how can I find out if a person who I am looking for is in a California state prison?

Answer 1

Most prison systems these days have websites with inmate locators. Do a search for Cali's prison system - each prison may have its own site, or they could be all in one site, it varies.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Written Contact
Indiviuals are free to contact any state prison inmate by mail. Incoming letters are opened and inspected for contraband and then forwarded to the inmate. To ensure prompt processing the following information should be included on the envelope:

Inmate’s full name, CDC#
Institution Name
P.O. Box Housing (preferable)
City, CA ZIP

***To get an inmate’s CDC# or housing assignment, individuals should call the Public Information Officer (PIO) or the inmate locator at the institution (see below for phone numbers). ***

Those people who don’t know where an inmate is housed may contact the Department’s ID Warrants unit at [phone]. A date of birth will be required if the person they are inquiring about has a common name.ID Warrants will not provide inmate housing information.

Mailing Addresses

In most cases, the inmate mail address is different from the general institution address. Listed below are the inmate mail addresses for all California state prisons. Also listed are the phone numbers for the institution’s Public Information Officer, and where appropriate, the inmate locator units.

Phone Contact

Most inmates have access to telephones and can initiate outgoing collect calls. When corresponding with an inmate, individuals may provide a telephone number where an inmate can call them collect. It is up to the inmate to initiate the call. Phone calls are limited to 15 minutes.

Avenal State Prison
P.O. Box 9, Avenal, CA 93204
PIO: [phone], ext. 5025

(Call before sending mail because inmates change housing frequently.)

California Correctional Center
P.O. Box 2210, Susanville, CA 96130
PIO: [phone]

California Correctional Institution
P.O. Box (Inmates have individual P.O. boxes; call PIO.)
Tehachapi, CA 93581
PIO: [phone], ext. 3021

California Institution for Men
Reception Center Central
P.O. Box 441

Reception Center West
P.O. Box 368

Reception Center East
P.O. Box 500

Minimum Support Facility
P.O. Box 600
Chino, CA 91708

PIO: [phone], ext. 2901

California Institution for Women
16756 Chino-Corona Road
Frontera, CA 91720
PIO: [phone], ext. 4921
Records office: [phone], ext. 5230 (for housing)

California Medical Facility
P.O. Box 2000, Vacaville, CA 95696-2000
PIO: [phone]
Inmate locator: [phone], ext. 2548 (for housing)

California Men’s Colony
P.O. Box 8101, San Luis Obispo, CA 93409-8101
PIO: [phone]

California Rehabilitation Center
P.O. Box 2500, Norco, CA 91760
PIO: [phone]

California State Prison, Corcoran
P.O. Box 3476, Corcoran, CA 93212-8309
PIO: [phone]

California State Prison, Los Angeles County
44750 60th Street West, Lancaster, CA 93536-7620
PIO: [phone], ext. 6912

California State Prison, Sacramento
P.O. Box 290066, Represa, CA 95671-0066
PIO: [phone], ext. 5295

California State Prison, Solano
P.O. Box 4000, Vacaville, CA 95696-4000
PIO: [phone]
Housing is necessary or letter will be returned.

Calipatria State Prison
P.O. Box 5002, Calipatria, CA 92233-5002
PIO: [phone], ext. 5013

Centinela State Prison
P.O. Box 731, Imperial, CA 92251-0731 (general)
A Yard: P.O. Box 901
B Yard: P.O. Box 911
C Yard: P.O. Box 921
D Yard: P.O. Box 931
E Yard: P.O. Box 1011
Imperial, CA 92251
PIO: [phone]

California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility
P.O. Box 7100, Corcoran, CA 93212-7100
PIO: [phone]

Central California Women’s Facility
P.O. Box 1508, Chowchilla, CA 93610-1508
PIO: [phone], ext. 5012

Chuckawalla Valley State Prison
P.O. Box 2349, Blythe, CA 92226
PIO: [phone]

Correctional Training Facility
Central Facility
P.O. Box 689, Soledad, CA 93960-0689

South Facility
P.O. Box 690, Soledad, CA 93960-0690

North Facility
P.O. Box 705, Soledad, CA 93960-0705

PIO: [phone]
Records office: [phone], ext. 2139 (for housing)

Deuel Vocational Institution
P.O. Box 600, Tracy, CA 95378-0600
PIO: [phone]

Folsom State Prison
P.O. Box 715071
Represa, CA 95671-5071

PIO: [phone], ext. 4484
Records office: [phone], ext. 4469 (for housing)

High Desert State Prison
P.O. Box 3030, Susanville, CA 96130
PIO: [phone], ext. 5512

Ironwood State Prison
P.O. Box 2199, Blythe, CA 92226

PIO: [phone] ex. 5006
Records office: [phone], ext. 5301 (for housing)

Mule Creek State Prison
P.O. Box 409000, Ione, CA 95640
PIO: [phone], ext. 5080

North Kern State Prison
P.O. Box 5000, Delano, CA 93216-5000
Inmate Locator: [phone], ext. 5095
Facility A/E: P.O. Box 5000
Facility B: P.O. Box 4999
Facility C: P.O. Box 5004
Facility D: P.O. Box 5005
PIO: [phone], ext. 5022

Northern California Women’s Facility
P.O. Box 213022
Stockton, CA 95213-9022

PIO: [phone] ex. 5025
(Housing assignment not necessary.)

Pelican Bay State Prison
P.O. Box 7500
Crescent City, CA 95531-7500

PIO: [phone]
Mail room: [phone], ext. 7101 (for housing)

Pleasant Valley State Prison
P.O. Box 8500, Coalinga, CA 93210 (general)
Facility A: P.O. Box 8501
Facility B: P.O. Box 8502
Facility C: P.O. Box 8503
Facility D: P.O. Box 8504
Coalinga, CA 93210
PIO: [phone]

Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility at Rock Mountain
480 Alta Road, San Diego, CA 92179

PIO: [phone]
Records office: [phone], ext. 5420 (for housing)

Salinas Valley State Prison
P.O. Box 1050, Soledad, CA 93690-1050
PIO: [phone]

San Quentin State Prison
San Quentin, CA 94974
PIO: [phone], ext. 5008

Sierra Conservation Center
Mariposa and Calaveras Units: P.O. Box 617
Tuolumne Unit: P.O. Box 500
Jamestown, CA 95327
PIO: [phone]

Valley State Prison for Women
P.O. Box 92, Chowchilla, CA 93610-0092
PIO: [phone], ext. 5509

Wasco State Prison
P.O. Box 5500, Wasco, CA 93280-5500
PIO: [phone]