Find Someone at Centinela State Prison

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 Centinela State Prison.

They may be a recent booking that hasn't updated in CIRIS yet, they may have been released or paroled, they may have transferred to a different institution, or the name entered doesn't exactly match CDCR's records. Try name variations, or call CDCR's ID Unit at (916) 445-6713 with a date of birth.

The prison is named for nearby Mount Signal, a peak on the US-Mexico border once used to watch for unauthorized crossings, and Centinela is the Spanish word for sentinel, or lookout. The name doesn't change your search, use CIRIS at ciris.mt.cdcr.ca.gov to confirm someone is held there.

No, a name is enough to start, but the CDCR number is more reliable and you'll need it for the visitor questionnaire, mail, and JPay deposits regardless.

CIRIS updates to show his current institution, though it can lag a few days behind the actual move. Recheck it before you send money, mail anything, or travel for a visit, since JPay deposits and mail are both tied to whichever institution he's currently at.