The California Prisons Visiting Questionnaire

[RPinSD]

The California Prisons Visiting Questionnaire

An open Project to our PTO Members to assist those with visiting procedures at a California Prison.

Hi all
I’m going to start a new section in the CDC Handbook that will detail visiting policies and your personal experience in visiting a California Prison. Our attempt here will be to give specific details on each institution so we can have a one-stop shop of information. Complete each question and post it to the thread. Once we have about 50% of the Facilities listed I will move them into the CDC handbook for all to see.

Here’s an example and the first one on Chino

Institution Name: California Institution for Men, Chino

Institution Yard: East Yard & Del Norte Unit

Yard Level: 1 thru 3 and Reception

Appointment Required: No

Must Line up to Obtain a Number: No, just stand in line for next clerk

Parking Lot Line Up: No, Just Park and go inside

Contact or Non-Contact: Del Norte Unit is all Contact Visits/ Level 1-3 Reception is Non-Contact

Visiting Days and Hours: Saturday and Sunday 8:30 to 3:00 p.m.

Length of Visit Allowed: Reception Inmates 1 hour, Del Norte from 8:30 to close

* Special Notes: You may arrive at anytime and be processed before 2:30 pm. There is rarely a line to get processed and the CO’s at Chino are very friendly and professional. They do not conduct a count on this yard so inmates will be processed out any time during visiting hours. Vending Machines are usually full and range from canned sodas, chips/snacks and microwave foods, pizzas, burgers and sandwiches. The coffee machine sucks and should be avoided at all costs.

*Please describe in detail what one needs to know when visiting this facility and yard. Please follow this format as close as you can to assist others on their visits.

Please Copy and Paste this in your reply post and complete every question and title your post with Institution name

Institution Name:

Institution Yard:

Yard Level:

Appointment Required:

Must Line up to Obtain a Number:

Parking Lot Line Up:

Contact or Non-Contact:

Visiting Days and Hours:

Length of Visit Allowed:

* Special Notes:

Thanks to Bob-Bi-Lu and Becmarie for a great idea!

[RPinSD]

Institution Name: Donovan State Prison

Institution Yard: N/A

Yard Level: Reception and Level 3

Appointment Required: Reception, Yes General Population, No

Must Line up to Obtain a Number: Yes

Parking Lot Line Up: No

Contact or Non-Contact: Reception, Non-Contact, G.P. Contact

Visiting Days and Hours: Saturday and Sunday 8:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Length of Visit Allowed: Reception 1 hour, G.P. From 8:00 a.m. to Close

* Special Notes: Visits to all reception inmates require an appointment 1 week in advance. Call 619-661-6500. Just show up to see GP inmates. All visitors must check in at Su Casa House in the main parking lot to receive a number. Once you are bused over to the main unit you must wait until your number is called to proceed for check in. If you are visiting a reception center inmate, check in at Su Casa and when you arrive at the main visiting unit, line up on the left hand side wall behind the wooden post. CO's are overall friendly, dress code is strictly enforced and this place can get busy. Vending is standard for a CA prison, sodas, chips and microwave food.
If you choose to stay late in your visit till after 2:45 or 3:00 you will wait anywhere from 20-40 minutes for a bus ride back to the parking lot.

[Bec Marie]

Institution Name: Mule Creek State Prison

Institution Yard: A-C Yards

Yard Level: 3

Appointment required: only for non-contact visits

Must Line up to Obtain a Number: After you have already been in line and you enter the building to get processed through you are given a number.

Parking Lot Line Up: When you pull into the parking lot you need to get out of your car and ask around and see who you pulled in after. About an hour or two before it's time to go in then a line is formed in the parking lot. 30 minutes before the doors are opened the line moves up to the processing building.

Contact or Non-Contact: Both

Visiting Days and Hours: Saturday, 12 noon to 7 pm and Sunday, 8:30am to 3 pm

Length of Visit Allowed: You are allowed to visit the whole time provided the visiting room doesn't get too full and they start terminating visits. Non-Contact visits are 1 hour behind glass.

* Special Notes: The environment is very laid back. The staff was all polite and helpful. They're not very strict on what you wear. You can take $30 in for the vending machines. If you want a little more privacy ask as soon as you are in the visiting room for a patio table. They don’t process visitors in between 2:30 pm and 4 pm on Saturdays for count.

