About Chuckawalla Valley State Prison
The fire house is comprised of one fire chief; five fire captains and ten inmate firefighters. The fire house responds to local mutual aid and provides coverage for CVSP and ISP. The fire department personnel provide training and certification for inmate firefighters to be prepared for job placement upon parole.
Inmates are allowed to enter and leave their room as they wish during the day, CVSP Facilities have been designated as Special Needs Yard which are reserved for sex offenders, gang drop-outs, and former law enforcement.
Chuckawalla Valley State Prison Visiting Hours and Rules
The visiting hours at CVSP are on Saturdays and Sundays, and they usually start between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. and end between 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. There are also four holidays with visiting hours: New Year’s Day, July 4th, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) has an 800 Visitor’s Information number that will give you detailed information about visiting hours at CVSP. The number is 1-800-374-8474, and all you need to do is follow the directions on the recording.
The Visitors’ Information number will also give you detailed information on visits, as well as updates on lockdowns, medical quarantines, or other circ*mstances that affect visiting.
Before you visit an inmate at CVSP we suggest two things:
- The CDCR has a 28-page Visitation Guidebook that helps you understand what to expect when you visit an inmate, as well as what is expected of you. We recommend that you read it in its entirety.
- To reduce your wait time and guarantee a spot in the visiting room, schedule a visit in advance by using the VPASS system.
Getting Approved for a Visit
Before visiting an inmate at CVSP you must first get on the approved visiting list. To start the process, you must ask the prisoner you wish to visit to mail you a signed visitor questionnaire. They must sign the questionnaire before mailing it to you because their signature is their consent to add you to their visiting list.
Be sure to fill out the questionnaire completely and accurately. The CDCR will conduct a background check for arrests and convictions when processing the application, and if you are not truthful on your questionnaire you will be denied.
Mail the completed questionnaire to:
Chuckawalla Valley State Prison
Visiting Sergeant
PO Box 2289
Blythe, CA 92226-2289
If you are approved to visit, the prison will notify the inmate, and it is their job to notify you. When you are approved, you are listed in the CDCR computer as being an approved visitor for that specific prisoner, and you do not need to bring any proof of approval with you to the prison on the day of your visit.
If you are denied, the prison will send you a letter giving the reason for disapproval, and the prisoner will also receive notice, but will not be given the reason.
General Visiting Rules at CVSP
Most inmates are in general population, and they are allowed contact visits which allow the prisoner to sit with their visitors in a large visiting room. Contact visits are restricted to five visitors at a time.
Prisoners and their visitors are allowed to briefly kiss and/or hug at the beginning and the end of visits. The only physical contact allowed between prisoners and their adult visitors at other times is holding hands. Prisoners may also hold minor children whom they are visiting.
Inmates in ADSEG or Intake are only allowed non-contact visits, which is where the inmates and visitors are separated by a glass partition. You must have an appointment for a non-contact visit.
In order to visit an inmate, you must have photo identification. You must also go through a metal detector, and the items you bring will go through an X-ray machine.
There will be a wait from the time you arrive at the prison to the time you are processed to visit. Typical wait times for processing are not excessive. The wait times are usually longer first thing in the morning, when many visitors arrive all at the same time.
You must fill out a pass each time you visit an inmate. The pass will require the prisoner’s name and CDCR number, your relationship to the prisoner (spouse, mother, friend, etc.), your name and address, and your signature.
If you are bringing in minor children, you must list the names of the children on the pass. The completed pass is then submitted to staff, and, using a computer, a staff member will check the prisoner’s file to make sure you are an approved visitor, and that the prisoner is eligible to visit on that day.
Staff will mark the pass with the prisoner’s housing and will note if the visit is contact or non-contact. The pass, along with your identification, is your “key” to get into and out of the prison.
The only items allowed into a visit without prior approval are:
- A $50 limit per adult and $20 limit per minor; only as dollar bills, dollar coins, and quarters. Visiting rooms have vending machines stocked with food and beverages that you can purchase for yourself and the inmate. You may not bring any food or beverage from the outside into the prison.
