Find Someone at Wasco 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 Wasco State Prison-Reception Center.

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, JPay deposits, and the visitor approval process.

Step 3. Confirm the Facility Listed

CIRIS shows the person’s current institution. Confirm it lists Wasco State Prison-Reception Center specifically. This matters more than usual at Wasco, because people arrive as new commitments and are moved to their permanent institution once classified, so a listing can change within days.

Why Reception Center Listings Change Fast

Wasco’s main job is intake. After compiling a new arrival’s records, staff assign a classification score and send the person to a permanent institution, usually within about 90 days. That means someone you found at Wasco last week may already be on their way elsewhere. Always recheck close to any visit, deposit, or mailing.

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. This is the same CDCR number you’ll need for CDCR Form 106 (the visitor questionnaire), JPay deposits, and general mail.

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 out of Wasco 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.

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 (for example, X12345). You’ll find it on court paperwork, on a prior CIRIS result, or on any letter the person has sent you. This number is the most reliable way to search, and you’ll need it for the visitor questionnaire, JPay and other deposits, and the mailing envelope. If you don’t have it, search by name first and copy the number from the result.

How Current the Listing Is

CIRIS pulls from CDCR’s records, which update as staff process bookings, classifications, and transfers. A brand-new arrival or a same-day transfer may not appear right away, and there’s no fixed refresh time you can count on. At a reception center like Wasco, where people move within about 90 days, treat any result as a snapshot and recheck close to when you act.

Confirming Before You Act

Recheck CIRIS close to your visit date, deposit, or mailing instead of relying on older information. At a reception center this is especially important, since the person may transfer to a different institution with different visiting hours, mail rules, and addresses.