[Matts_Dad]

Institution Name: California Correctional Center Susnaville

Institution Yard: Cascade

Yard Level: 2

Appointment Required: Not for contact visits

Must Line up to Obtain a Number: No real line you get your number at the friendship house and wait there until your number is called. The friendship house is on the right side as you enter the visitor parking lot and they open at 7:30 am.

Parking Lot Line Up: None

Contact or Non-Contact: Contact

Visiting Days and Hours: 8:30 to 2:30 They start calling numbers at 8:00

Length of Visit Allowed: Whole time for contact visits

* Special Notes: Visiting staff is nice, helpful, and professional. Inmates can't handle $ or use the vending machines

[myjutebe]

Institution Name: Ironwood State Prison

Institution Yard: A Yard

Yard Level: Level 3

Appointment Required: No

Must Line up to Obtain a Number: Yes, people line up outside of the prison on the side of the road. They allow us to move up at 7:30 and then start handing out passes. Then off to the parking lot and they start calling numbers around 8:45 - 9:00

Parking Lot Line Up: No

Contact or Non-Contact: Contact

Visiting Days and Hours: Saturday & Sunday 9:00 - 3:00

Length of Visit Allowed: 6 hours

* Special Notes:

[lisdin]

Institution Name: Atascadaro State Hospital, Atascadaro, CA 7/05

Institution Yard: Visiting occurs in a secured room, you enter through 3 sets of locked doors and metal detector. Then they call for the inmate.

Yard Level: I do not know this information.

Appointment Required: No. You will need to show current picture ID and have car license information when signing in. You must sign a document that stipulates that you agree to allow a search of you and your auto if requested.

Must Line up to Obtain a Number: No, just arrive and wait in line, when you get into the visiting room they call for the inmate.

Parking Lot Line Up: No

Contact or Non-Contact: unknown info at this time.

Visiting Days and Hours: Daily from 8:30 to 1:15. Note: if it gets crowded with people waiting and you have been visiting your person for two hours, you can be asked to leave so that those waiting can have a chance to visit with their inmate.

Length of Visit Allowed: 8:30 to 1:15 daily

* Special Notes:
-You can hug your person upon arrival and upon departure, preferably at the "command desk" area although the guards did allow my friend to hug her son upon arrival and departure near the table where we sat.
-You can hold hands on top of the tables.
-During our visit 7/05 the guards were very polite and considerate. They explained the rules etc. as it was our first time visiting.
-The inmate cannot have or touch money, can only point to the item in the vending machines.
-The food items are quite good. (Did not try the hot beverage machine)
-The inmate can take back as much unopened food items (from machines 1 and 4, the non perishable items, food not needing refrigeration or microwaving) as he can carry in his arms.
-Each visitor can enter only with up to $25.00 in coins or one dollar bills.

[liznruben]

Institution Name: kERN VALLEY STATE PRISON (DELANO 2)

Institution Yard: B YARD

Yard Level: 4

Appointment Required: NO APPOINTMENT IS REQUIRED, UNLESS YOUR IN THE SHU

Must Line up to Obtain a Number: NO

Parking Lot Line Up: NO, THE PARKING LOT HASD ONLY BEEN 1/3 FULL THE TIMES I'VE WENT.

Contact or Non-Contact: CONTACT

Visiting Days and Hours: SATURDASY& SUNDAY 8:30 - 3:30 BUT THEY KICK YOU OUT BEFORE!


* Special Notes:IT'S NOT BAD AT ALL. THE ONLY THING IS THAT IF THEY GET FULL THEY WILL TERMINATE YOU'RE VISIT EVEN IF YOU HAVE ONLY BEEN THER FOR AN HOUR. THERE ARE NO PICTURES- THAT'S ANOTHER BAD THING. BUT OVERALL IT'S OK.

[misssusiequsie]

Institution Name: Delano II (K.V.S.P)

Institution Yard: B

Yard Level: 4

Appointment Required: Not unless you have non-contact

Must Line up to Obtain a Number: no

Parking Lot Line Up: no

Contact or Non-Contact: depends on the yard and facility

Visiting Days and Hours: Sat.& Sun. 8:00 to 3:00

Length of Visit Allowed: 7 hrs

* Special Notes:Right now because it is so new and not full it is kind of easy and quick to get into visit. Visiting is from 8-3 but they usually make you leave by 230 and sunday they tried to say 215. Alot of times the vending machines have been out of food and it takes a while for them to be refilled. They assign tables and you have to leave the chairs where they are. You can't sit close to them and they have to sit facing the guards. No pictures yet. Its still kind of strict since its barely gotten started. Also they told us that your not allowed in the parking lot before 7:45.

