Quick Facts

• Opened by Sheriff's Office in 1991
• Rated Capacity: 760
• Site Size: 8 acres

Located in Otay Mesa, the East Mesa Reentry Facility (EMRF) was initially built as a probation camp in conjunction with the George F. Bailey Detention Facility. It was turned over to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office in 1991. In 2014 the East Mesa Reentry Facility not only completed an expansion project but went through a name change as well. The name now reflects its new mission in the Detention Services Bureau; to operate the Reentry services for the Sheriff’s Office.

EMRF is a Type II medium security facility situated on eight acres in south San Diego County. It consists of six housing dormitories, recreation areas, a mess hall, several classrooms, counselor, medical, probation and administrative offices. The landscaping and surrounding grounds are maintained by the inmate workers participating in the Landscaping Program. Benefits for inmates assigned to EMRF include the opportunities to work, educational incentives and the ability to learn job skills due to the lower classification levels of the inmates at this facility.

For programming information, please see the Reentry Services page on the Sheriff's Office website.

Video Visits - Due to the current pandemic and social distancing guidelines, video visits are not being offered at this facility at this time.

The East Mesa Reentry Facility now offers Home User video visitation for all its housing units. With video visitation, you can visit remotely using a computer with a web camera connected to the Internet. Video visits at the facility will be 30 minutes in length.

Please note: Due to facility operations, there will be no Home User video visits on Monday's from 1600-2200 hours.

Learn more about visitation on our Visiting page.

Video Visit Times

Social Visits - At this time, in-person social visits have not resumed at the East Mesa Reentry Facility.  

Social Visit Times

A1/A2, B1/B2, C1/C2, D1/D2 - 30 Minute Visits

H3 - 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D - 30 Minute Visits

H4 - 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D - 30 Minute Visits