- A small (generally 6” by 8”) clear, plastic purse or bag
- Two keys on a ring with no other attachments
- Identification
- A comb or brush; non-metallic, no pointed end or detachable parts
- A small unopened pack of tissues or a handkerchief; no bandannas
- A pair of prescription glasses
- Ten Photographs, no larger than 8” by 10”; photos may be shown to the prisoner, but must be taken out by the visitor at the end of the visit. No Polaroids. No sexual or gang images
- Ten pages of documents, no larger than 8-1/2” by 11”
Dress Code
There are restrictions on what you may wear to Chuckawalla Valley State Prison, and you can read all of the details in the Inmate Visiting Guide. The biggest thing to remember is to dress modestly, and don’t wear clothing that resembles what an inmate wears or what a guard wears.
Chuckawalla Valley State Prison Physical Address
Chuckawalla Valley State Prison
19025 Wiley’s Well Road
Blythe, CA 92225
Driving Directions: https://goo.gl/maps/oPaWgwehPVFFpCR59
Chuckawalla Valley State Prison General Phone Number
Phone: (760) 922-5300
Chuckawalla Valley State Prison Prisoner Mailing Address(es)
All mail should be addressed to the prisoner with their full name, their CDCR number, and the address of the prison.
Chuckawalla Valley State Prison
Inmate’s name and CDCR number
PO Box 2349
Blythe, CA 92226-2349
There is no limit on the number of people who may correspond with the prisoner or the number of mail items a prisoner may receive. All inmate mail is opened and reviewed by staff.
The restrictions on content are:
- May not contain anything that is a threat or potential threat to another
- No discussion of a future criminal act
- No discussion of an escape
- No discussion of disrupting the security of the prison
- No coded messages
- No maps depicting the area in which the prison is located
- No gang-related comments or photographs
- No photographs of nudity or sexual conduct
You may send prisoners letters, cards (no stickers or glitter), photographs (limited to 10 per envelope and not larger than 8” x 10”), drawings, children’s schoolwork, or newspaper and magazine articles.
All books, magazines, newspapers, or packages must be sent through approved vendors.
You may enclose a money order or check in your letter to an inmate. Mailroom staff will send it to trust accounts, where it will be credited to the prisoner’s account.
How to Call a Prisoner at Chuckawalla Valley State Prison
Unfortunately, you can’t call prisoners directly, they must call you. The prisoners have access to phones during daytime hours.
You are responsible for paying for the calls, but calling cards cannot be used. For complete details on how to call an inmate in California, please click here.
How to Send Money to Prisoners at Chuckawalla Valley State Prison
To send money to an inmate first:
- Lookup the inmate’s CDCR number using the Inmate Locator
- Make sure the inmate is located at CVSP by using the Facility Locator
3 Ways of Sending Money:
- Lock Box
- EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer)
- Mail funds directly to the institution
To get complete details about sending money to an inmate at CVSP, click here.
Chuckawalla Valley State Prison Programs For Prisoners
Prison Industry Authority (PIA)
Laundry, Health Facility Maintenance
Vocational
Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, Auto Body and Fender, Auto Mechanics, Building Maintenance, Carpentry, Computer Literacy, Computer Coding, Electrical Works, Electronics, Masonry, Offices Services and Related Technologies, Plumbing, and Welding.
Academic
Adult Basic Education Level 1, GED, Facility and Library Literacy Programs, Computer Assisted Instruction Lab, Adult Basic Education Model 2, College Programs, and Voluntary Education Program (VEP).
Other: Victims Awareness, Alternatives to Violence Program, Parenting classes, Toastmasters, Veteran’s Group, AA/NA and Friends Outside.
OSATS
Re-entry Hub Services, Substance Abuse Treatment, Anger Management Treatment, Criminal Thinking Treatment, Family Relations and Transitions to Parole.
Arts in Corrections
Arts In Corrections (AIC) is a program that allows inmates to create self-awareness through visual, literary, media, performing, and folk and traditional art opportunities. AIC is a partnership between the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and the California Arts Council, designed to prepare inmates success upon release, enhance rehabilitative goals, and improve the safety and environment of CDCR institutions.
AIC programs are led by professional artists and specialized organizations, focusing on topics used for strengthening rehabilitation. The goal of AIC is to expose inmates to classes where they can express themselves therapeutically through drawing, creative writing, dance, poetry, theater, and other artistic methods.
Transitions program
The Transitions Program offers participants employability and money management skills to prepare for successful reentry into their communities. The Transitions Program consists of a series of 18 modules which includes Another Chance, A Better Choice, and Money Matters curriculum.
Careers at Chuckawalla Valley State Prison
If you are interested in a job at Chuckawalla Valley State Prison please visit the CalCareers website to view available positions.
