The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is the state agency responsible for the incarceration, supervision, and rehabilitation of adults in California's prison system. Its administrative headquarters is at 1515 S Street, Sacramento, California 95814. This address is a central policy and management office — it does not house inmates. The men and women under CDCR custody are held at individual institutions distributed across the state, from the high deserts of the Inland Empire to the Central Valley and the coast.
If you have a loved one in California's state prison system and are looking for practical guidance on staying connected, navigating visits, sending mail, and accessing services, this page is a reliable starting point. Our directory holds over 22,959 historical arrest and booking records linked to facilities under CDCR oversight — a cumulative count across many facilities and years, not the current population of any single location.
About the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
CDCR was established in its current form in 2005, when the California Department of Corrections merged with the Youth and Adult Correctional Agency to create the unified CDCR. The "Rehabilitation" in the name reflects a statutory mandate that goes beyond confinement: CDCR is charged with providing education, vocational training, substance abuse treatment, mental health services, and reentry programming to prepare incarcerated people for successful return to their communities.
The agency oversees 35 adult institutions, dozens of conservation camps where inmates perform firefighting and environmental restoration work, and a network of community-based reentry facilities across the state. It also manages California's parole system, supervising tens of thousands of people on active parole at any given time.
California maintains a state imprisonment rate of approximately 247 per 100,000 residents — below the national average, reflecting years of court-ordered reform and decarceration efforts. Even so, the total state prison population sits near 97,319, with another 75,060 Californians held in county jails statewide. The system's scale can make navigating it feel overwhelming for families, especially those dealing with it for the first time.
The Impact of Public Safety Realignment
A landmark shift occurred in 2011 when Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 109, known as Public Safety Realignment. The law moved responsibility for lower-level felony offenders — those convicted of non-serious, non-violent, non-sexual crimes — from the state prison system to county supervision and county jails. This significantly reduced CDCR's population and meant that many people who previously would have gone to state prison now serve their time in county facilities.
The practical implication for families: if someone you know was convicted of a lower-level offense, they may be held in a county jail or supervised by the county probation department even if they received a felony sentence. Confirming which system is supervising your loved one is the critical first step.
How to Locate an Inmate in the California State System
CDCR provides a free online Inmate Locator at www.cdcr.ca.gov that allows searches by first name, last name, and optionally CDCR number or date of birth. The tool shows current housing assignments and is updated as transfers and intakes occur. Transfers between facilities can take 24–72 hours to appear in the system.
PrisonAssist.com also maintains a searchable directory of arrest and booking records linked to California facilities. If you do not find someone immediately after a recent arrest, remember that state prison intake only happens after sentencing — a newly arrested person will first appear in the county jail system, not in the CDCR Inmate Locator.
If the online tools are not yielding results, call CDCR headquarters at 916-445-7682. Staff can direct you to the appropriate facility's records office. You can also contact the specific institution's public information office once you know where the person is housed.
Reception Centers and What Happens After Sentencing
When someone is sentenced to state prison in California, they do not go directly to their permanent institution. Instead, they are first transferred to one of CDCR's reception centers — such as California State Prison, Los Angeles County (CSP-LAC) in Lancaster, or the California Institution for Men (CIM) in Chino — where they undergo intake processing, medical and mental health evaluation, and classification. Classification determines security level and housing assignment. This process typically takes several weeks, during which the person's housing in the Inmate Locator will reflect the reception center.
Once classification is complete, they are transferred to their designated institution. Families should be aware of this process because mail, visitation approval, and phone setup may need to be re-established at the permanent facility after the reception transfer.
Visitation at California State Prisons
CDCR facilitates visitation as a core component of rehabilitation — research consistently shows that strong family connections reduce recidivism. However, the logistics of visiting a California state prison can be complex. Here is what to expect:
- Approved visitor list: All visitors must be on the inmate's approved visiting list before their first visit. The inmate submits a CDCR Visiting Questionnaire (Form CDCR 106) listing prospective visitors, and each person on the list is subject to a background review. Approval can take up to 30 days. Begin this process as early as possible.
- Scheduling: Visiting days and hours vary by institution and are published on the CDCR website. Most facilities offer weekend visiting; some also have weekday slots. Arrive early — facilities operate on a first-come, first-served basis for visits within approved windows, and capacity limits can result in denied entry if you arrive late.
- ID requirements: All adult visitors must present valid government-issued photo ID (driver's license, passport, or state ID). Minors must present a birth certificate or school ID along with accompanying documentation.
- Dress code: CDCR enforces strict dress codes to prevent confusion with inmate uniforms and to maintain security. Colors and styles of prohibited clothing vary by institution. Blue denim, orange, and khaki are commonly restricted. Check the specific institution's visiting rules — published on the CDCR website — before you go.
- Permitted items: Visitors may generally bring a small amount of cash for vending machines, a locker key, and limited personal items (glasses, medications with prior approval). No cell phones, bags, or outside food are allowed inside visiting areas.
- Contact vs. non-contact visits: Most California state prisons offer contact visiting (sitting across a table, some physical contact permitted) for approved visitors. Higher-security inmates or those under disciplinary status may be limited to non-contact visits through glass partitions.
Always confirm current visiting schedules and any temporary suspensions on the institution's page at www.cdcr.ca.gov. Lockdowns, natural disasters, facility emergencies, and health-related events can suspend visitation without advance notice.
Sending Mail and Photographs
Mail is one of the most consistent and meaningful ways to stay connected with someone in prison. CDCR's mail system processes thousands of pieces of correspondence daily across its institutions. To ensure your letters get through:
- Address mail with the inmate's full committed name (the exact legal name used at booking — not a nickname or shortened form), their CDCR number, and the full facility mailing address. Missing any of these can delay or prevent delivery.
