Hi everyone, My husband has just been moved to CCI. He was moved from reception at Donovan. I havent spoke to him on the phone since Feb. 13, 2006. However, we have been writing letters to each other almost daily. Now to the info I need help with. When can the children and I expect him to phone us ? What time of day should I try to stay at home so not to miss the call ? He is a level 1. When can I get his address so I can send him a package? I hear cci is one of the more harsher prisons, Is that true? I am so sick with worry . Please help with any thing anyone knows. thanks :confused:

I can't offer to much help, but I can tell you a little what I know. My man is on level4 so it is a whole lot different. But his calls are usually in the evenings but I guess it depends when they sign up. Do you have call forwarding on your phone? I use it when I am away and that way I can get his calls forwarded to my cell phone. But you heard right CCI is a pretty harsh institution. Everything there is just on a different level. I think you should be able to call and talk to someone there about how to get his new address, I know when you send it to the old address it takes forever! Well, sorry I couldn't offer to much help...Good luck!

Thanks, any help is well taken. I dont understand if he is in reception or not though. He just did 100 days at donovan. However since its a different prison will he have to be in reception again? thanks

I think he does, but from what I was told is that even when they are in reception they can get a no contact hour long visit behind glass.

doesnt this system SUCK!!!!

I mean the corrections system.

If he was transferred from Reception at Donovan then he is not in reception at CCI. He is only in reception once, right now he is in orientation for about 2 weeks so he can get familiar with the place and learn their rules and everything, he'll probably call you after the 2 weeks or within. But hopefully you have call forwarding that way you won't miss a call. Good luck! oh and you won't have to see him behind glass anymore, you'll be able to have contact visits. Call the prison's number and they'll give you his address (661) 822-4402

Thank you so much. I feel a bit more at ease. Do you think he was involved in the riot on Friday? He is in Clarks Hall. Thnaks again. Your an angel!~!!

Jay1 , By the way my husbands name is Jay too. Tina in san diego

Well I'm glad you feel better :) About the riot I wouldn't be able to know, was he moved to clarks hall? if so sometimes they do that until the whole situation is cleared up. Call the prison and they should be able to inform you being that he is your husband. My man is recently in Donovan at Reception but he'll be moved soon to I don't know where, he used to be in Tehachapi prior to this time. I'm also in S.D.

Some prisons do put a man back in reception when they are transferred. They did it to me at Noth Kern. Other prisons place you on orientation and you can't get a call until you see the committee. Orientation usually last two weeks and even longer at new prisons such as Kern Valley.
CCI is doulbe tough on the level four yards. The level one yards are much safer and much less violent. They do have occasional flare ups but usually nothing like level 4s. I know the level two yard is mostly a mellow yard which is where the level ones might go while they are on orientation.
As a volunteer chaplain, I have ministered on all of the yards including ad-seg and the SHU.
CCI level one is the nicest looking prison I have ever seen. Beautiful trees, lots of green grass, squrrells, raccoons, and tons of cats with kittens. Some of the guys handfeed the squrrels. I know (i am not spelling that right)
I would just like to ease you mind about CCI and that is why i posted this. You will see what i mean when you go to visit.
the level fours ane a stark contrast. nothing but cement and totally depressing.

Thank you all ! So very much. I do feel a bit more at ease. Thanks again., Tina

Does anyone know the the best system for receiving calls from CCI meaning, I(guess) the best company to sign up with? I live very rural and we can not receive collect calls thru our tiny phone company, I do have a cell but it won't rec collect calls. What do you use that is reasonable and works well?

Since most cell phone companies do not allow collect calls and you said you can't get them through your regular phone service provider maybe you should think about using a service like Outside Connection or Prison Calls Online (both are on the web). You can receive the calls on either of your phones (home or cell). They will explain to you how the service works when you call them.
I hope that helped you.

Thanks i was wondering if one service and less expensive than the other but I can check it out thanks for the help!

Mickey Powell, you get on the inside to minister or what? Coooool, hey, if you ever come across a beautiful white boi with horns and flames on his head in the shu on 4B tell him his twist says I love you. Haha, and if you're a minister maybe you can do our wedding ceremony there if that's what we decide to do! Haha, a girl can dream. But seriously, I see such a major difference between Chino and Tehachapi. When my man's mom and I drove up the first time we had this strange feeling like "this is the place. This is the place he can finish this nightmare by walking away from these mountains." Then we hit his yard and you're right... it's very desolate and quiet and one could lose their mind if not strong enough, I think. Anyway, I always wonder what it's like in there. I watch TV shows and imagine all the time but there's just now way to really see it in my mind's eye. I don't want to suffer by knowing his pain. I just want to be as close to in his skin as I can because I have no other way of being close. I guess that's kind of twisted but hey, I love him so much.
Well, I rambled on in another post! I'm out.
- Lara