Find San Benito County Arrest Records

San Benito County recent arrests are managed by the San Benito County Sheriff's Office, which operates the county jail in Hollister. This small county south of Santa Clara County processes fewer bookings than its larger neighbors, but all arrest records are still public under California law. The sheriff's Corrections Division handles jail operations and booking. If you want to look up someone who was recently arrested in San Benito County, you can contact the jail by phone or check available resources online. Recent arrest data includes names, charges, and booking details for people currently held in San Benito County custody.

San Benito County Recent Arrest Searches

The San Benito County Sheriff's Office runs the county jail in Hollister. When someone gets arrested anywhere in San Benito County, they are taken to this facility. The booking process creates a record with the person's name, charges, arrest date, and bail. This information is public. The sheriff's office has a Corrections Division page on the county website with contact details for the jail.

San Benito County is growing but remains one of the smaller counties in California. It does not have the same kind of large online booking search tool that counties like Sacramento or San Diego offer. For the most current arrest information, calling the jail is often the quickest option. Staff can confirm if a specific person is in custody and share basic booking details over the phone.

The city of Hollister has its own police department. Hollister PD makes arrests within city limits. Those arrested by Hollister police are booked into the San Benito County jail. The Hollister Police Department and the sheriff's office work together, but the county jail is the single facility where all booking records are created and stored.

Note: San Benito County is growing fast, and the sheriff's online resources continue to expand over time.

San Benito County Booking Process

The booking process at the San Benito County jail follows California standards. Officers bring the arrested person in and start intake. They take fingerprints and a photo. Personal information goes into the system, including full name, date of birth, and physical description. The charges from the arresting officer are logged. Bail gets set from the San Benito County bail schedule.

Some people post bail and leave fairly quickly. Others must wait to see a judge. San Benito County Superior Court handles arraignments, typically within 48 hours of arrest (excluding weekends and holidays). The arrest record stays in the system whether the person is released on bail or held for court. Anyone can later request a copy of that record from the sheriff's office.

Arrest Record Laws for San Benito County

California's arrest disclosure law applies in San Benito County just as it does everywhere in the state. Government Code 7923.610 lists exactly what law enforcement agencies must share when someone is arrested. It includes the person's full name and occupation, physical description, date and time of arrest and booking, where the arrest happened, the bail amount, how and when the person was released or where they are held, and all charges. San Benito County cannot hold back this information unless disclosure would put someone in danger or interfere with a case.

The California Public Records Act gives you the right to request records from the San Benito County Sheriff. Put your request in writing. The agency has 10 days to respond. Fees are usually small for copies. Some agencies provide digital copies at no charge.

San Benito County arrest records are also reflected in statewide databases. The state DOJ tracks arrest data from all California counties. If you want to see your own record, you can request it through the DOJ Record Review process by submitting fingerprints and paying a $25 fee.

San Benito County Arrest Record Resources

Since San Benito County does not have a dedicated online inmate search portal, state-level tools fill the gap. The CDCR CIRIS database covers people sentenced to state prison. If someone arrested in San Benito County was later convicted and sent to a CDCR facility, you can find them there. The search is free and works by name or CDCR number.

The CDCR CIRIS tool shows current state prison inmates, their location, admission date, and parole hearing dates. It covers people from all California counties, including those originally arrested in San Benito County.

VINE is another helpful resource. Call 877-411-5588 to check on an inmate or sign up for custody status alerts. It works statewide and covers San Benito County jails.

Sealing San Benito County Arrests

If you were arrested in San Benito County and the case did not end in a conviction, you might be able to get that record sealed. Penal Code 851.87 allows you to petition San Benito County Superior Court to seal the arrest. Once the court approves, the arrest is hidden from most background checks.

California also runs an automatic sealing program. The DOJ reviews records monthly and seals qualifying misdemeanor arrests from January 2021 onward where charges were dismissed or never brought. You do not need to file anything for this process. It runs on its own. Both the petition-based and automatic methods apply to arrests made anywhere in California, including San Benito County.

Note: Sealing only restricts public access to the record; it does not erase the arrest from all government databases.

San Benito County Arrest Records by City

San Benito County does not have any cities with a population over 100,000. Hollister is the largest community and the county seat. All arrests in the county are processed through the San Benito County jail. Contact the sheriff's office directly to check on recent bookings.

Nearby Counties

San Benito County borders these counties. Each one maintains its own jail system and arrest record tools.