Hello,


I'm looking for information on RJDonovan. Any information would be helpful.
Thank you.

27sbb
What kind of information are you looking for? I think that RPinSD gets the prize for most information known about RJ Donnovan. Calling RPinSD!!!! Calling RPinSD!!! Hurry come right away. :D (Excuse me, I had a 70's sitcom moment.) In all seriousness, I am sure that some one will come along and help you. My experience with Donovan was not the greatest. (busy appointment lines, given an appointment on the half hour not the hour so I was "late" and not able to visit, changing clothes many times in one visit, the bus broke down) Hopefully your experience will be great. Good luck. :thumbsup:

Thank you, hopefully all will go well.

My fiance is in Rj Donovan...
I hope I could help you with any questions you have about this facility.

MrsSweepy,

Thank you for responding. We are wondering how the visiting procedure works. We have tried calling yet no real answers, just a recording that probably hasn't been changed in quite some time. Any info you have and care to offer is great. We'd really like to know how long it usually takes to be processed in for visit and what is the best time to arrive.
Thank you

Well A day late and a dollar short.:D


Here's all the info I know on Donovan and I'm happy to say I don't have to go there anymore as He's up in Chino on the MSF Yard these days and in his last letter he loves it, it's like a bad hotel as he said. I guess for prison that's a good thing.

So RJ Donovan
http://www.corr.ca.gov/InstitutionsDiv/INSTDIV/facilities/fac_prison_RJD.asp

Not so bad except for making appointments to visit.
619-661-6500 press1 then 1 again or 6900

Reception Inmates:

Letters: include their CDC # House and Bunk # if you don't have this info call Reception Records and they will give it to you.

You can send: Letters with NO LABELS, 20-4X6 Pictures, 20 stamps or pre-stamped envelopes, blank paper 50 sheets (lined is best for letters)

No Phones In Reception:

Visiting: Must make an appointment one week in advance and you will wait hours to get through. So heres a trick I used, at the very begginig of the pre recorded message punch in ext. 6900 or 6500 or 6700 any variation really and when/if someone picks up tell them you were holding to make an appointment for a reception inmate, they will usually pass you right to that officers desk but not tell you the extention. You can avoid a long wait if it works, I also did the same thing by calling reception records and trying to make an apoinment she passed me Right to Officer Valin-Santos (I Beleive) and made an appointment

Going There: Show up about an hour before your appointment, check in at Su Casa and display your choice of clothing to the atendant there, she will guide you as to wether it's acceptable or not. Sign in and get your pass and wait for the van.

Dress Code: Plain and simply put, Just wear non denim black pants or beige shorts in summer and a simple shirt you can either tuck in or will cover you up when your hands are in the air, T-shirts with a non offensive logo or picture is best.

What you can bring: I only take my car key, $10 in ones and my I.D
If you have a baby or child here's a link:
http://www.corr.ca.gov/cdc/visiting.asp

All visits to a reception inmate are non-contact

Visitation Approval: Took mine exactly 45 days:

Money Orders: Get some money on his books asap, having stamps, paper, soups, envelopes, ect gives them something to barter with. And the first trip to the canteen is heaven for some real soap and toothpaste.
Enclose a money order in a letter to him made out to him with his cdc#, block and cell#on it. The mail room will remove it and it will be on his books the next week. He can then order from canteen and get it the following week.

What else?? All newbies to RJ Donovan are on lock down 23 hours a day, shower every 3-4 days. Their cellie is of the same race, various offenses though. After about 2-3 weeks they are given more yard time and more trips to the showers. My Man hated it at first but he got use to it, bartered for some books and other stuff. Time to classification took more than 90 days though and even after he was classified it took another 4 months to get him transfered to Chino. Very Slow. He never reported any problems or intimidation while at RJD

Mail in and out are fast, I'm here in San Diego and it was 2 days in and 2 days out most of the time.
Once you go down to visit you'll see it's not so bad and the staff in general are pretty nice. If you go for late visits try to get out of there before 3:00 though cause a line for the van can get 50-70 deep and it only holds 10-12 people.

If you have any specific questions feel free to PM me anytime.

