The Marin County Jail is an operational function of the Sheriff’s Office Detention Services Bureau and it is located on the Civic Center grounds in San Rafael. In 2011 the Jail booked 7,441 individuals, and provided housing and care for an average daily population of 293 inmates. In addition, the Jail in conjunction with the Probation Department has over 200 sentenced individuals on county parole or work release programs.

The Jail houses all individuals who have been booked for a violation of law or sentenced by the Marin County Courts to serve a jail term (usually one year or less). The Jail houses both men and women; however no one under the age of 18 is housed in the Jail, except in certain cases dictated by law.  Individuals enroute to another jail or prison may be temporarily held in the County Jail.  State law and the state Corrections Standards Authority (CSA) set the standards by which a jail is operated.