[cosmodoll]

Institution Name: Taft Community Correctional Facility

Institution Yard: N/A

Yard Level: 1

Appointment Required: No

Must Line up to Obtain a Number: No, just walk in and sign in

Parking Lot Line Up: No, just park in green "Visitor" spots

Contact or Non-Contact: Contact

Visiting Days and Hours: Saturday and Sunday 7:00 am to 2:30 p.m.

Length of Visit Allowed: Space available. If you've been there a while, the room is full and others are waiting, they will ask you to terminate your visit.

* Special Notes: They provide lockers to you in the lobby, so if you needed access to feminine products (or your makeup!) during a long visit, you could keep those things in your locker, and get them on the way to the restroom. Do NOT come hungry. There is one soda machine, one snack machine, and one food vending machine (tacos, burritos, sandwiches) and the food is awful. There is no coffee, either. You can wear hoodies, the skirt/short length above the knee is 3" instead of CDC's 2", there is nothing mentioned about the 2" sleeve requirement (I saw a lady in sleeveless) though it does specify "no spaghetti strap tops".

[Jailhousecrock]

Institution Name: CSP-LAC California State Prison - Los Angeles County

Institution Yard: A B C D

Yard Level: III - IV

Appointment Required: No unless visiting Ad Seg

Must Line up to Obtain a Number: Yes

Parking Lot Line Up: Cars line up on Ave. J prior to 7:30 a.m. to drive to the gate house no earlier than 7:30 a.m. Passes are given and then collected in the parking lot C.O.

Contact or Non-Contact: Contact visits - Ad Seg are Glass visits by appointment.

Visiting Days and Hours: Saturday and Sunday and some Holidays: Christmas, Thanksgiving, Memorial Day etc.
Contact visits are from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Length of Visit Allowed: Ad Seg = one hour. Contact visits are from the time you get in until 3:00pm unless the room is full and then earliest visitors are terminated to make room.

* Special Notes: Passes are collected in groups of 60. You may be in one of several groups depending on your arrival time. You must arrive in time to be processed if you are in the later groups as delays can occur for no apparent reason. Visitors wait in there cars until their group is called for processing. Wear comfortable shoes as it is a long walk and not condusive to the elderly with illness. There is a Van to take those with medical issues but dress warm but not layered. Those waiting for the Van must wait in the open outside and it gets very windy and cold in the winter. Bring medical notes if you bring meds. Only your car key and ID can be taken in along with $30.00 for adults and $10.00 per child. Photo ducats are now sold in the visitors processing building from machines at $2.00 each. You are transported by bus to the yard you are visitng. Vistors are NOT allowed to walk to or from the reception building.

Group 1 1-60
Group 2 61-120
Group 3 121-180
Group 4 181-240
Group 5 241-300
Group 6 301-360
Group 7 361-420


TELEPHONE NUMBER TO CSP-LAC 661-729-200 Be sure to call to make sure you dress suitable for this specific prison. NO DENIM No blue shirts, no plain white t-shirts, no flip flops, etc.

[LeBeau]

Institution Name: High Desert State Prison

Institution Yard: B

Yard Level: 4

Appointment Required: Not for contact visits

Must Line up to Obtain a Number: yes

Parking Lot Line Up: Not officially

Contact or Non-Contact: both

Visiting Days and Hours: Sat, Sun, and designated Holidays

Length of Visit Allowed: 8:30 am -2:30 pm

* Special Notes:
When driving to Susanville during the winter, please stock your car for severe conditions-tire chains,flashlights, bottled water, extra socks, one blanket per occupant of the car, etc, no matter which way you come, you will be driving through some VERY remote areas and if you should have trouble, help could be a while in arriving.

You are not supposed to be on the prison grounds before 7am but they don't actually mind as long as you wait in your car...line for processing starts to form at 7:30, processing begins at 8, MAKE SURE you know your license plate number, if you don't have that available at processing, you will be sent back to your vehicle to get that information, no exceptions.
They are strict about the dress code, especially the "no blue allowed" rule and you'll want to wear shoes that are fairly easy to remove because you have to take them off for inspection at the metal detector.
High Desert does not permit dredlocks or braided hairdos.

