to park in the covered parking next to UCI medical center was $11, as I had to wait longer for my boyfriend's property. Recently I only paid $5, and I was there two hours. Better safe than sorry. read more

worst place to pick up the phones. Takes me like 200 calls in an hour for someone to pick it up. They need to hire more people or let me just work there so I can answer the calls. Herd they suck at that and I can see why. read more

Shikiira kelly was found dead in her cell on July 18th our family was given little to no Information about her death she was due to go to court on July 19th but was pronounced dead one day before her court day read more

Just wanted to let everyone know Michelle is doing a wonderful job answering the phones at the Theo Lacey...I have a son that is incarcerated and she calmed me down & answered all my questions and made me feel better than I found out in the last 2 weeks....to all her managers above her I hope she gets a raise $$$$ she is doing a Tremendous job!!!!!!! I am very impressed not only was she polite and courteous but she actually had a good heart and felt my pain and everything I was going threw..... she is truly amazing you need more staff like her!!!!!! Thank you again Michelle you are one awesome Lady read more

Deputy D . Guidry is great , he is Doing a great job , he was very helpful and very professional. He does very well with the inmates.

They take about an hour to answer your phone call and after waiting so long they wouldn't even make my appointment with my brother the same day even though my mom has done it before so that means they are clearly lying. by far some of the least helpful people I've ever talked to The man who I spoke with didn't even bother giving me an explanation as to why he just kept saying we can't do it. fucken asshole read more

As a disabled person and upon visiting an inmate I found the experience horrible. I spent a total os three and a half hours finding a dialed parking place, waiting in line in total pain, then having to walk a block to the visitor center where I had to stop twice and take a nitroglycerin pill for chest pains. Then wait another 20 minutes for my relative to arrive. We got to chat for 15 minutes and then they cut off the phone. Then I had to walk 3 blocks back to my car stopping along the way in pain. When I mentioned to one of the sherifs at the desk about how awful the visitor experience is he replied that perhaps I should not come and visit if I could not handle their process. ..............................God bless America read more

Notice I don't have a "Check-in" here listed next to this review. I read that an inmate recently escaped (through a kitchen window) for the first time in recent memory. Based on my tour of this facility, I always thought it would have happened much sooner and by someone playing pole vault as one of their outdoor recreational activities. As to my visit here, and by visit, it was an actual field trip as part of a criminal justice course (I guess I was never interested enough in visiting this place to commit a crime to get in)... It really is an impressively large facility (11 acres of land and it houses approx 3,000 inmates) and in some ways like a campus, complete with cafeteria, classrooms, dorm rooms (multiple-bunk), and guys flashing chicks (it's an all male jail and some couldn't control themselves when they saw some of the girls in our field trip group, but in their defense perhaps they just wanted to give us an upfront glimpse of the penal system). There are obviously a lot of jokes that jails are state of the art facilities where there are weight rooms so inmates can bulk up to fight the guards, and law libraries and computers so inmates can study up and learn how to reduce their sentences. In this case, although it was well kept and had many features to qualify as state of the art, I don't recall anything too elaborate. Sure, there is outdoor recreation (includes a softball field), access to some newspapers and magazines received through subscriptions, TV, a law library, classes, and religious services, but I don't recall anything resembling a 24 Hour Fitness like gym or internet cafe. If I was reviewing a restaurant, this is the part where I would point out that it's in a good location (across from the Block and just off the 22). However, it may not be the safest area, but that's based more on the clientele this facility attracts. The service is said to be good, as the meals are something you can consistently rely upon. They "never close." There are also onsite laundry services (update: I've been informed it's actually shipped to Irvine - better yet, they do free pick-up and drop-off) and a rec room. The amenities definitely rank up there with some nearby apartment communities. There are 3 main areas to house the inmates. In one area referred to as Mods, the cells are covered by glass and there are usually 2 to a cell but sometimes just 1. Due to the glass, this is where the flashing noted above took place. The other 2 are common areas, with one of them basically being outside (it's a contained area of bunks but resides in the outdoor yard area). There is also an area which I recall being by the main visitor entrance, to house the over-nighters and others still waiting to be assigned their housing. Many wouldn't even know there's a jail here, as If you go looking for Theo Lacy, from the exterior it looks like any other office building. If you have trouble finding it, in addition to Mapquest or Google Maps, I believe there are a few things you can do to get a free ride into here. read more

