Okay... Ladies I need help with CRC visiting

sherry_wine · #1 10-06-2005, 09:04 PM

My friend's man just got there and she wants to know what to expect please give me some infor that I can pass on to her

Thank-you

gayle444 · #2 10-07-2005, 08:41 PM

This info is based on my first visit, which was in early August.

From Los Angeles take the 60 to the 15 South and exit at 6th Street (3-4 exits?). Turn right from the offramp onto 6th Street and immediately left at the signal which is Hamner Avenue. Get in the right-hand lane. As you approach 5th Street on Hamner, you will see a line of cars on the right in the parking lane on Hamner. (If you get there earlier than, say, 6:30, the
line may not yet extend onto Hamner. If that is the case, you will find the
line of cars after you turn right onto 5th Street.)

Be careful driving out; the traffic can move at up to 80 - 85 mph, and I've spotted the CHP in my rear view mirror. The sun is popping up and down in your vision most of the way out there early in the morning.

You will have a "first-time" visit, so arriving between 5:45 and 6 should work out fine this trip. When I first went, I would have been processed in a bit earlier than I was had I known which line to stand in. After you pull into the parking lot (I won't give directions for that, as you will be in the line of cars pulling in), you want to get out and stand in the line where a sign says "medical visits, first time visits, long distance visits". There is a covered square area with seats in the parking lot where the lines form. It's the only part of the parking lot that is covered, and it will be obvious where people are standing to line up.

The first-time visit line is on the right side of the covered area as you face the prison fencing and visitor area entrance, and the standard visiting line is on the left.

The deputy comes out about 8:15 to start processing people. He will ask you if it is your first visit at NORCO and hand you the pass form to fill out. Even if you have visited at other prisons, this is still considered a first time visit. There is a podium in the covered visitor area with pens and paper clips. You need one of the paper clips to attach your driver's license to the pass. Fill out the form and give it back to the deputy. This may involve getting back in the same line or, more likely, just joining the crowd clustered around him.

He will fill in an "E" number (E-1, E-25, etc.) on the form. The "E" pass is just for medical, first time, and long distance visitors. (There are a limited number of passes given to the first cars as they enter early in the morning.)

Once you have the pass with the E number on it, they will call you to go and stand in the other line. The deputies will process a limited number of standard visitors first, because their visits will get terminated around noon, along with the medical exemption visitors, who also get terminated early. Then they process the E passes. The lining up is a bit of a mystery to me.

They seem to process people based on their E-numbers, but people were standing in line anyway, and I'm pretty sure than some people toward the front of the line have higher numbers than those behind them. It all goes pretty smoothly, and no one seems to be very excited about who is where. As the line moves forward, people do come along to ask what other people's numbers were so that they can get in line at the right place.

At the head of that line, they check your pass again; a deputy goes over people with a handheld metal detector and lets them know if there is a problem with any of their clothing. Review the visiting dress rules. If
there is a problem, you can go back to your car and change or visit the clothing trailer at the other end of the parking lot. Once you pass the clothing/metal detector check, you get sent to the back of yet another line of people who have been similarly processed.

Five or so are let in through the gates into the visitor's processing building at a time. There's not much room inside. NO lockers. Ignition key only. Standard $30 in bills/silver coins. You put your pass with the driver's license clipped to it into a cardboard box on the deputy's desk counter and then sit down. When they call your name (usually about 10-15 minutes), go to the deputy at the metal detector and hand her your keys and your plastic bag of money, pictures, kleenex, etc. She will send you through the standing metal detector and hand you your things on the other side. She will stamp your hand, keep your keys and return them to you when you check out.

I think there is a yellow line to follow from the visitor's processing center to the visiting room door. It's not far, maybe a hundred feet. When you enter the visiting room, walk down to the raised deputies' desk area in the center of the room. Put your pass with the license clipped to it into the cardboard box on that counter and find seats. It takes about 15 minutes for for the inmate to come out.

I'm sure that I've left something out, but that gives you the basics. I think they terminate first visits around 1:30. There is an announcement made that E passes with X numbers have to check out. Get your pass and your driver's license from the same counter when you dropped it off. Go back to the visitor's processing center, show the deputy your hand-stamp, and get your car keys. Wait at the double security gate, and they will let you out.

Good luck!

roy*s_girl · #3 10-13-2005, 12:43 AM

THAT was SOOOOO helpful!! thank you so much. my boyfriends mom called and talked to someone in the visitors office..and was told that we can not visit both saturday and sunday ..that it alternates each week? Even though we will drive 6 hours to get there...does that sound right? How long do long distance visitors get?

Angela

sherry_wine · #4 10-13-2005, 01:39 AM

Hey
well you only get to visit 2x a month that sucks
and after waiting in a long line I don't like CRC,:shake: ...back in the day it was different... but than were talking years back

gayle444 · #5 10-13-2005, 09:19 AM

Sherry-wine is right on both counts. The visiting area is very small, so they divide the men by CRC number. One quarter of the men get visits on Saturday, one quarter on Sunday, one quarter the following Saturday, one quarter the following Sunday. So you wind up being able to visit two days each month; once on a Saturday, then two weeks later on a Sunday. If your guy doesn't know which day, you can call the CRC visiting number 800-374-8474 to get the information 24 hours, or call visiting directly like your boyfriend's mom did. (You should check the 800 number before you leave to make sure that visiting hasn't been cancelled before you make the drive.)

They are exlarging the visiting area at Norco. I hope that, within the next couple of months, they will be finished so that we can have more/longer visits. I'm glad that my son is closer to me since he transfered to Norco from Folsom, but the visiting process is very difficult in comparison with Folsom. He does seem to get more phone calls from Norco though; that helps to balance out the shorter visits.

Since you'll be considered a "long distance" visitor (over 250 miles), you'll have what they call an "all-day" visit each time you go to see him. That means that you'll line up in the same line as first time and medical visits every time you go to see him. "All-day" visits usually last until around 1:45 pm or so. Depends on how many people show up for visiting that particular day. It could last until 3pm.

caviles · #6 02-13-2006, 09:44 AM

Do you have to call ahead of time and schedule a visit? If you do what is the number to the visitation line for Norco? My finance' was transfered there last week and already been received. Plus I have my visitation authorazation letter approved for visits but that was when she was in Chowchilla, will I be able to visit her? or will I have to fill out another form and send it to Norco? Please help.