La Palma Correctional Center is a private prison in Eloy, Pinal County, Arizona, owned and operated by CoreCivic, Inc. Opened in 2008, the facility has a capacity of roughly 3,060 beds. Since December 2021, it has held inmates under contract with the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry (ADCRR). The facility's population has changed more than once over its history: it originally housed California state inmates under an out-of-state contract from 2008 until California ended those contracts around 2019, after which CoreCivic used the facility to hold federal immigration detainees before the current ADCRR contract began. This page uses CoreCivic's current, published visitation guide for La Palma to explain exactly how to schedule a visit, what to wear, how to write, how to send money, and how to reach the facility.
About the facility, management and structure
La Palma is a privately operated prison: CoreCivic owns and runs the facility under a management contract with the State of Arizona, while ADCRR retains state oversight and monitoring of conditions and programming. The facility is led by a CoreCivic-appointed warden — Kristopher Kline took over as warden in May 2025 — supported by CoreCivic's own management and security staff. As a large custody-level facility housing both Level 3 and Level 4 inmates side by side (which is why visiting sessions are split by custody level rather than offered to everyone at once), La Palma provides housing, food service, medical care, and reentry and vocational programming, including education, addiction treatment, faith-based programs, and vocational trades, for its population. Facilities operated by private contractors like CoreCivic follow the policies set by the contracting government agency — in this case ADCRR — for security classification, visitation, and inmate discipline, even though day-to-day staffing and management is CoreCivic's responsibility.
Because La Palma houses ADCRR inmates rather than its own independent population, the facility's visitation, mail, and money-transfer rules generally track the same statewide ADCRR policies — Departmental Order 911 covers visitation — that apply across Arizona's state prison system, even though CoreCivic staff carries out the day-to-day screening and supervision on-site. If your inmate is transferred between La Palma and a state-run ADCRR facility, expect the broad visiting framework (appointment scheduling, dress code, ID requirements) to look familiar, even if the specific days and hours differ by location.
How to contact the prison
- Phone: 520-464-3200
- Fax: 520-464-3991 (also listed as 520-464-3399 on some CoreCivic materials — confirm the current number when you call)
- Address: 5501 North La Palma Road, Eloy, AZ 85131 (Pinal County)
- Visitation scheduling: CoreCivic's online booking link for La Palma (search "La Palma Unit Visitation" or ask the facility for the current link)
- Official website: corecivic.com/facilities/la-palma-correctional-center
Call the main line to confirm your inmate's visiting day and session, the approved-visitor process, and current policies before you travel or send anything — CoreCivic notes that its posted visitation information is subject to change without notice, so a quick call before a long drive is always worth it.
Inmate contact details — sending mail
Address mail using the inmate's full name and ADCRR number:
- Inmate Full Name & ADCRR Number
- La Palma Correctional Center
- 5501 North La Palma Road
- Eloy, AZ 85131
All incoming mail is opened and inspected before it reaches an inmate. Do not send cash or any prohibited item, and check ADCRR's current mail-content rules before sending anything beyond a standard letter or photograph to reduce the chance of a rejection.
Sending money and staying in touch
La Palma offers three official ways to fund an inmate's account: ViaPath, Western Union, and a mailed money order to the ADCRR lockbox — confirm current fees and limits for each method on the ADCRR or CoreCivic site before sending funds, and never send cash directly to the facility address. Inmate phone service runs through the facility's contracted provider, most commonly reached through ViaPath (GTL) or ConnectNetwork. We've built direct relationships with facility phone providers, so through our discounted phone calls service you can get a flat $10 a month for 500 minutes instead of paying the provider's standard per-minute rate — no local number to set up.
Inmate service providers at La Palma Correctional Center - CoreCivic
Like most US jails and prisons, La Palma Correctional Center - CoreCivic 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 La Palma Correctional Center - CoreCivic? Our inmate service provider directory explains how each one works, what it charges, and how to set up an account before you pay.
Visiting an inmate in the La Palma Correctional Center
Visitation timings
Visits at La Palma are by appointment only and must be booked online in advance through CoreCivic's scheduling link — walk-in visits are not accepted. According to the facility's current visitation schedule, in-person visiting runs:
- Sunday, Monday, Friday, and Saturday: 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
- Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday: no general in-person visiting (these days are reserved for legal visits, DCS, and other specialized arrangements).
