Men's Central Jail

How Phone Calls Work at Men's Central Jail

By Jane Un, licensed bail agent #1843448. Updated October 29, 2026.

People at Men's Central Jail call out. They do not take incoming calls. After arrest, California law gives a person at least three completed calls, within three hours of arrest, free if local. LASD's inmate phone service is run by an outside vendor, and people who are unclassified cannot make calls yet.

Can I call someone at Men's Central Jail?

Plan on the person calling you. The LASD pages we read do not describe any way for the public to call a housing unit. If you need to leave word, call the general custody line at (213) 473-6100.

A man at MCJ who is unclassified, with no permanent housing yet, cannot make or receive calls at all, according to LASD. That can last two weeks to a month. Silence in the first days is common.

What are the free calls after arrest?

Penal Code 851.5 says an arrested person gets at least three completed calls, right after booking and no later than three hours after arrest unless it is physically impossible. They are free if made within the local calling area, and at the person's own expense outside it.

He may call an attorney or public defender, a bail agent or a relative or other person. Calls to an attorney are not monitored. A custodial parent can ask for two more free local calls to arrange child care. We read this law from a public mirror of the code, so treat it as a summary.

How do accounts work after that?

After booking, inmate phone service at LASD jails is run by an outside vendor. LASD links to the ViaPath and GTL family page from its inmate services page. We could not read the prepaid account steps or the rates, so we do not list them here.

LASD says prepaid phone cards cannot be mailed to inmates. Set up the account only through the vendor, and keep the inmate's name and booking number handy. Our inmate search guide shows how to get the number.

Why did he call me and then stop?

Calls can end for many reasons. A move can change how he reaches you. If calls stop, check the LASD lookup, because LASD does not notify families when a person is moved.

Do not talk about the case on a jail line. Only calls to an attorney are protected by law. Talk about bail amounts, court dates and who will sign for a bond, and leave the facts of the arrest to his lawyer.

What should I do on the first call?

Write down his full name, booking number and where he is held. Ask whether bail has been set and whether he has a court date. Then look at how bail is set at MCJ or read our guide to pre-arraignment release, because many low level arrests need no money at all.

If bail was set, we can walk you through a bond at (213) 725-2815. A family member, friend or attorney can call for him.

How can we stay in touch while calls are limited?

Mail is another way to reach him. Use the box on our mail page with his booking number, and ask the mail room supervisor at (213) 893-5874 how mail is handled before he is housed. Once he is housed, visits open up, and our visiting page has the Thursday through Sunday schedule.

His attorney is another channel. Calls to an attorney are not monitored. If you do not have a lawyer, our free resources directory lists public defenders and legal aid.

1% down is a down payment on approved credit, not the price of the bond. The premium is the rate on file with the California Department of Insurance, 10% of the bail amount, or 8% when a private attorney is retained or you or the defendant is a veteran. The balance goes on a payment plan.

More about Men's Central Jail

• Bail at Men's Central Jail
• Inmate search
• Visiting
• Send money
• Mail
• Property release
• Release after bail
• Bail amount

Jane Un Bail Bonds is a private bail agent licensed by the California Department of Insurance, License #1843448. We are not part of LAPD, LASD or the courts. Rules change, so check the official source before you go.