Sierra Conservation Center

Sierra Conservation Center is a California state prison for male inmates located near Jamestown, California. It houses minimum to medium-security inmates, and was designed to hold 3,936 inmates. However, because of the prison overcrowding problem in California, it currently houses over 4,000 inmates.

The primary mission of the Sierra Conservation Center (SCC) is to provide housing, programs, and services for inmates and to aid in their rehabilitation. SCC is one of the two prisons in the State responsible for the training and placement of male inmates in the Conservation Camp Program. SCC administers 20 male camps located from Central California to the southern border.

SCC functions as the center for training staff and inmates in firefighting techniques for the southern portion of California. The institution is separated into two dormitory type facilities for minimum and low-medium custody inmates. A separate, high-medium custody facility is for Sensitive Needs Yard (SNY) placement.

Each of the 20 Conservation Camps is a self-contained "prison without walls." The camps are sited in rural or wilderness areas for fire suppression. Inmates assigned to camps are dispatched to fight wildland fires and other emergencies when needed and a variety of community work projects. This results in a tremendous cost savings to taxpayers of the State of California.

SCC houses inmates designated by medical as low to medium risk, and identified by the Mental Health Services Delivery System as Correctional Clinical Case Management System or lower. Inmates at SCC are encouraged to attend education programs and other voluntary programs that afford the inmates opportunities for self-improvement.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

Before visiting an inmate at SCC, you must get on the approved visiting list. The only way to do this is to ask the prisoner you want to visit to mail you a signed visitor questionnaire.

Once you fill it out, mail the completed questionnaire to:

Sierra Conservation Center
Visiting Sergeant
5100 O’Byrnes Ferry Road
Jamestown, CA 95327-9102

The prison will notify the inmate when you are approved, and then they will notify you. When you are approved, you will be listed in the CDCR computer as being an approved visitor for that specific prisoner.

If you are denied, the prison will send you a letter explaining the reason for disapproval.

Visiting hours at Sierra Conservation Center are on Saturdays and Sundays from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. You must arrive at the prison no later than 2:00 p.m. if you wish to visit with an inmate.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) has an 800 Visitors’ Information number (800-374-8474) that you can call for up-to-date information about visits at SCC.

We highly recommend that you read the CDCR’s 28-page Visitation Guidebook before visiting an inmate because it is loaded with information, and it will answer any questions you might have about visiting an inmate.

The online VPASS system allows you to schedule visits at Sierra Conservation Center, and this is required if you’re visiting anyone who is in segregated housing or only allowed non-contact visits.

General Visiting Rules

Most inmates at Sierra Conservation Center are allowed contact visits, which are restricted to five visitors at a time.

Inmates in ADSEG (Administrative Segregation) are only allowed non-contact visits where the inmates and visitors are separated by a glass partition. You must have an appointment for a non-contact visit.

You must dress modestly and avoid wearing any clothing that resembles what the inmates wear when you are visiting an inmate. A detailed dress code is available here.

When you arrive at SCC for a visit, be sure to bring a current photo ID, and be prepared to be searched and to go through a metal detector.

Leave all electronic devices in your vehicle, as well as outerwear, hats, and sunglasses. Don’t bring anything but the following items into a visit:

• Up to $50 per adult (only as dollar bills, dollar coins, and quarters) for vending machines
• A small, 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

Visiting rooms have vending machines stocked with food and beverages that you can purchase and then share with inmate you are visiting. You are not allowed to 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.

The visiting rooms have digital cameras available so you can take pictures with the inmate you are visiting, and they cost $2.00 each.

You must include the inmate’s name and CDCR number on everything you mail to a prisoner at SCC.

You are allowed to send only the following:

• Letters (not more than 10 pages in one envelope)
• Cards (without embellishments such as stickers or glitter)
• Photographs (limited to 10 per envelope and not larger than 8” x 10”)
• Drawings
• Children’s schoolwork
• Articles from the internet, newspapers, or magazines

You are not allowed to send books directly to an inmate. Instead, they must be sent through approved vendors, like Amazon. To send magazines and newspapers, you must set up a subscription for the inmate so they can be mailed directly from the publisher.

If you want to send a package, Inmate Quarterly Packages are available through authorized private vendors. For more information, please contact any of the currently authorized package vendors listed below.

• Access Securepak www.californiaqp.com

                                            www.accesscatalog.com

• Mike's Better Shoes www.mikesbettershoes.com
• New-New Stuff www.new-newstuff.com
• Packages R Us www.packagesrusqp.com
• Union Supply Direct www.CaliforniaInmatePackage.com
• Walkenhorst’s www.walkenhorsts.com
• JPAY www.offers.jpay.com

How to Call an Inmate

You can’t call an inmate at Sierra Conservation Center, but they do have access to phones and can call you during daytime hours. For complete details on how to call an inmate in California, please click here.

How to Send Money

There are three ways to send money to an inmate at Sierra Conservation Center: 

• Using the lockbox (check or money order)
• Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) online (debit or credit card)
• Mailing a check or money order directly to the inmate (check or money order)

​Programs For ​Inmates

• Adult Basic Education I, II, & III
• General Equivalency Diploma (GED) Classes
• Physical Fitness Training
• Firefighter Training
• Vocational Trades: Auto Body/Fender, Auto Mechanics, Welding, Masonry, Carpentry, Office Services, Electronics, and Building Maintenance
• Volunteer Education Program (Literacy)
• Reimbursable Community Crews
• Religious
• Prison Industry Authority (PIA) Textiles (sewing)
• Level III SNY Substance Abuse Treatment (SAT) Program
• Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous
• Veterans Incarcerated
• Freedom and Choice
• Victims Impact
• Alternatives to Violence
• Responsible Fatherhood
• 12 Steps
• Conflict Resolution
• Criminals and Gang Anonymous
• Self-Awareness and Recovery
• Celebrate Recovery
• New Professionals
• Leadership Development
• Art and Healing
• Anger Management
• Career Development
• Arts Corrections
• English as a Second Language
• Al Anon
• Veterans Support Group
• Meditation

Pictures of Sierra Conservation Center

Careers at Sierra Conservation Center

If you are interested in a career at Sierra Conservation Center, you can find available positions on the CalCareers website.