Find Someone at Centinela 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 Centinela 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 should show the person’s current institution as Centinela State Prison. This confirms the right prison, but it likely won’t tell you which of Centinela’s housing facilities (A, B, C, D, or E) they’re assigned to, which matters most for addressing mail correctly. Ask the person directly, or call the institution at (760) 337-7900, to confirm their specific housing 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 specific institution, which confirms whether the person is actually at Centinela and not a different CDCR prison.

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. Transfers happen between institutions, and people can also move between Centinela’s own housing facilities, which changes the correct mailing box even if the person stays at the same prison. A facility guide’s information only applies to the specific institution and facility currently holding that person.