Find Someone at North Kern 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 North Kern State Prison. Because it's a reception center, recheck close to any visit since people transfer out fast.

No. They're two separate CDCR prisons, both in Delano, and they're easy to mix up. North Kern State Prison is a reception center that processes new arrivals. Kern Valley State Prison is a higher-security general population institution. Make sure your CIRIS result reads North Kern State Prison before you plan a visit or send anything.

At a reception center this happens often because the person already transferred to their permanent prison, which CIRIS may not show for a few days. Other reasons are a booking that hasn't posted, a release or parole, or a name that doesn't match CDCR's spelling. Try name variations, then call CDCR's Identification Unit at (916) 445-6713 with a date of birth.

No. A full legal name is enough to start. The CDCR number just 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 here.

This is the norm here, not the exception, since North Kern is a reception center. CIRIS updates to show his permanent institution, though the change can lag the move by a few days. Recheck it before you send money, mail a letter, or travel, since a deposit or letter sent to North Kern after he leaves has to be reprocessed at the new prison.