CDCR – Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF)

CDCR – Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) basic information to help guide you through what you can do for your inmate while they are incarcerated. The facility's direct contact number: 559-665-5531

This facility is for adult inmates.

The inmates housed at Central California Women’s Facility located at 23370 Road 22 in Chowchilla, CA are placed according to their custody level (determined by a number of factors including the past criminal history and the length of their sentence). There are ample educational and vocational training programs for all inmates, especially ones that show a willingness to learn new things that will prepare them for a better life when they are released. The mission is to promote and prepare the offender to leave in better shape than when they arrived, giving them the best chance to never come back and thus lower the state's recidivism rate.

Central California Women's Facility (CCWF) is located in Chowchilla. It provides intake, incarceration, and rehabilitation to adult female inmates in California. It is currently the largest female facility in the state. It has a mental and medical services division which provides care for all of the inmates who need it.

CCWF provides education to the inmates, ensuring all those who want to earn an adult education and GED can. A narcotics and alcoholics anonymous support group helps inmates who have substance abuse issues and a battered women's group to help anyone who has been the victim of domestic violence. Vocational programs are similar to the male facilities, with auto repair, computer repair, carpentry, painting, milling, farming, clothing creation, and welding being just some of the skills an inmate can learn. They also offer cosmetology courses.

Mission Statement

The primary mission of the Central California Women's Facility (CCWF) is to process, rehabilitate, and incarcerate California's female offenders in a secure, safe, disciplined and ethical institutional setting.

Central California Women's Facility is the largest female institution in the state which is located in Chowchilla, California. CCWF provides inmate academic education, work and vocational training, counseling and specialized programs for the purpose of successful reintegration into society. It provides community service which encourages public awareness and participation.

The facility's specialized mental health and medical services are commensurate with community standards, providing a licensed medical environment while encouraging personal responsibility.

The institution also provides staff resources and training which ensures the highest standards of "Correctional Professionalism."

CDCR – Central California Women's Facility (CCWF) – Visitation Guide
CDCR – Central California Women's Facility (CCWF) – Inmate Packages
CDCR – Central California Women's Facility (CCWF) – Parole Information

visitation Info

CDCR – Central California Women's Facility (CCWF) – Visitation

Visiting a CDCR facility must be conducted in a manner that maintains order, safety, and security of the people and facility. Failure to comply with the established regulations and policies may result in a warning or termination, suspension, or revocation of your visiting privileges.

Recommended Steps Before Visiting:

1. Read Visitation Guidelines to understand what you can expect and what is expected of you
2. Find out in which facility your inmate is housed
3. Schedule a visit online using the VPASS system
4. The day of your scheduled visit, check the Visiting Status to ensure the institution is accepting visitors

 Visitation Guidelines

• Guidelines for Visiting Adult Prisons 
• Guidelines for Visiting Juvenile Facilities

Refer to the Department's current policies and regulations in Title 15and the Department Operations Manual if you want to know more.

 Locate Inmate

Use the Inmate Locator to find an inmate and what facility they are housed in.

 Schedule Visit

Sign-up or log into VPASS to schedule an inmate visit. VPASS stands for Visitor Processing Appointment Scheduling System. Note: this requires creating an online account.

 Check Visiting Status

You can find out the visiting status of a CDCR facility in one of two ways:

• Call the Visiting Status Hotline at 1-800-374-8474
• Check the VPASS Visiting Status; locate the facility you plan to visit.

You should always do this the day you plan to visit, because visitation can sometimes be unexpectedly cancelled.