Salinas Valley State Prison (SVSP) is a CDCR institution in Soledad, Monterey County, on California's Central Coast. It provides long-term housing for minimum and maximum custody men and runs one of CDCR's larger mental health missions, including inpatient psychiatric care. 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 mail rules. All data is verified from cdcr.ca.gov.
City
Soledad
County
Monterey 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, III, and IV, plus a Correctional Treatment Center and mental health programs (EOP, MHCB, and inpatient psychiatric care)
Operator
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR)
Address
31625 Highway 101, Soledad, CA 93960
Phone
(831) 678-5500
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 SVSP.
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 SVSP are free. Here's how the tablet transition to Securus affects families.
View ArticleSend letters and photos to Salinas Valley's inmate mailing address, with CDCR's photo rules.
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 Salinas Valley State Prison and not the nearby Correctional Training Facility.
See the full breakdownYou need CDCR Form 106 signed by the incarcerated person and approved by SVSP's Visiting Department before you can schedule anything. Once approved, book through CDCR's statewide VSA system. Walk-ins are allowed for contact visits.
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 directly 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 breakdownLetters and photos go to Salinas Valley's inmate mailing address at P.O. Box 1050, separate from the institution and money-order addresses.
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 Salinas Valley State Prison.
Inmate SearchFriday 12:00pm to 6:30pm, and Saturday and Sunday 8:30am to 3:00pm. Walk-ins are allowed for contact visits, while non-contact visits require an appointment. Call (831) 678-5500 to confirm before you travel.
VisitationYes. CDCR Form 106, the Visitor Questionnaire, must be signed by the incarcerated person and mailed to Salinas Valley'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.
VisitationNo. They're two separate CDCR prisons, both in Soledad, Monterey County. Salinas Valley State Prison is a higher-security institution with a large mental health mission, while the Correctional Training Facility is a separate lower-security prison. Confirm which one holds the person on CIRIS.
AboutCDCR 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 (831) 678-5500 to confirm the current provider before you create an account.
Phone CallsSalinas Valley State Prison (SVSP) is a CDCR institution in Soledad, Monterey County, on California's Central Coast. It provides long-term housing for minimum and maximum custody men and runs a large mental health mission, including a Correctional Treatment Center, Enhanced Outpatient Program, Mental Health Crisis Beds, and inpatient psychiatric care.
AboutYes, by appointment only, on a Sunday-to-Wednesday or Wednesday-to-Saturday schedule, with check-in between 8:30 and 11:00am at the Visiting Processing Center by Tower 1. Contact the institution about eligibility.
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/svsp ›