Do most of the Cal prisons (state) have outside (play) areas? Do you have to buy all your food there? We will be there sometime in the near future. Do We need to get pre approved before we visit? We have no idea where he will be. They told me I wouldn't know til he got there.
At CRC in Ohio we brought all our stuff (birth and marriage certs) in @ first visit and that was it we went on in. They have only an area so the kids can "check out" a book and colors. A playground would be a godsend. I have a VERY active 5 yr old. And all the food has to be bought there. We bought tokens for pictures when we were there last and I was thinking Frank could keep them. Nope. That sucked.
kmeg

Hi Kmeg,

There is a email group on Yahoo that has great information on California visiting, it's VIP_CALI. You can join by going to Yahoo.com groups and enter in California prison visiting and that should get you to their site to join .
You will have to fill out a visiting approval form before you visit. It takes some where between 4-6 weeks to be approved to visit after you mail it back to the prison. You can get the form ether threw the inmate you wish to visit or the email group has a copy you can download. Once you are approved, you will need to bring your picture ID to visit each time. All of the prisons have visiting on Saturday and Sunday, though the times are different for each. And a few have visiting on Thursday and Friday in the daytime and a few have visiting in the evenings, those same days.

I believe only the lower level ( 1-2) prisons have a playground for the kids. And the only one I know of for sure is at CCI in Tehachepi.(The prisons go by a security level from 1-4, 4 being the highest) Also at the lower levels you can go outside, sit on picnic benches and actually have BBQs!!

My husband is at a level 4 prison and we are only able to visit inside. I buy all of our food out of vending machines and we are allowed to take photos. You just buy a ticket for $2 each.

As for the kids, there is books, puzzles and crayons. Half the time they are in bad condition. Plus, there is usually a couple of board games and the only card game is UNO. My 10 year old son can only last at most, 5 hours visiting!! Then he starts going crazy. They do have a welcome house at all the prisons that is off the grounds that the kids can stay for a couple of hours and play while you visit.

I hope the info helps!!
Have a great day :)

KellyA

Whoops!!

I forgot to ask if your husband would be in the State or the Federal system? The info I gave was about the state prisons. I don't have any info on the Fedral prisons out here.

Sorry!! :(

KellyA.

he will be in state

I browsed this post the other day and was able to download the form requesting authorization to visit. (from yahoo)

Thanks for the great info. I also have a friend that is serving time in Centinella, he's on a level 3 yard. I had sent the form to visit but was denied. (I had a nasty little traffic ticket that had turned into a failure to pay, picky picky lol)

Now I can resend the form and send a copy to wherever my husband will be sent.

I also referred my friend's mom to this site. (PTO) I hope you get to meet her soon, she's great!!

What prison, is your husband at? I know a few in california that do not have outside play areas- Salinas Valley state prison being one of them- if he is in Max security.

He is currently in Ohio awaiting a parole violation hearing, after that he will be extradited to Cal, we have no idea where though. He will most likely be in min. security.
KMEG

DOES ANYBODY KNOW HOW FAR SALINAS STATE PRISON IN SOLEDAD IS? OR DOES ANYONE HAVE A LOVED ON AT SOLEDAD?

THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS!

I visit lancaster and ther is no outside play area for the children. We have a hospitailty trailer where you can go to get a change of clothers if needed and even have cookies, but children can not be left there. We buy all food from vending machines. the play area in the visiting rooms are pootie and my 3 year old can't make it past two hours befroe he's climbing the walls. If we are lucky and it gets over crowded the out side patio opens and the guard pickes who he lets go sit outside on the concrete benches. Only 7 couples can do that.

Salinas Valley State Prison is about 6 hours north of Los Angeles. My son was transferred to CTF in Soledad today. Does anyone know about the visitation there?