Ironwood State Prison, CA Inmate Roster
Visitation Hours
- Sunday 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM
- Monday Closed
- Tuesday Closed
- Wednesday Closed
- Thursday Closed
- Friday Closed
- Saturday 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM
- Holiday Closed
Ironwood State Prison Basic Information
- Facility Name
- Ironwood State Prison
- Facility Type
- State Prison
- Authority
- California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
- Address
- PO Box 2199, Blythe, CA, 92226
- Phone
- 760-921-3000
- Capacity
- 3945
- Date Established
- 1994
- City
- Blythe
- Postal Code
- 92226
- State
- California
- County
- Riverside County
- Official Website
- Website
Established in 1994, the Ironwood State Prison (ISP) is a state correctional facility in Blythe, California. The state prison is a security Level I & III (minimum & medium)prison and is located in an area famous for lots of Ironwood trees that dot its surrounding environment, hence the prison’s name. Indeed, the prison administration opted for this name to portray a sense of firmness, solidity, and strength in its correctional services. ISP runs correctional programs for persons convicted of crimes in Riverside County and the entire State of California. It houses only male inmates.
ISP Inmate Programs CDCR
ISP is under the jurisdiction of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). This Department strives to enhance public safety by facilitating restorative and rehabilitative programs necessary for smooth offender reentry into the community. Hence, it runs treatment and educational programs and maintains active participation in the supervision of all the prisons and correctional facilities under its jurisdiction.
CDCR runs the following inmate programs at ISP:
- Vocational programs – They include masonry, carpentry, plumbing, welding, auto mechanic, and building maintenance services
- Academic courses like GED, ABE I, II, and private study
- Rehabilitation programs- They include Alcoholic Anonymous, Criminals and Gangs Anonymous, Inmate Peer Education Programs, Narcotics Anonymous, Prison of Peace, and Inside Out Writers
- DRP programs
The Ironwood State Prison Inmate Population
Today, ISP holds up to 3,280 inmates even though its intended capacity is 2,200 offenders. These offenders serve their sentences in level I, II, and III housing facilities. More so, its three-level III facilities include an administrative segregation unit. The unit caters to inmates in isolation. They include juveniles, inmates living with mental illness, inmates with a history of gang violence or security threat groups, dealing with mental illness, tend to escape from prison, juveniles, and those on special work programs.
Locate the Inmate/Inmate Search
CDCR has an elaborate inmate search locator on its official website. It is an inmate search portal with a comprehensive database of all adult and juvenile inmates at ISP. Then, the inmate database for ISP is available under the adult facilities category. Here, follow the inmate locator to enter the following details in the search query: –
- CDCR Number
- Last Name
- First Name
- Middle Name
You will get search results that include:
- Inmate name
- CDCR number
- Age
- Admission date
- Current location
- Directions to the location
- Parole eligibility date (month/year and information)
Likewise, if you have no access to a computer or a smartphone, you may call the prison’s Identification Unit at (916) 445-6713 or fax the inmate’s full names, date of birth, and CDCR number to (916) 322-0500. The prison administration shall provide the inmate’s current location and identification number only.
Interacting With Inmates at ISP
Members of the public may contact, visit, and correspond with inmates and juveniles currently held at ISP as follows: –
Contacting an Inmate via Phone
CDCR relies on the Department of General Services (DGS) Inmate/Ward Telephone System (IWTS) Contract to provide inmate telephone services at ISP. Hence, if you wish to contact an inmate at ISP, you may apply to join the inmate’s approved member’s list. Once approved, you may receive collect calls from the inmate via the GTL service provider. Confirm the GTL calling rates to know how much you will pay for each call.
Visiting an Inmate
If you need to visit an inmate at ISP, you ought to prepare for the visit in advance as follows: –
- Make a Formal Application to Visit the Inmate
Here, you will need to obtain and complete the Visitor Questionnaire (CDCR Form 106) from the inmate. This form should have the inmate’s signature for it to be valid. It helps in identifying and blocking past and present convicts whose visits may compromise ISP’s security system. Hence, the prison uses the questionnaire to conduct a background check on the potential visitor. Otherwise, send the completed questionnaire to the Visiting Sergeant. If approved, the prisoner will notify you.
- Know the Types of Visits and Eligibility Criteria
ISP allows for contact visits where the visitors and inmates enjoy limited physical contact (brief kiss, hug, holding hands at the beginning, end, and during the visit). Up to five visitors may attend contact visits during normal visiting hours. The visits are in an open room with ample chairs and tables. More than one inmate may meet their visitors in the same place, at the same time. Inmates eligible for contact visits are considered as low risk.