Considering that tax funds are paying to maintain the facility, I found this place relatively clean and maneuverable up until I was called up to see my inmate. Also, keep in mind that If you don't like the service, maybe you can start a crowd-fund campaign and raise money to hire more employees to get you through the process faster. OR, how about disassociate yourself from anyone likely to end up there? Novel idea right? If I had my way, I'd make this place a noisy-free, kid-free zone. Also, I wish I could bring in Purell to wipe on my hands, and slather it on my face, and body anytime I touched any object in there, especially the telephones in the visiting booths. Can you get herpes if your face touches the receiver? I'm asking for a friend. Parking: Sure parking is a hassle. You can either pay up to $16 to park 3 blocks away and walk to the visiting center without encountering much auto traffic. Or park across the street in the Mall lot and hope that the security guards don't catch you as you run across the street before the lights turn red. The center: Since I had never visited any inmates anywhere, EVER, this was a new experience for me. First, you're not allowed to take anything into the building expect for keys, ID, money/ ATM card, and a diaper bag/bottle (see the OCSD website for more info). This is understandable since they are trying to keep you and themselves safe. Remember, this isn't Disneyland and unlike Disneyland, you're visiting one of the saddest places on in N. OC where a good concentration of criminals (on both sides of the glass) congregate. And just to keep everyone safe, they've provided 25 cent lockers just outside the facility in case you accidentally overpacked. Wait time: How long do you wait? It depends. This is not a doctor visit people. Sure I began getting concerned when I saw people that arrived after I did being called up before me. I asked someone that seemed to be familiar with the process about it. Her response was that it all depends on what the inmate is doing at the time, or the Unit letter they were calling out. I guess every section of the facility is like an apartment. And if your inmate is in Unit A and you arrived when they're calling out letter C, then you're likely to wait a long time until they come around to Unit A again. So the time you arrive doesn't guarantee your place in line. This is not a sure thing, it's simply my observation of the way things appear to work. Either way, take note that you can wait up to a couple of hours before you get to see your inmate- or so that's what I was told. My Turn: So here's where things got confusing for me. When I was finally called out I was told to follow some lady (she was also visiting an inmate and seemed to know her way around quite well). Had she not been there I would have had no clue where I was suppose to go and I could have easily gotten lost. The hallways of Theo Lacy are similar to those of IKEA, you know, a big labyrinth with no customer service in sight. Eek!!! If you get lost, oh well, you live there now. Find and orange jump suit and learn to adapt and become one with the natives. Maybe we'll send in the Navy Seals to find you. Maybe. Needless to say, I was ready to have a Breakfast At Tiffany's type of experience, but Breakfast at Tiffany's it was not. (You know, the movie- the prison scene, with no glass between them?) OVERALL: I can say with certainty that my experience will serve to discourage- peer pressure even- any other friends from living the life of a petty criminal. Choose the right path or face the consequences of spending a lonely life with no weekend visits...AND let me add that Orange is NOT a flattering color on anyone. AND those haircuts! On my!! They make a Fantastic Sam's cut look like you just spend $100 at the salon. I don't know why anyone would continue getting the same cut after getting released. "Yes, give me the inmate haircut look please". read more

With all of the recent (and ongoing) negative press about (yet more) inmate abuse, and federal investigations being blocked and lied about under the Sheriff's direction (now himself facing prison time), you'd think they'd be just a tad more conscientious about public perception/PR. Nope. Just a bunch of bullies running this place. Didn't matter that I came from work in business attire- I was treated like an inmate when I went to visit a friend... actually I hope that they don't treat the inmates that badly, but I'm sure they get it even worse than us. I've never been here before, and I can imagine that it's easy to get jaded working in a jail... but it was apparent that most of the thugs at this place aren't behind the bars dressed in jumpsuits... The officers are so incredibly rude, it's like they've lost all of their humanity just because they work in a jail. I work out in the field all day and I am friendly and respectful to cops that I regularly encounter and they are cool back to me. Not here. read more

