Denver Reception & Diagnostic Center

Denver Reception & Diagnostic Center is the main intake and classification facility for male inmates in the Colorado Department of Corrections. This is a temporary stop for inmates so they can get physically and mentally evaluated and classified before being transferred to another permanent facility to complete their sentence.

The maximum capacity at the Denver Reception & Diagnostic Center is 575, and it houses inmates of all custody levels.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

Before you can visit an inmate at the Denver Reception & Diagnostic Center, you must first fill out a visiting application. If you are under 18, a parent or guardian needs to complete a Form 300-01G Authorization for Minor Child Visitation.

If you are traveling a long distance to visit or wish to request an extended visit, you have the option to submit a Special Visitation Application.

Visiting Application must be mailed to:

Attention: Visiting Department
Denver Reception and Diagnostic Center
P.O. Box 392004
Denver, CO 80239

• Appointments for visiting offenders at DRDC may be arranged by calling (303) 307- 2362 or by emailing [email protected]  between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Friday.
• Appointments cannot be made more than seven days in advance. Emails received after the designated scheduling hours will be processed the next business day.  
• Emails are for visiting appointments only and will be processed in the order they are received.  A reply confirmation email will be sent once the visit has been approved or denied. 

Visiting Phone: (303) 307-2362
Record Information: (303) 371-4804 option 7
Visiting Email: [email protected]

Visiting Hours:

Saturday    8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Sunday     8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Visitor processing takes place between 

• 8:15 a.m. and 10 a.m. 
• 11:30 a.m. and 1:15 p.m.

You are not allowed to enter the facility or gather in front the gatehouse prior to the beginning of processing in the morning and afternoon.

Offenders at DWCF may receive visits on Friday/Saturday or Friday/Sunday. Visiting cannot occur on both Saturday and Sunday.

Only five (5) visitors, including children, may be on an offender’s approved visiting list.

Offenders housed in Restrictive Housing are allowed non-contact visits by appointment only. Visits can be scheduled by emailing the visiting email address above or by calling the visiting phone.

Visitor Entry, Searches, and Procedures

All adult visitors 18 and older are required to have a current photo ID for admission to the visiting room. Acceptable photo identification includes a current driver’s license, a State ID card,  a passport, or military ID.

When you enter prison grounds, you, your vehicle, and your property are subject to a search. If you refuse to submit to any entrance or visiting procedure, you will be denied visits and will be required to leave the property.

If you are bringing an infant to a visit, you are allowed to bring the following items:

• Baby food containers, but they must be factory sealed
• Two (2) baby bottles containing food, water, milk, or juice for each baby
• Diaper bags with two (2) clean diapers, two (2) baby toys which can be easily checked for contraband, and one (1) change of clothes

Vending machines are available for use to buy food and beverages for yourself and the inmate while visiting. 

You are not allowed to bring in any electronic devices or cameras of any kind.

It’s best to leave most items in your car. You must have a Photo ID, but other than that, keep it simple and just bring in your car keys and money for the vending machines. 

At a minimum, electronic searches with walk through metal detectors or hand held metal detectors will be used in processing visitors. Pat searches will be conducted on as many visitors as time permits upon visitor entry. 

A short hug and an appropriate closed mouth kiss is permitted at the beginning and end of each visit. During visits, inmates may hold hands with their visitor. 

Dress Code

Denver Reception & Diagnostic Center strictly follows the Colorado DOC dress code. Please read this carefully because you will not be allowed to visit if you don’t follow the rules.

• Do not wear clothing which exposes cleavage, back, stomach, midriff, and/or underarm 
• You are not allowed to wear controversial/objectionable gang, obscene, drug and alcohol designs, messages, or profanity on clothing
• Hair extensions and/or wigs are permitted, but they will be searched
• Don’t wear any clothing that resembles what the inmates wear. This means no top or bottom clothing that is solid green or solid orange 
• Shoes are required
• Appropriate undergarments are required and will not be visible (no underwire bras)
• Don’t wear sheer or transparent clothing unless you have something on underneath it 
• Your bra and underwear can’t be visible 
• Clothing that contains holes and/or rips will not be permitted
• Outer garments worn on the bottom half of the body must be no shorter than the knee while standing
• All shirts and dresses must have sleeves and not expose the cleavage line at any time while standing, sitting, and/or bending down.
• Pants and jeans will be worn in the manner intended (no sagging)
• Wrap-around clothing is not allowed
• Visitors are not allowed to wear hats, except for religious hats or headgear 
• Gloves, scarves, or outer garments, such as topcoats, raincoats, jackets, and similar inclement weather attire are not allowed
• No hooded garments
• Leggings and jeggings may only be worn under outer garments that must be no shorter than the knee while standing

Make sure to always include the following on all of your correspondence:

• The inmate’s name
• The inmate’s DOC number
• Your return address

Do not mail contraband, cash, personal checks, or money orders. Do not use envelopes that are padded, plastic, or cardboard. And, you can’t use stickers or decorative stamps.

You are not allowed to send postage stamps, stamped envelopes, blank stationery, blank writing paper, blank cards, blank postcards, or blank personal journals.

Polaroid photos are not allowed.

How to Call an Inmate

You are not allowed to call an inmate at DRDC, however they can call you during approved daytime hours. An inmate can call you collect if you have an account set up, or they can call you using money in their trust account. For complete details on how to call an inmate in Colorado, please click here.

How to Send Money

The Colorado Department of Corrections partners with three companies – JPay, Western Union, and GTL – to provide various ways to send money to an inmate at Denver Reception & Diagnostic Center.  Money orders and cash sent by mail are not accepted.

There are three general ways to send money to your incarcerated friend or family member:

• Online with a credit or debit card 
• Over the phone with a credit or debit card
• In person with cash at locations throughout the country

Click on one of the links below to get more information about fees. You can also set up an account and start sending money right away.

• JPAY
• Western Union
• GTL

​Programs For ​Inmates

Because DRDC is a reception and diagnostic center, the inmates are only there for a short period of time. As a result, there are very few programs available to inmates. 

DRDC does provide basic adult education classes, GED classes, anger management, substance abuse, and parenting courses.

Pictures of Denver Reception & Diagnostic Center

Careers at Denver Reception & Diagnostic Center

If you are interested in a job at Denver Reception & Diagnostic Center, you can find information for a variety of positions on the Colorado Department of Corrections website.