California State Prison – Los Angeles County

California State Prison - Los Angeles County is a male-only state prison located in the city of Lancaster, in Los Angeles County, California. The only state prison located in the county, it is also called Los Angeles County State Prison or CSP-Los Angeles County.

The capacity of CSP Los Angeles County is 2,300. However, there are currently more than 3,000 inmates housed in this facility.

The California State Prison Los Angeles County (LAC) is a multi-mission institution.   Fundamentally, the institution houses minimum and maximum security male inmates. The institution serves as a Medical hub for Enhanced Outpatient (EOP) and EOP Administrative Segregation levels of Healthcare and also operates a Prison Industry Authority (PIA) Laundry and soap manufacturing facilities.

The institution serves as a Reentry Hub with programs such as Commercial Plumbing, Commercial Painting, Masonry and Computer Literacy. A Progressive Programming Facility (PPF) was established on Facility "A" in 2000. The PPF was created to create a program environment, free from violence, illegal drugs, and disruptive behavior.

California State Prison in Los Angeles County serves as both a long-term facility and an intake facility for inmates who are entering the California prison system.  Inmates in reception are usually only housed at CSP, Los Angeles County for the short term. Once they are classified, the inmate is relocated to their long-term facility.

Productivity and self-improvement opportunities are provided for inmates through academic classes, work programs, and religious and self-help groups. LAC was constructed to meet the access requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and has been designated to house Level I, III and IV inmates.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

California State Prison, Los Angeles County has visiting hours on Saturdays, Sundays, and four holidays during each calendar year (New Year’s Day, July 4th, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day). Visits usually begin between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. and end by 3:00 p.m.

To get more information about the visiting process at CSP Los Angeles County, you can call the 800 Visitors’ Information number (800-374-8474) and follow the directions given, or visit the CDCR website www.cdcr.ca.gov and click on Prisons and then CSP Los Angeles County.

The 800 Visitors’ Information number and website will provide information on lockdowns, medical quarantines, or other circumstances affecting visiting, addresses, and directions to the prison.

When you visit an inmate at CSP Los Angeles County, you must comply with the established regulations and policies. If you don’t, it may result in a warning or termination, suspension, or revocation of your visiting privileges.

To answer all of the questions you might have about visiting an inmate at CSP Los Angeles County, 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 when you arrive at the prison for a visit, and it will also guarantee you a spot in the visiting room. On the day of your scheduled visit, you can check CSP Los Angeles visiting status through this system to make sure they are accepting visitors that day.

Getting Approved for a Visit

Before visiting an inmate at CSP Los Angeles County - or any other California state prison - you must first get on the approved visiting list. The process is as follows:

• Complete a visitor questionnaire. To obtain this form,the prisoner you wish to visit must mail it to you. The prisoner must also 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, Los Angeles County
Visiting Sergeant
44750 60th Street West
Lancaster, CA 93536-7619

• 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, Non-Contact, and Family Visits

Most prisoners are in the general population and may receive contact visits. Contact visits allow the prisoner to sit together 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, usually furnished with tables and chairs and usually shared with many other prisoners and visitors. Contact visits are restricted to five visitors at a time.

Inmates in ADSEG or Intake are only allowed non-contact visits, which take place in a separate visiting room, and the inmate and his visitors are separated by a glass partition. Non-contact visits require an appointment.

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. Family visits are restricted to approved visitors who are immediate family members of the prisoner. The availability of family visits is restricted to 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 have photo identification when being processed to visit.

Visitors are required to follow all rules, regulations, and laws while on institution grounds. To ensure that prohibited items are not allowed into the prison, all visitors and their possessions are searched before the visitor is allowed to visit.

Visitors must remove all outer clothing (jackets, sweaters, etc.), shoes, and any jewelry that will set off the metal detector. Those items are placed along with other allowable items (money, comb, baby items, etc.) on either a conveyor belt for an x-ray search or on a counter for a manual search by staff.

Every adult visitor must fill out a pass each time he/she visits. The pass calls for the prisoner’s name and CDCR number, the relationship of the visitor to the prisoner (spouse, mother, friend, etc.), the visitor’s name and address, and the visitor’s signature.

If the adult visitor is bringing in minor children, he/she lists the names of the children on the pass. The completed pass is submitted to staff. Using a computer, staff checks the prisoner’s file to make sure the visitor is an approved visitor and that the prisoner is eligible to visit on that day.

Staff marks the pass with the prisoner’s housing and notes whether the visit is contact or non-contact. The pass, along with the visitor’s identification, is the visitor’s “key” to get into and out of the prison. Although the pass and identification may be held by staff once the visitor gets to the visiting room, it will be returned to the visitor upon leaving the visiting room.

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
• 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.
• Documents up to 10 pages, no larger than 8-1/2” by 11” (standard size typing paper)

Visiting rooms have vending machines stocked with food and beverages for purchase by visitors and consumption by visitors and prisoners. You may not bring any food or beverage from the outside into the prison, and you can’t take out any food or beverage bought at the prison when you leave.

Vending machines usually have sodas, water, sandwiches (including burgers), and burritos, popcorn, candy, pastries, and coffee.

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

Family and friends cannot call prisoners; prisoners must call to speak to someone outside the prison. The prisoners use designated phones that make collect calls to a landline or cell phone. 

You are responsible for paying for the calls. Calling cards cannot be used. 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, Los Angeles County by using the Facility Locator

3 Ways of Sending Money:

1. Lock Box
2. EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer)
3. Mail funds directly to the institution

To get complete details about sending money to an inmate at CSP Los Angeles, click here.

​Programs For ​Inmates

• Prison Industry Authority (PIA):  Detergent production, laundry. 
• Vocational: Office Services, Office Services Related Technology, Plumbing and Janitorial.
• Academic: Adult Basic Education, GED, Pre Release, Literacy Program, Achieving College Education Coastline College, and Inmate Peer Education Program.
• Community Service Crews
• Religious Services Program
• Victim Awareness
• Convicts Reaching Out to People (CROP)
• Paving the Way
• Men For Honor: Creative Writing
• Men Utilizing Sounds to Incorporate Collaboration (MUSIC)
• Veterans Embracing Truths (VET)
• AA/NA
• Prison Art Program (PAP)
• Catalyst Foundation
• Handicraft
• Anger Management
• Communication Insight
• Diabetes Workshop
• Center for Health Justice
• Parenting-Pathways
• Christian Fellowship
• Enhanced Outpatient Program (EOP)
• Facility 'C'-Re-entry Program
• Facility 'A'-Paws-For-Life Dog Training Program

Pictures of California State Prison – Los Angeles County

Careers at California State Prison – Los Angeles County

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