RPinSD

PS Thanks MsL for the Halla!:thumbsup:

RPinSD thanks so much for the information:)

RPinSD

It is four days late for me. But they still do not allow those darn laptops in the family visiting unit! :D . Knowlege is power and boy you have a lot! Again, thanks for all of that info that you share with us. ;)

HI everyone, I would just like to say, whoever has a loved one at Donavan is lucky! you guys have nothing to complain about now I learned that because my husband was just transfered from there to Centinela and I can just tell you right now that it is HELL compared to Donovan! Donovan caters to there visitors Centinela they treat you like your the inmate. As for the bus' taking you to where you have to go...umm over there you have to walk! and remind you its in the desert. The food its all from the vending machine! no menu! wow...I cant wait until he gets transfered back to Donovan!

one love14

Hi
My son is at Donovan. Do you know what the average time one stays in reception?? Does the mail always take for ever to get to them?? I's also nice knowing that it's not the worse place.

Hi, the average time right now for reception is not too good. Before my husband got transfered to Centinela it took him almost 2 months but maybe things are moving quicker hopefully. As for the mail it's really quick they get it like 2 days later. Damn i wish my baby get transfered back!
hope this answers your question.

Info about the mail at Donovan:
For the past 3 weeks it has been very slow, in fact, almost at a standstill, going INTO Donovan and then getting processed and delivered by the CO's to the inmates. Especially if your "person" is on the 3 yard. Apparently they now have to go and pick up the mail whereas before, the Postal Service delivered mail to Donovan. I cannot get an answer as to why this part of the system has changed. (Time to call the PostMaster General in Otay Mesa.) The mailroom, for 3 weeks, has had just 3 people trying to process mail for 5000+ inmates. A week ago, they brought in additional help to get "caught up". It still is a disaster but they said mail to inmates should be back on track by this Sat. 11/12.
Outgoing mail has not been too affected. I am in Orange County, and like Richard in San Diego, mail arrives to me in 2 days from Donovan.
The inmates do not get mail on Saturday or Sunday. They are allowed to send mail Sunday thru Thursday.
My guy will have been at Donovan for 10 years in Mar '06. I have never gone for a visit. Never will. For us, too painful. But, we write EVERY day, so I have the mail system nailed.
On another note: While it is slower at some things, and strict on visitation, this prison, for the most part, goes pretty smoothly. As for the food though...All I hear is that it is horrible. And I mean, barely edible and not enough of anything to sustain the average guy. Get money on the books for your person ASAP!

Thanks PFFlier

I really appreciate the info on the mail. Definetly glad about the 11/12 date. I've sent letters just about every day. Don't really understand the yards so much. He was in F4 for a few weeks now he's in F2. He supposedly only has a short time 16 months at 1/2 time and I'm going working on filing for divorce after 24 years so this has been alittle rough lately. So I am really glad I came across this sight. I've learned so much regarding the prison life. I had gotten used to county jail (said to say) but this is all new. Thanks everyone for being there. I know my situation doesn't compare to alot of others on this site. So thanks again for taking the time to respond. If you don't mind me asking a few more questions...how often should I put money on the books?; how often do they get to order? do they get to order while they are in reception? I know he got the money that I had sent but that was pretty much it! Thanks again.

If he is in for drugs he should apply for the Amity Program. It is very successful and outstanding!

MiaBellaAngela

Thanks for the info. No. drugs were involved.

My Man Is At Donovan...i Go Every Weekend To Visit Since I Stay Here In San Diego...bad Thing Is His Annual Is Coming Up And His Points Went Down So Hopefully He Dont Go Nowhere Far.
Yea The Amity Program Helps, He Is In That. He Has To Go A Certain Amount Of Hours A Week, And He Already Graduated Orientation, So Hes Good To Go. They Help Out And I Think For Thanksgiving The Program Made A Dinner For Them.
He Also Works, Which Is Helping Him Stay In A1a Status, He's Almost Out Tho, A Few More Months ( As Long As Hes Good )....but Its Okay. He Used To Be In The 1 Yard And I Liked Visiting There Better, Now Hes In The 3 Yard And It Is A Pain Cuz You Have To Wait For The Next Van To Take You Across And It Just Becomes A Hassle, But Its All Worth It Cuz I Get To Be There With Him All Day.
The Bad Part Is That Some Co's Are Pickier Than Others So Trying To Figure Out What To Wear Is Another Problem Because They Can Complain About Anything. The Food Is Okay, Its Better Than Just Vending Machine Food....theres Good Days And Bad, So Just Try Not To Get The Seafood Lol. Any Questions Go Ahead And Ask, Or Just Pm Me...or How Ever This Thing Works Lol.