Kern County Lerdo Max-Med Security Facility

Kern County Lerdo Max-Med Security Facility basic information to help guide you through what you can do for your inmate while they are incarcerated. The facility's direct contact number: 661-391-2064

This facility is for adult inmates.

The Kern County Lerdo Max-Med Security Facility is a medium-security detention center located at 17645 Industrial Farm Rd Bakersfield, CA which is operated locally by the Kern County Sheriff's Office and holds inmates awaiting trial or sentencing or both. Most of the sentenced inmates are here for less than two years. Kern County accepts inmates from surrounding towns, municipalities, the US Marshal's Service and the Bakersfield Police Department who do not have their own long-term lock-up.

The Maximum-Medium Facility is the second oldest jail in the Kern County detention system. The facility has a maximum capacity of 408 inmates and generally holds pre-sentenced and sentenced inmates. The Max-Med Facility provides services to the community by incarcerating both county and federal pre-trial and court sentenced inmates, civil detainees, parole violators, and contracted Bureau of Prisons (BOP) federal inmates. Max-Med is designated as the booking facility for Contract Inmates and includes a booking area, medical clinic, recreation yard, a legal resource center, visiting rooms and an inmate classroom. These inmates are predominately housed at the Max-Med and the adjacent Lerdo Pre-Trail Facility and the Lerdo Minimum Facility.

The Lerdo Maximum Medium (Max-Med) Facility is a Type II jail facility, opened in 1978 with a rated bed capacity of 374. The facility is designed with both Dorm and Tier style housing with multi-cell and single-cell housing configurations. In 2012, the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) approved 34 additional beds increasing the Capacity to 408.

Under the management of a Detentions Lieutenant the facility is operated by: 5 Detentions Sergeants, 5 Detentions Senior Deputies, 56 Detentions Deputies, and 10 Civilian Support Staff. The Max-Med Facility is staffed twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The facility has cameras inside secure areas and outside of entrances and exits of the facility that are monitored by staff. Max-Med Facility operates under the following Policy and Procedures: Sheriff’s Office, Detentions Bureau, Max-Med Facility, Title 15, Title 24, and Prison Rape Elimination Act- (PREA). The facility ensures compliance through data tracking, compiling monthly reports reviewed by the Facility Manager.

The Facility maintains a safety cell in order to provide a safe location to temporarily hold inmates who display behavior that could result in the destruction of cell furnishings, or reveal intent to cause physical harm to themselves or others. A sobering cell is also available and only used for inmates who, due to their state of intoxication are a threat to their safety or the safety of others. Kern Medical has allocated a full complement of staff to the Sheriff’s Jail facilities. Kern Medical provides services 24 hours per day, with 2 registered nurses on duty responsible for medical evaluations of inmates, dispensing medication and responding to critical incidents that involve any type of medical priority. Kern County Mental Health also has allocated staff to provide services to inmates who are under their care.

The facility provides programs that prepare inmates for re-entry in to our community and provide the tools necessary to reduce recidivism. Substance and Treatment Abuse Programs, Thinking for Change (T4C), Aggression Replacement Training (ART) are programs offered within the facility. The facility recognizes the value of regular exercise in promoting the overall health of inmates and reducing the stress of incarceration. For this reason, the facility maintains a safe and secure outdoor recreation area for the inmates. Inmates are offered access to the recreation area daily when weather permits. The Sheriff’s Office has contracted with Legal Research Associates (LRA) to provide legal reference material for the inmates housed in the Kern County Facilities.

The facility provides religious services to meet the spiritual needs of inmates. The inmate’s freedom of religion, both to participate or to abstain is protected. The Bureau Chaplain coordinates non-denominational religious services for general population and administrative segregation inmates. Inmates not wishing to attend non-denominational religious services can arrange to have individual visits with clergy of their choice through the Bureau Chaplain.

visitation Info

Lerdo Maximum-Medium Facility – Visiting Hours/Schedule 

Visiting Rules – Visits are recorded and may be monitored for the safety and security of the facility. 
1. Proper identification is required of all visitors to the Max-Med Facility. Acceptable identification is:

• Valid, non-expired, U.S. Driver’s License with photo
• Any other County or State identification with a photo
• Any U.S. or Federal Government-issued photo identification
• Photo passport

2. The visiting week will begin on Sunday and end on Saturday.
The number of visits allowed per week:

• All inmates are allowed two (2) thirty-minute visits.

3. A visit may include 1 adult and 3 children or 2 adults and 2 children. No more than two adults and two children will be allowed to visit at one time. 
4. All visitors eighteen (18) years and older must complete a visit request form. A guardian with proper identification must accompany visitors under the age of eighteen (18) 
**NOTHING is allowed in the visiting area (purse, stroller, phones, camera, food, etc.) Except:

• Photo ID
• (1) baby bottle
• (1) baby diaper
• Vehicle keys

All other items are to be left in your vehicle. Any visitor bringing in unauthorized items will be asked to leave the facility and return during the inmate's next eligible visiting time.

Dress Code – All visitors, including children, will adhere to the Facility Dress Code. No exceptions.

1. There will be no see-thru tops allowed.
2. No clothing with personal pictures or gang-related items on them.
3. No spaghetti strap/halter tops are permitted, including dresses.
4. Shorts and skirts must be no shorter than 3 inches above the knee.
5. Stomach and back must be covered.
6. Bra straps cannot be showing.
7. No cleavage.

Visiting by Ex-Felon (PC 4571) – All persons requesting visiting privileges at Max-Med, who have been previously confined in a State or Federal Prison, must obtain written permission from the facility Lieutenant or his designee, prior to being granted access. If approval is granted, you must have it in your possession while at the Lerdo Complex.