This jail is better than most in OC cause instead of paying for parking you just park free across the street at the block. What makes it shitty is how fucking long you wait, especially some mods. Mod P is horrible there would be times I hear them call other mods twice before mine. I've waited over 2 hours multiple times. The cops and stafff are just like every other cop in the world. Some are friendly and some are on a power trip, same with those ladies who collect your money when you put money on someone's books. read more

I was here too. Dang what they did was very scary. I'll keep myself under lock and key. I'll be better at being self resilient. Thanks for the lesson. I'm doing better. read more

Been here once before as a visitor and swore I'd never go again but blood is thicker than water. Omg.. an hour and a half wait. I thought they had forgotten about me. And you don't really want to upset the sheriff's there do you? After all they are the ones carrying the guns. For a government building, it's pretty clean with fresh paint. Government issued furniture. Sheriff's seem to respect the visitors, and they do their job helping those with questions. If I hadn't followed an experienced visitor, I would have gotten lost. It does look like a campus from the outside, but inside you go down vanilla colored pai Ted brick walls and cement floors. You kind of feel like a prisoner yourself. My visit was through a glass wall with a phone. Kind of like you see in some movies. Not the most happy place. Hope I never have to go back again. Parking is easy, but expensive. Might even be cheaper to have someone drop you off, but then that is not convenient either. read more

Was grateful to release from Theo Lacy into home detention. OC Sheriffs allowed me to go home, back to work while completing sentence. Program was fair and Deputies were professional. Spaulding and Pequeno do their job well. read more

This is the newest, and thus the cleanest and best organized of all the jail facilities in the County of Orange. In a very urban and business setting (it's across from the Block in Orange), this jail houses much more than the Santa Ana main jail. Several levels, and several visiting facilities here. Unlike many other places, including Musik Peeler ("The Farm"), I found the deputies here to be very nice, and friendly to attorneys and other professionals. Have visited here at least 50 times, probably more. read more

I took my 2 girls( age 8 and 13) to see their day there the first weekend after he was arrested for the first time ever being in a jail I would have to say that visit was straight out of a movie - sitting behind glass and passing phone between the 3 of us for 15 minutes before phone cut off. BUT I WOULD NOT BE WRITING THIS IF THAT WAS IT! Two weeks later kids were getting sad so we decided to make another visit Oct 25 2014. We got there around 12 noon and there was no line so we went through all the steps of checking in and when we went to recieve our papers to walk back for our visit Deputy McAuliffe refused to let us go in and told me to read rules next time and get a babysitter the words/rules on the plastic dry erase card " 2 adults and 1 child under the age of 5". I was confused due to previous visit and the fact I called and was told it should not be an issue. But my 13 year ago daughter was planning on going to the movies just across the street afterwards anyway since her girlfriends were there waiting on her at the time. She said she would just go hang out a little early with them till show. When Deputy McAuliffe overheard her say this to me and her little sister he stopped checking in another person to forcefully state abandoning my child might be ok with me BUT HE WAS going to do something about it if we went into the visit and she went with her friends. WOW I was scared for her more than myself so we all left. But me and my 8 year old returned and waited 1 hour in line so she would see her daddy and again he started in questioning where was my other girl now? When it was not his business where my 13 year old was ...she walks home from school everyday has a cell phone and can be trusted to use the crosswalk to get to the mall just across the street. He then insisted I return to the line. But at this point I asked for his badge number he did not give it to me. After my visit another Deputy wrote down the Deputy;s name for me; WORSE YET since oldest was denied a visit I returned Sunday with her to see her dad and EVERYONE THERE ALMOST HAD 2 KIDS /BABIES PLUS ADULT AND NOT ONE OF THOSE FAMILIES GOT REFUSED A VISIT! I remained silent about this till my way out since they would be refused too to "follow the rules" since I noticed the discrimination against us the day before. In the end it was about the Deputy McAuliffe 's power trip and needing to make treats the day before. Shame on you for harrassing my girls and me! We are citizens not inmates and you are a BULLY....guess your in the right line of work for your character flaws! I hope one day to see you again- you might need to visit your family in the cancer ward where I work everyday so I can treat you with the respect that EVERYONE Adult or Child DESERVES! This facility needs to remove this man from contact with the public and make him have a desk job somewhere in Alaska. Theo Lacy needs to look closer at who represents them......This is a COMPLAINT about McAuliffe Deputy only. read more