CDCR – Calipatria State Prison (CAL)

CDCR – Calipatria State Prison (CAL) basic information to help guide you through what you can do for your inmate while they are incarcerated. The facility's direct contact number: 760-348-7000

This facility is for adult inmates.

The inmates housed at Calipatria State Prison located at 7018 Blair Rd in Calipatria, 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.

Calipatria State Prison is a male-only state prison located in the city of Calipatria, in Imperial County, CA holding CDCR inmates from a minimum to a maximum custody level. This facility is also used by Immigration and Naturalization (ICE) to incarcerate immigrants who have been detained and are close to being released. Although originally designed to hold much less, the facility now holds over 4,100 inmates.

Although located about 3 miles from the center of Calipatria, the prison is within the city limits. Called the lowest prison in the Western Hemisphere, it lies 184 feet below sea level. The facility covers a total of 1,230 acres (with the prison on 300 acres). In September 2007, it had a design capacity of 2,308 but a total inmate population of 4,180, for an occupancy rate of 181%. As of March 1, 2018, the total population was 3,685, or an occupancy rate of 160%.

The primary mission of Calipatria State Prison (CAL) is to protect the public by providing safe custody, quality health care and the appropriate supervision of sentenced offenders. In conjunction with the Mission, the institution will promote viable work assignments, vocational training, and educational opportunities for offenders in order to foster an environment in which positive changes can occur. The secondary mission of CAL is to provide meaningful work programs for inmates who do not meet the criteria for assignment to a conservation camp. These assignments include facility maintenance jobs, food service positions and other facility support assignments.

CAL has many vocational studies that inmates can take advantage of. These skills taught for free to the inmates can give them a range of skills that they can use to earn an honest living once they are released. Some of the programs currently offered are auto body and paint, consumer electronics repair, carpentry, electrical, and masonry.

CDCR – Calipatria State Prison (CAL) – Visitation Guide
CDCR – Calipatria State Prison (CAL) – Inmate Packages
CDCR – Calipatria State Prison (CAL) – Parole Information

visitation Info

CDCR – Calipatria State Prison (CAL) – 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.