Find Someone at Avenal State Prison

Step 1. Go to CIRIS

Visit ciris.mt.cdcr.ca.gov, CDCR’s single statewide search tool covering all 31 adult institutions, including Avenal State Prison.

Step 2. Search by Name or CDCR Number

Enter the person’s first and last name, or their CDCR number if you already have it from court paperwork or a prior search. The CDCR number gives you the most reliable match, and you’ll need it anyway for mail, deposits, and the visitor approval process.

Step 3. Confirm the Facility Listed

CIRIS shows the person’s current institution as Avenal State Prison. People also move between Avenal’s six housing facilities, A through F, so the record needs to reflect their current facility before you plan a visit, deposit, or mailing, since mail at Avenal is routed by facility.

What a CDCR Number Is and Where to Find It

Every person in CDCR custody has a unique CDCR number, usually a letter followed by five digits. You’ll find it on court paperwork, on a prior CIRIS result, or on any letter the person has sent you. It’s the most reliable way to search, and you’ll need it for the visitor questionnaire, deposits, and the mailing envelope.

What the Results Show

Results typically include the person’s age, admission date, current institution, commitment county, and any scheduled Board of Parole Hearings dates and outcomes. CIRIS shows the institution but not always the specific housing facility, which matters at Avenal because mail is routed by facility, so ask the person directly which facility, A through F, they’re currently in.

Why Someone Might Not Show Up

A few common reasons: they were only recently booked into CDCR custody and the record hasn’t updated yet, they’ve been released or paroled, they transferred to another institution in the days before your search, or the name was entered with a spelling variation that doesn’t match CDCR’s records exactly.

If You Can’t Find Them

Try name variations, including middle names or common misspellings. If you have their case number or county of commitment, CDCR’s ID Unit at (916) 445-6713 can help locate someone with a common name when you provide a date of birth.

Confirming Before You Act

Recheck CIRIS close to your visit date, deposit, or mailing instead of relying on older information, since transfers between housing facilities happen and a facility guide’s information only applies to the institution currently holding that person.