[Sals_gal]

Institution Name: Adelanto Community Correctional Facility (ACCF)


Institution Yard: ?? (Not sure what that means)

Yard Level: I believe 1

Appointment Required: No

Must Line up to Obtain a Number: No

Parking Lot Line Up: No

Contact or Non-Contact: Contact

Visiting Days and Hours: Saturday and Sunday and major holidays. 8 am - 3:30 pm

Length of Visit Allowed: You are allowed to stay the entire visiting time.

* Special Notes: I found it to be extremely "un-stressful" compared to visitation in a County facility. Just walk into the facility and check in with the guard. Then you walk a few feet through the metal detector into a little cafeteria (I actually believe it's the guard's break room when there is no visiting) and voila! It took about 15 minutes tops to see my love. Not too many people go there, thank goodness, because the cafeteria is real small. You can take $20.00 in one dollar increments or change for the vending machines. They also have an inmate that sits around with a camera and will take a picture for $2.00, which is given to the guard sitting at a desk in the cafeteria. All in all, it was very pleasant and relaxing as far as visits to facilities go.

[StellaG]

Institution Name: Kern Valley State Prison

Institution Yard: A

Yard Level: Level 4

Appointment Required: No, only in reception

Must Line up to Obtain a Number: You line up to get pass outside

Parking Lot Line Up: None

Contact or Non-Contact: Mainline -Contact Ad Seg-Non-contact

Visiting Days and Hours: Saturday/Sunday

Length of Visit Allowed: 8:30am to 2:30pm

* Special Notes: Vending machine foods, sodas, chips and candies.
Also coffee not too good

[waiting&waiting]

Institution Name: DELANO COMMUNITY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY

Institution Yard: N/A

Yard Level: I,II

Appointment Required: NO - 1st come, 1st serve

Must Line up to Obtain a Number: NO - Just sign in & give ID

Parking Lot Line Up: NO

Contact or Non-Contact: Contact

Visiting Days and Hours: Saturdays & Sundays: 7:15am - 3:15pm (plus 5 major holidays) You CAN visit BOTH days!!

Length of Visit Allowed: The whole time unless it gets crowded, then its first in, first out.

* Special Notes: Visiting at DCCF is very laid-back! You go in, sign-in and give ID. You go thru a metal detector and right into the visiting room - very small 49 max capacity. You give your ID to the guard in the visiting room, they pull the inmates visiting file & verify your ID w/ your visitation form. They call for your inmate who comes within 10-15 minutes. You can bring in money - $20- for food/drinks for vending machines ( they didn't check my money, I had $20+). There is Cable TV, you can play cards/dominoes/draw - just ask the guard for them. The guard will take your picture when you want/wherever you want - there are various murals on the walls (inmate has to buy $2.00 foto ticket before hand). You can go the bathroom whenever you need to (feminine products available in restroom), you don;t need to ask, just get up and buzz door to exit. You're supposed to sit across from the inmate but noticed not everyone was doing that & guards didn't seem to mind. You can't wear BLUE/LIGHT BLUE jeans/pants/shirts - those are inmate colors. Overall, the staff is VERY nice & laid-back.

[mercury95]

Institution Name: Sierra Conservation Center - Jamestown

Institution Yard: Calaveras, Mariposa and Tuolumne

Yard Level: 1 thru 3

Appointment Required: No, except for Administrative Segregation

Must Line up to Obtain a Number: Yes

Parking Lot Line Up: NO, visitors and their cars are NOT allowed on prison grounds prior to 7:30am

Contact or Non-Contact: Contact visits except for Ad Seg which is non-contact

Visiting Days and Hours: Saturday and Sunday, 8:30am - 3:30pm

Length of Visit Allowed: No limit except for Ad Seg which is for one hour only between 11am - 3:30pm

* Special Notes: Visiting passes are handed out starting at 7:30am. Visitors are called in groups of 5 starting at 8:30am. Once inside the visiting room you may wait about 45 minutes for the inmate you are visiting to be brought in. Brief hugging and kissing is allowed at the beginning and end of visit only. Several vending machines are available for drinks, snacks and meals. Only $50 in $1 bills and coin (no pennies) allowed, they will count! You can visit both days. Visits may be cut short due to crowding, on a first in, first out basis, unless the inmate has not had a visit in the last 30 days and if the visitor traveled over 250 miles. No blue jeans or blue clothing of any kind. No tan/khaki pants. No forest green shirts/tops. No spaghetti straps, strapless, sleeveless tops. No underwire bras. Skirts and shorts no shorter than 2 inches above knee.