Wasco State Prison-Reception Center (WSP) is a CDCR institution in Wasco, Kern County, in California's Central Valley. It runs a large reception center that processes newly committed men, supported by a 1,000-bed medium-custody general population facility and a minimum-custody unit. 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
Wasco
County
Kern County
State
CA
Facility Type
state prison
Gender
Male
Capacity
1,000 general population beds supporting a 4,580-bed reception center; check CDCR's current Weekly Population Report
Custody Levels
Reception center, plus a 1,000-bed medium-custody general population facility and a minimum-custody unit
Operator
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR)
Address
701 Scofield Avenue, Wasco, CA 93280
Phone
(661) 758-8400
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 Wasco, and why reception center listings change fast.
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 Wasco are free. Here's how the tablet transition to Securus affects families.
View ArticleWasco uses a different P.O. Box for each yard, so the address depends on the person's housing.
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 Wasco. Because Wasco is a reception center, listings change quickly as people are classified and transferred.
See the full breakdownYou need CDCR Form 106 signed by the incarcerated person and approved by Wasco's Visiting Department before you can schedule anything. Once approved, book through CDCR's statewide VSA system. Reception center visits are appointment only.
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 breakdownWasco routes inmate mail through a separate P.O. Box for each facility (yard), so you need the person's current housing to address a letter correctly.
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 Wasco State Prison-Reception Center. Because Wasco is a reception center, recheck close to any visit since people transfer out quickly.
Inmate SearchFriday 12:00pm to 6:30pm, and Saturday and Sunday 8:00am to 2:30pm. Walk-in visits for Facility A and M run at separate, shorter hours, and reception center inmates are by appointment only. Call (661) 758-8400 to confirm before you travel.
VisitationYes. CDCR Form 106, the Visitor Questionnaire, must be signed by the incarcerated person and mailed to Wasco's Visiting Department at P.O. Box 8800 for a background check before you're added to the approved visitor list. Once approved, you schedule visits yourself through CDCR's VSA system.
VisitationWasco routes inmate mail through a separate P.O. Box for each facility (yard) instead of one shared box. You need to know the person's current housing, Facility A, C, D, H, or M, to use the right box. Confirm their housing on CIRIS before you send anything.
MailCDCR 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 (661) 758-8400 to confirm the current provider before you create an account.
Phone CallsWasco State Prison-Reception Center (WSP) is a CDCR institution in Wasco, Kern County. It runs a 4,580-bed reception center that processes newly committed men, supported by a 1,000-bed medium-custody general population facility and a minimum-custody unit that handles institutional maintenance and landscaping.
AboutYes. Overnight Family Visiting is scheduled for Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, with visitors asked to arrive between 9:00am and 10:00am for processing. It's arranged separately from regular visiting, so 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/wsp ›