California State Prison – Corcoran

California State Prison -  Corcoran or CSP Corcoran is a male-only state prison located in the city of Corcoran, in Kings County, California. It is also known as Corcoran State Prison, CSP-C, CSP-COR, CSP-Corcoran, and Corcoran I.

CSP Corcoran is actually a complex of several facilities that has an overall capacity of 3,116.  Each of the facilities specializes in its own type of offender, and offers different programs and privileges for inmates.  

CSP Corcoran is comprised of the following facilities: Level I, Level III, Level IV, Administrative Segregation Unit, Security Housing Unit, Protective Housing Unit, Prison Industry Authority, a fully licensed Correctional Treatment Center, Long Term Restricted Housing, and Enhanced Program Facility.

Notable current inmates include Phillip Garrido, who kidnapped Jaycee Lee Dugard in 1991 and kept her captive in his backyard up until 2009. He is serving 431 years to life. Mikhail Markhasev, convicted murderer of Ennis Cosby (son of entertainer Bill Cosby) is also housed at CSP Corcoran.  In 1998, he received a sentence of life without parole, plus 10 years.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

The visiting hours at California State Prison, Corcoran are on Saturdays, Sundays, and four holidays: New Year’s Day, July 4th, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Visits begin between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. and end around 3:00 p.m.

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) has an 800 Visitor’s Information number that will give you detailed information about visits at CSP Corcoran. The number is 1-800-374-8474, and all you need to do is follow the directions on the recording.

You can also visit their website www.cdcr.ca.gov. First, click on Prisons, and then click on California State Prison, Corcoran.

Both the 800 Visitors’ Information number and website will give you detailed information on visits, as well as updates on lockdowns, medical quarantines, or other circumstances that affect visiting.

To answer all of the questions you might have about visiting an inmate at CSP Corcoran, the CDCR has put together a detailed Visitation Guidebook. We highly recommend that you read through all 28 pages, so you understand what to expect when you visit an inmate, as well as what is expected of you.

We also recommend that you schedule a visit in advance online using the VPASS system. This will reduce your wait time, and guarantee you a spot in the visiting room. On the day of your scheduled visit, you can check CSP Corcorans visiting status to make sure they are accepting visitors that day.

Getting Approved for a Visit

Before visiting an inmate at CSP Corcoran - or any other California state prison - you must first get on the approved visiting list.

• Complete a visitor questionnaire, but you can only get this questionnaire by having the prisoner you wish to visit mail it to you. The prisoner must sign this questionnaire first before mailing it out because their signature is their consent to add you to their visiting list.
• You must fill out the questionnaire completely and accurately or you could be denied.
• The CDCR will conduct a background check for arrests and convictions when processing the application.
• Mail the completed questionnaire to:

California State Prison, Corcoran
Visiting Sergeant
PO Box 8800
Corcoran, CA 93212-8800

• If you are approved to visit, the prisoner will be notified and then it is their job to notify you. Once you are approved, you are listed in the 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.

Contact Visits, Non-Contact Visits, and Family Visits

Most prisoners are in the general population and are allowed contact visits. At a contact visit,  the prisoner can sit with his/her visitors and have limited physical contact with them (a brief kiss and/or hug at beginning and end of visit, hold hands during the visit).

These visits occur in a large visiting room which are furnished with tables and chairs. Contact visits are restricted to five visitors at a time.

Prisoners in ADSEG or intake are only eligible for non-contact visits, which take place in a separate visiting room, and the inmate and visitors are separated by a glass partition.

Some prisoners are eligible for, “family visits.” These visits occur in private, apartment-like facilities on prison grounds and last approximately 30 to 40 hours, and are restricted to approved visitors who are immediate family members (parents, children, siblings, legal spouses, or registered domestic partners) of the prisoner. Family visits are restricted by availability; usually one visit every three to five months.

An eligible prisoner must put in an application for a family visit with his assigned Correctional Counselor at the prison.

General Visiting Rules

All adults must present photo identification when being processed to visit. Acceptable forms of identification must be valid and current (not expired).

Visitors are strictly limited in the items they may bring into the prison.

• $50 per adult and $20 per minor; only dollar bills, dollar coins, and quarters
• 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”. No Polaroids and no sexual or gang images. photos will be viewed by staff during processing
• Documents up to 10 pages, no larger than 8-1/2” by 11” (standard size typing paper)

Dress Code

There are restrictions on what you may wear to a prison, and you can read all of the details in the Inmate Visiting Guide. In general, there are four rules to remember:

1. Do not wear clothing that resembles the clothing that prisoners wear (Blue denim pants, Blue chambray shirts, Orange jumpsuits, or Orange tops with Orange bottoms)

2. Do not wear clothing that resembles what custodial staff wear (Forest green pants, Tan shirts, or Camouflage)

3. Dress conservatively and modestly

4. Do not wear any item that cannot be taken off and will not clear a metal detector (such as an underwire bra or clothing with metal buttons)

How to Call an Inmate

Inmates at California State Prison, Corcoran can’t receive incoming calls, however they do have access to phones during daytime hours. For complete details on how to call an inmate in California, please click here.

How to Send Money

To send money to an inmate first:

• Lookup the inmate’s CDCR number using the Inmate Locator
• Make sure the inmate is located at CSP, Corcoran by using the Facility Locator

3 Ways of Sending Money:

1. Lock Box: A no fee service with a shorter hold time for sending money via money order, personal check, or cashier’s checks.
2. EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer): A paid service, this is the fastest option with funds posted to inmate’s account within 1 to 3 days
3. Mail funds directly to the institution:

Never a fee. All funds are subject to a 30-day hold. All checks and money orders must be made payable to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The senders name and address must be written on the face of the check/money order along with the inmates name and CDCR number.

​Programs For ​Inmates

• Prison Industry Authority (PIA):  Dairy/milk processing, laundry, warehouse, maintenance repair, on time delivery-central valley branch (OTDC).

The Prison Industry Authority administers a work program for inmates in California correctional institutions to improve their job skills and reduce idleness. The program is fully supported by sales of products and services to government agencies. PIA employs 303 inmates in a private business-like setting throughout CSP-Corcoran.

The Century 2002 modular office system spans two housing yards (III-B and III-C) and occupies approximately 100,000 square feet of factory floor space. The institutional laundry is operated seven days a week, ten hours per day by rotating crews of Level III inmates. The Warehouse and Distribution Center at Corcoran serves as the central hub of a statewide distribution network. The Agribusiness consists of 400 acres of farmland, a dairy capable of milking 1,800 cows, and a milk-packaging facility that provides milk for several surrounding institutions.

• Vocational:  Computer technology, electronics, machine shop, sheet metal, welding.
• Academic:  Adult Basic Education, General Education Development (GED), Pre-Release, English Second Language Development, Literacy Program.
• Community Service Crews
• Youth Diversion
• Religious
• Arts in Corrections
• Victim Awareness
• Treatment Programs: Long-Term Offender Program, Step Down Program, Cognitive Behavioral Treatment
• Anger Management
• Criminal Thinking
• Family Relationships
• Substance Use Disorder Treatment
• Pre-Release Programs
• Transitions Program
• California Identification Card Program

Pictures of California State Prison – Corcoran

Careers at California State Prison – Corcoran

If you are interested in a job at California State Prison, Corcoran please visit the CalCareers website to view available positions.