Plumas County Sheriff’s Correctional Facility in California is rolling out a passive RFID-based inmate tracking system from Guardian RFID, the most widely deployed inmate tracking platform in the United States.
The system centres on Clincher RFID wristbands — non-transferable bands fitted with passive UHF RAIN RFID inlays that each carry a unique encrypted identifier. Wall-mounted RFID reference tags installed throughout the facility define distinct zones, while four Spartan 3 handheld devices give officers a rugged, Android-based mobile interface to scan wristbands, verify identities against inmate photos, and log movements in real time.
Jail Commander Steve Clark said the deployment will streamline how the facility collects and stores data on inmate locations, movements, and welfare checks. By replacing radio calls, paper logs, and manual data entry with electronic capture at the point of interaction, Clark expects staff time savings of 25 percent or more. All recorded data is available immediately to every authorised member of staff through Guardian RFID’s cloud-hosted platform, which runs on AWS infrastructure.
Beyond location tracking, the system strengthens accountability on both sides of the bars. It notifies officers when scheduled safety and welfare checks are due, and raises alerts if those checks are not completed at randomised intervals or within required timeframes. Every officer action is time-stamped and logged, creating an auditable record of staff activity across the facility.
Funding for the project is expected to come through Medi-Cal reimbursement. Because the Guardian RFID platform also maintains inmate medical records and documents the time medical staff spend with each inmate, the county’s alternative sentencing coordinator identified it as eligible for healthcare funding. She anticipates that Medi-Cal reimbursements will fully cover the cost of the system.
Guardian RFID has scheduled consultant-led training at the facility for March 24-25, followed by an additional day of on-site observation and support. Once operational, Clark hopes to expand the deployment with battery-powered RF transmitters capable of monitoring heart rate, blood pressure, and blood oxygen levels for medically vulnerable inmates, working alongside Plumas County Public Health.
The Plumas County rollout adds to a growing list of US correctional facilities — now supported by more than 75,000 officers nationwide — that rely on Guardian RFID’s combination of RAIN RFID hardware, mobile devices, and cloud-based software to modernise their custody operations.