CDCR – Kern Valley State Prison (KVSP)

CDCR – Kern Valley State Prison (KVSP) basic information to help guide you through what you can do for your inmate while they are incarcerated. The facility's direct contact number: 661-721-6300

This facility is for adult inmates.

The inmates housed at Kern Valley Prison located at 3000 W Cecil Ave in Delano, 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.

Kern Valley State Prison (KVSP) is a level IV high-security state prison located in Delano, CA. KVSP houses about 5000 adult inmates. Kern Valley has two administrative segregation units and 500 beds in the substance abuse treatment facility. Minimum security inmates are also housed at Kern Valley State Prison, but they are separated from the high-security inmates by rows of razor wire and an electrified fence.

Inmates who are serving time at the minimum support facility are eligible to participate in many prison-related operational support jobs. These jobs help the prison to run by providing services like cooking, laundry, administration services, warehouse, and maintenance while also giving the inmates a chance to learn a new skill.

The secondary mission of Kern Valley State Prison is to provide meaningful work, training, and education programs for inmates who do not meet the criteria for assignment to a conservation camp. These alternative assignments include academic and vocational trade programs, facility maintenance jobs, food service positions, and other facility support assignments.

Institution Details

KVSP is a Level IV facility consisting of four (4) semi-autonomous 180 designed facilities and two (2) stand-alone Administrative Segregation Units all surrounded by a Lethal Electrified Perimeter Fence. There is also a Level I Minimum Support Facility (MSF). Facility D (180) will house the Transitional Housing Unit. It is on 600 acres with 200 acres across the street that PIA grows alfalfa on.

visitation Info

CDCR – Kern Valley State Prison (KVSP) – 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.