Clothing For OC Jail Inmates

All inmates in the Orange County Jail are assigned one set of jail issue clothing.  This clothing is used, not new.  Inmates cannot bring in their own clothing.  Non-working inmates wear a bright yellow-orange one-piece jumpsuit. Workers wear jeans and a button-up, Dickie-style shirt.

Most inmates will suggest you bail out if possible because the judge will see you in your regular clothes as opposed to in the bright jumpsuit. Subconsciously a judge may tend to pre-judge you by seeing you in inmate clothing.

The most degrading part of the clothing in the Orange County Jail is not the color or ill-fit of the one-piece jumpsuit but the way that most inmates wash their own clothing (including underwear) - they wash in a toilet used exclusively for this purpose.

Apparently depending on the guards on duty you may be able to use a sink to wash your clothing but many guards don't like you to do this - the reason is unclear. The toilet used for washing clothing is used exclusively for clothing so you don't have to worry about using a toilet that has recently been used.

Personal Clothing Exchanges
Requirements for exchange: One exchange of personal clothing or one addition to the existing personal clothing will be permitted during an inmate's period of incarceration. The clothing exchange is allowed
providing that existing clothing is insufficient, improper or not suitable for court. More frequent clothing exchanges will only be permitted by court order. Inmates pending an in-custody release to state prison will
not be allowed to exchange without special circumstances.

Persons bringing in clothing for exchange must stop at the Visiting/Reception Guard Station where the Deputy/SSO will fill out in triplicate, a "Property Release Authorization" form (J-025), filling in the
inmate's name, booking number, housing location, date, time and person bringing in the clothing for exchange.

The new garments will be thoroughly searched for contraband. Contraband found in the clothing will be brought to the Operations Sergeant's attention immediately.

Items brought in for exchange must be clean and ready to hang in storage. Preferred Items are exchanged on a "one for one" basis. Any more than one article requires a court order on file. 1 shirt, 1 pants, 1 shoes, etc.