Each in-person day is further split into two half-day sessions assigned by an inmate's custody level, so which slot you get depends on your inmate's classification, not just the day of the week: on Sunday, morning is for Level 4 and afternoon for Level 3; on Monday, morning is Level 3 and afternoon is Level 4; on Friday, morning is Level 4 and afternoon Level 3; on Saturday, morning is Level 3 and afternoon Level 4. La Palma also offers video visits on Tuesday and Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with Wednesday reserved for legal video visits only. Because both the schedule and an inmate's custody level can change, always confirm the current day and session assigned to your specific inmate before booking.
To schedule any visit, use CoreCivic's online booking system — appointments can be made up to seven days a week — and arrive with enough time before your slot to clear check-in, ID verification, and the walk-through metal detector.
Visitation rules and dress code
Every visitor must already be on the inmate's approved visiting list; getting added requires completing a visitation application through the ADCRR website and submitting it online or by mail to the facility, addressed to the Visitation department. Minors are permitted to visit only under the supervision of an approved adult. Adult visitors must present positive photo identification, such as a valid driver's license, unexpired passport, or other government-issued photo ID.
La Palma's visitor dress code is detailed, and non-compliant visitors can be turned away at the door:
- No clothing made of spandex-like material, and nothing orange in color (orange is reserved for inmate clothing).
- No sheer, see-through, open-netted, or medical-scrub clothing.
- Shorts, skirts, and dresses must be knee-length while standing; slits in skirts or dresses may not extend above mid-thigh while seated.
- No sleeveless tops or dresses, tank or muscle shirts, tube or halter tops, strapless tops, or spaghetti straps; no bare midriff, and no tops cut lower than the collarbone in front or back.
- No mesh clothing, bodysuits, or swimsuits; undergarments must be worn at all times.
- Shoes are required at all times — sandals and slippers are prohibited.
- No pajamas or other nightwear, and no camouflage clothing. Military dress uniforms are the only uniforms permitted.
If a visitor isn't in compliance at check-in, staff notify the Duty Officer or Chief of Security, who decides whether the visitor may leave and return properly dressed. Because policies change, confirm the current dress code and scheduling link with the facility before you travel.
Visitor screening and what you can bring
All visitors pass through a walk-through metal detector; a documented medical condition or disability is the only exception, and even then a hand-held detector is still used to screen the rest of the body. Piercings and underwire undergarments commonly trigger the detector and can delay entry, so plan accordingly. Almost everything has to stay in your vehicle or a pay locker — visitors may bring in only their personal ID (which is held by the Front Lobby Officer during the visit), necessary prescription medication in its original container (held by visitation staff, except inhalers and nitroglycerin, which are kept for emergency use), up to $40 in quarters, one wedding/engagement ring, one religious medallion, one wristwatch, one pair of earrings or two visible piercings, and either two vehicle keys or one key plus a remote entry fob.
Visitors bringing an infant may carry one handheld baby carrier (strollers and wheeled carriers are not allowed) and one clear plastic diaper bag containing up to three sealed bottles of formula/milk or juice, four small clear containers of baby or soft food, one diaper per hour of visitation, a container of baby wipes, one blanket no larger than 4 feet by 4 feet (not tan in color), a small plastic feeding spoon, a pacifier, one change of baby clothing, a bib, and a small tube of diaper rash medication. Toys, chips, popcorn, and other snacks are not permitted in the diaper bag. Female visitors may bring in enough feminine hygiene products to last the visit, subject to search.
Getting approved to visit
Before you can book an appointment, you need to be on the inmate's approved visiting list. Approval starts with a visitation application available on the ADCRR website, which you can either submit online or mail directly to the facility, addressed: "ATTN: Visitation, La Palma Correctional Center, 5501 N La Palma Road, Eloy, AZ 85131." Processing an application takes time, so submit it as soon as you know you want to visit rather than waiting until you're ready to book a specific appointment. Once you're approved, you'll use the same online scheduling system to reserve your visiting session going forward, so keep a note of the booking link the facility provides.
Preparing for your visit
Because every visit at La Palma requires an advance appointment, start by confirming your inmate's custody level and assigned visiting day and session before you try to book anything — a Level 3 inmate and a Level 4 inmate at the same facility may be scheduled for different half-days even on the same date. Complete the visitation application well ahead of your planned trip, since approval is not instant, and double-check the current online scheduling link with the facility if it's been a while since you last visited, as CoreCivic updates its systems periodically. On the day of your visit, bring only a valid photo ID, a small amount of coin cash if you'd like to use vending machines, and — if you're bringing an infant — the limited diaper-bag items listed above; leave everything else, including your phone, in the car. Arrive early enough to clear ID verification and the metal detector before your scheduled session begins, since a missed appointment window generally means rebooking for another day.