News media representatives have no greater right of access to detention facilities or inmates than any other member of the public. A visit by news media personnel shall be considered a social visit, not a professional visit. The Public Information Officer does not process requests for interviews.
Media representatives seeking an incarcerated person interview should proceed as described below:
- Get on the incarcerated person’s personal visitation list. Any visit will be counted as a personal visit for the incarcerated person. There are no special "professional" visits for the media. If you do visit an incarcerated person, you will not be allowed to use any audio or video recording equipment. You may only take handwritten notes.
- You can have the incarcerated person call you (media) on the phone. This is a collect call. You may record that conversation, but you need to advise the incarcerated person that the call is being recorded.
- Requests to gain contact with the incarcerated person or get on the incarcerated person's visiting list will need to be done by mail. Personal messages will not be delivered and mail dropped off at the jail will not be hand delivered.
- Send via U.S. Mail to:
Fresno County Jail
Attn: Incarcerated person's name
JID # and Booking #
(This can be obtained from the FSO website by use of the incarcerated person locator)
P.O. Box 872
Fresno, CA 93712
Mugshots
The Fresno County Sheriff's Office may only release mugshots of those suspects directly involved in its own investigations. Although the Sheriff's Office operates the Fresno County Jail and has photos of all incarcerated persons, it will not release a mugshot of another law enforcement agency's arrestee without first receiving that agency's consent.