Find Someone at California Institution for Men

Use CIRIS, CDCR's statewide inmate search tool, at ciris.mt.cdcr.ca.gov. Search by name or CDCR number, then confirm the result lists California Institution for Men and note which housing facility, A through D, the person is in.

A few things cause this. The booking may not have posted yet, which is common at CIM because it runs a reception center where new arrivals move through quickly. The person may have been released, paroled, or transferred, or the name may not match CDCR's spelling. Try name variations first, then call CDCR's Identification Unit at (916) 445-6713 with a date of birth.

Usually, and it's worth checking. CIM spreads its men across four housing facilities, A through D, and each one uses a different P.O. Box for mail. If the record doesn't name the facility, ask the person directly before you send a letter or a deposit.

No. They're two separate CDCR prisons with almost the same name, both in the Chino area. California Institution for Men (CIM) holds men. California Institution for Women (CIW) holds women. Before you send money, mail a letter, or plan a visit, check that your CIRIS result reads California Institution for Men, not California Institution for Women.

No. A full legal name is enough to start. The CDCR number makes the match more certain, and you'll need it anyway for the visitor questionnaire, for mail, and for JPay deposits once you've confirmed the person is at CIM.

CIRIS updates to show his new institution, though the change can lag the actual move by a few days. Recheck it before you send money, mail a letter, or travel, since a deposit or letter sent to CIM after he leaves has to be reprocessed at the new prison.