- Use plain white envelopes. Envelopes with patterns, colors, metallic finishes, or security interiors are commonly rejected. Standard letter-size envelopes are preferred.
- Write on plain white paper. Colored paper, scented paper, and paper with stickers or adhesive elements are typically rejected.
- Photographs are permitted at most facilities within limits — usually no more than 5–10 photos per envelope, no larger than 4x6 inches, printed on photo paper (not glossy magazine photos). Content restrictions apply: no nudity, no images of weapons or illegal activity, and no Polaroid photos at many facilities.
- Do not send books, magazines, or newspapers directly — these must generally be ordered new from a publisher or retailer and shipped directly to the facility. Many facilities use a pre-approved vendor list.
Our letter service takes the guesswork out of this process. We format your letter, print it on compliant paper, and mail it from a trusted return address in a plain white envelope — giving your correspondence the best chance of passing mailroom inspection and reaching your loved one without delay.
Phone Calls from California State Prisons
Inmate phone calls from California state prisons are handled through CDCR's contracted telephone service provider. Inmates must set up a personal telephone account and add approved phone numbers before calling. The process for setting up a number on an inmate's call list varies by facility — typically the inmate submits the numbers through their institutional counselor or through the phone system's self-service portal.
Once a number is approved, the inmate can call it from the facility's phone system. Calls are collect or billed to a prepaid account that the inmate or their family funds through the phone carrier's website. Rates have declined in recent years following federal regulation, but costs still add up for families in regular contact.
Our discounted phone call service connects you to CDCR's carrier system at a lower per-minute rate. Setting up a prepaid account through our service can meaningfully reduce monthly phone costs. No changes are needed on the inmate's end — they call your number through the facility's system just as they normally would.
Commissary, Money Deposits, and Care Packages
Every California state prison inmate has a trust account — an internal account managed by the facility that holds funds for commissary purchases, legal fees, and other approved expenses. Depositing money into this account is one of the most tangible ways to support a loved one inside.
Most California state prisons use JPay for money transfers. You can send money through JPay's website, mobile app, or at retail payment kiosks. Check the specific institution's page on the CDCR website to confirm which platforms are accepted at that facility. Transfers typically post within one to two business days.
Commissary purchases are made from the facility's internal store, typically once a week. Inmates can buy hygiene items (toothpaste, soap, deodorant), food and snacks, writing materials, stamped envelopes, over-the-counter medications, and, in some facilities, electronic items such as MP3 players or radios. What is available varies by institution and security level.
Care packages for California state prisons must be ordered through approved vendors — sending personal packages directly from home will result in rejection. Union Supply Direct is one of the most widely authorized vendors across CDCR facilities, offering food, hygiene, clothing, and electronics packages. Package availability and approved vendors vary by facility. We can help you identify the right vendor and package options for the specific institution where your loved one is housed.
Posting Bail for a California Arrest
Bail applies at the pre-trial stage, while someone is held in a county jail awaiting arraignment or trial. Once a person is sentenced and transferred into CDCR custody, bail is no longer applicable — the mechanism shifts to parole and release programs. Here is how bail works for California arrests:
- Bail is set by a judge at arraignment, typically within 48 hours of arrest. Bail schedules also allow release on preset amounts for certain charges before arraignment.
- If you cannot pay the full bail amount, a licensed California bail bondsman can post a surety bond on the detainee's behalf. The bondsman's fee is typically 10% of the total bail — non-refundable — and the detainee is released while their case proceeds.
- For charges not eligible for bail (certain violent felonies, capital offenses), the person must remain detained until trial or until a bail hearing results in a modification.
- In some California counties, alternatives to cash bail — such as own-recognizance (OR) release or supervised release programs — may be available depending on the charge and the defendant's ties to the community.
Our bail bond service connects you with licensed California bondsmen who can act quickly after a bail amount is set. Having a bondsman ready before arraignment means faster release once bail is approved.
Reentry and Parole in California
CDCR places significant emphasis on reentry. The Division of Rehabilitative Programs offers education (from GED to college courses through the College Program), vocational training, substance abuse treatment, and cognitive behavioral programs. Participation in these programs can affect parole eligibility and provides skills and credentials that support employment after release.
When someone is released from a California state prison, they typically serve a period of parole supervision under CDCR's Division of Adult Parole Operations. Parole agents are assigned to regions, and parolees must report regularly and comply with parole conditions. Families play an important role in reentry — providing stable housing and support significantly reduces the risk of reincarceration.
For families supporting someone approaching release or currently on parole, the CDCR website offers reentry resources, including approved housing databases and county-level community program locators. Staying informed and involved is the most powerful thing a family can do at this stage.
California's Incarceration Context
California's prison system has been shaped by decades of reform driven by federal court orders and legislative action. The 2011 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Plata required California to reduce its prison population to address unconstitutional conditions, leading to Realignment and subsequent changes. California's imprisonment rate of 247 per 100,000 is now below the national average, compared to years past when it was among the highest in the country.
Proposition 57 (2016) expanded parole opportunities for nonviolent offenders and gave CDCR broader authority to award credits for good behavior and program participation. These changes mean that release timelines can be shorter than the original sentence suggests — another reason to stay engaged with the CDCR website and facility staff as a release date approaches.
Inmate service providers at California Department of Corrections - Main (CDCR)
Like most US jails and prisons, California Department of Corrections - Main (CDCR) relies on private companies for phone calls, video visits, money transfers, and care packages, each with its own fees and sign-up steps. Nationwide the most common providers are Securus and ViaPath (GTL) for calls and video, JPay and Access Corrections for sending money, and Access Securepak for care packages.
Not sure which company serves the California Department of Corrections - Main (CDCR)? Our inmate service provider directory explains how each one works, what it charges, and how to set up an account before you pay.