Second, inmates waiting for a transfer or are currently in segregation may only have non-contact visits. Here, a glass partition separates the inmates from the visitor, and the inmate is escorted in handcuffs to the visit. The inmate remains without the handcuffs when in the visiting booth. Hence, a parent with a minor should wait for the prisoner to settle down and avoid having the minor see the inmate in handcuffs. Non-contact visits are limited to three visitors at a time and are one to two hours long.
Third, family visits take place at private, apartment-like facilities within the prison. Here, inmates may meet a parent, child, sibling, legal spouse, or registered domestic partner for 30 to 40 hours, every three to five months. Inmates serving crimes relating to sexual offenses or any disciplinary restrictions are not eligible for family visits. Anyone who wants to attend a family visit should ask the prisoner to make a formal application to the assigned Correctional Counselor I.
Inmate visitations at ISP take place on Saturdays and Sundays from 7.30 am to 3.00 pm. Call the 800 Visitors’ Information number (800-374-8474) for directions and updates on any recent visiting regulation changes.
On the visiting day:
- Carry a valid photo ID for identification
- A minor must be with a legal guardian or parent
- Wear conservative and modest clothing
- Carry up to $50 if you need to buy snacks or food during the visit
- Medical items are prohibited unless you have adequate documentation to show that you must have your prescribed medicine
Corresponding with an Inmate
CDCR maintains an elaborate inmate mailing system that guarantees orderly processing of inmate mail at ISP. Hence, members of the public may send mail or packages to inmates at ISP by addressing them as follows: –
Here, all mail and packages received at the prison’s Package/Mail Distribution area shall be dispatched to the respective inmates on Mondays to Fridays at 1400 hours. Priority is given to all mail or packages that are almost 48 or 72 hours into the facility respectively. And, business correspondence and mail from the attorney or a public official may be dispatched at any time or day of the week.
Next, inmates that qualify for the indigent status may receive indigent postage upon filling the “Request for Postage for Indigent Inmates” form. Here, envelopes, postage stamps, and stationery costs reflect as a loan to the inmate. Still, upon request, the indigent inmates may have access to free and unlimited postage for purposes of filing legal documents to any court.
All incoming mail is inspected for contraband upon arrival. Likewise, inmate packages that include parcel post, bound printed matter, medial mail, and library mail are received, searched, and inventoried before being issued to the inmate.
Finally, inmates have access to Certified or Registered mail on request. Here, the inmate will have to demonstrate a proof of delivery requirement as follows: –
- Existence of court orders for filling or need to respond to a legal action
- Proof of service for divorce papers
- Unusual circumstances that demand this service
On approval, the inmate shall pay for the certified or registered mail service using funds from their trust account. Below are additional rules regarding corresponding with an inmate at ISP:
- Inmates may correspond confidentially with anyone appearing in the inmate’s court addresses
- All money orders or checks in incoming mail shall be placed in the prison drop boxes for funds processing.
- The prison prohibits receipt of cash money.
Sending Money to an Inmate
Do you need to send funds to an inmate at ISP for personal use, as payment for restitution fine or a direct order for a parolee, to cater for a temporary community leave (TCL), or to facilitate a family visitation session? CDCR permits members of the public to send funds to inmates at ISP via any of the following means: –
- Electronic Funds Transfer
Family and friends deposit money to the inmate’s trust account or restitution via EFT. This paid service is effective within 1 – 3 days of sending the funds. ISP contracts GTL/ConnectNetwork, Jpay, and Access Corrections to provide this service.
- Lock Box
Next, anyone in the inmate’s approved members list may send a money order, a personal check, or a cashier’s check for free to the inmate’s Lock Box. These funds are to cater for restitution, family visits, or TCL. Here, the sender has to fill the Money Order Deposit coupon, quoting their full names and address. The funds are limited to $999.99 per money order deposit form and are payable to JPay. Send the deposit form to JPay via mail at the following address: –
JPay
2202 South Figueroa
St, Box #3001,
Los Angeles,
CA 90007
Do not include and letter or note to the inmate. All personal checks to the Lock Box are held for ten business days.
- Postal Mail
Last, you may send a check or money order to an inmate via postal mail. These funds are payable to CDCR. Hence, include the inmate’s full names and CDCR number on the check or money order. It takes up to 30 days for the funds to clear and reflect in the inmate’s trust fund account.