California Institution for Men (CIM) is a CDCR complex in Chino, San Bernardino County, opened in 1941 as the first major minimum-security prison in the United States. It runs four facilities, including a reception center, an Administrative Segregation Unit, and a large Level I general population yard. This guide covers CDCR's statewide inmate locator, how to schedule a visit through the VSA system, sending money with JPay, free phone calls, and CIM's yard-specific mail rules. All data is verified from cdcr.ca.gov.
City
Chino
County
San Bernardino County
State
CA
Facility Type
state prison
Gender
Male
Capacity
Not published by CDCR as a fixed number; check the current Weekly Population Report
Custody Levels
Level I and Level II across four facilities, plus a reception center (Facility B) and the Palm Hall Administrative Segregation Unit
Operator
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR)
Address
14901 Central Avenue, Chino, CA 91710
Phone
(909) 597-1821
Inmate Locator
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CDCR runs one statewide inmate search tool, not a separate tool per prison. Here's how to confirm someone is at CIM and which of its four facilities.
View ArticleYou need CDCR Form 106 approval first, then you book your visit through the statewide VSA system.
View ArticleDeposits go through JPay statewide, or by mail directly to the institution payable to CDCR.
View ArticleAll outgoing calls from CIM are free. Here's how the tablet transition to Securus affects families.
View ArticleCIM uses a different P.O. Box for each of its four facilities, plus a separate legal-mail box.
View ArticleCDCR runs one statewide inmate search tool, CIRIS, not a separate tool per facility. Search by name or CDCR number, then confirm the result lists California Institution for Men. Newly arrived people in the Facility B reception center can change status quickly.
See the full breakdownYou need CDCR Form 106 signed by the incarcerated person and approved by CIM's Visiting Department before you can schedule anything. Once approved, book through VSA or walk in during walk-in hours.
See the full breakdownJPay processes deposits statewide: online, by phone, or by mailing a money order to JPay's lockbox. You can also mail a check or money order payable to CDCR to the institution, with a 30-day hold.
See the full breakdownAll outgoing voice calls are free statewide, limited to 15 minutes. CDCR is switching tablets and messaging from ViaPath to Securus through 2026, so confirm the current provider with the institution.
See the full breakdownCIM routes inmate mail through a separate P.O. Box for each of its four facilities, plus a separate box for legal mail, so you need the person's current housing to address a letter correctly.
See the full breakdown6 of 8 questions
Use CIRIS, the California Incarcerated Records and Information Search, at ciris.mt.cdcr.ca.gov. Search by name or CDCR number, then confirm the result lists California Institution for Men. CIM has a reception center (Facility B), so listings for newly arrived people can change quickly.
Inmate SearchFriday 12:00pm to 6:45pm, and Saturday and Sunday 8:00am to 2:45pm. Walk-in visits run at separate, shorter hours. Call (909) 597-1821 to confirm before you travel.
VisitationYes. CDCR Form 106, the Visitor Questionnaire, must be signed by the incarcerated person and mailed to CIM's Visiting Department for a background check before you're added to the approved visitor list. Once approved, you schedule visits yourself through CDCR's VSA system.
VisitationCIM routes inmate mail through a separate P.O. Box for each of its four facilities instead of one shared box. You need to know the person's current housing, Facility A, B, C, or D, to use the right box. Legal mail uses yet another box (3100). Confirm the person's housing on CIRIS before you send anything.
MailCDCR doesn't publish a single downloadable family handbook PDF. Instead, its Prepare to Visit section on cdcr.ca.gov walks through ID requirements, attire rules, what you can bring, and what happens during processing, as a set of live webpages instead of one document.
AboutAll outgoing voice calls are free statewide, limited to 15 minutes. For tablets, video, and e-messages, CDCR is moving from ViaPath to Securus one institution at a time through 2026. Call (909) 597-1821 to confirm the current provider before you create an account.
Phone CallsCalifornia Institution for Men (CIM) is a CDCR complex in Chino, San Bernardino County, opened in 1941 as the first major minimum-security prison in the United States. It runs four facilities, including a reception center (Facility B), an Administrative Segregation Unit (Palm Hall), and a large Level I general population yard.
AboutYes. Overnight family visitors report to the CIM Main Gate Visiting Processing Center between 9:00 and 11:00am on the first day, on either a Thursday-to-Saturday or Saturday-to-Monday schedule, pre-scheduled with the overnight family visiting coordinator.
VisitationSearch for your loved one and start sending photos, letters, and messages today.
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All information on this page comes directly from official government and facility sources. How we verify information › Last verified July 18, 2026. Official source: cdcr.ca.gov/facility-locator/cim ›