California Institution for Men

California Institution for Men

California Institution for Men, also known as CIM, is a state prison located at Chino, Calif. Many people simply refer to the state prison as “Chino.” The facility first opened in 1941 and occupies 2,500 acres of land. It is the third oldest state prison in California. If a loved one is being held at this facility, you’ll probably need the help of a good Chino bail bonds company.

Prisoners at this institution can range from minimum to maximum custody. There are four separate facilities that are under the direct supervision of one warden. These facilities are labeled as facility A, facility B, facility C and Facility D. Facility B serves as a reception center and is where most of the new inmates are first housed. From there, the staff will figure out the appropriate facility that the inmate will be placed. This area is classified as a medium/maximum custody level facility and is also where inmates will be evaluated and receive a health screening. The staff at Facility B is responsible for the intake and the classification of new arrivals.

Services

The prison offers many programs to inmates with the intention of benefiting them upon release. Basic education classes in general subjects such as writing, reading and math are offered. English as a second language and G.E.D. preparation classes are also available. There is also a substance abuse program that can be very beneficial to inmates that need addiction recovery assistance. Other programs include the fatherhood program and the prison education and arts program. The California Institution for Men is also the home to the Leonard Greenstone Marine Technology Training Center. Inmates can learn in demand skills such as navigation, air systems, welding, blueprint reading and many other skills that can improve their lives upon release.

Visiting Days and Hours

Those wishing to visit an inmate may do so on a Saturday or Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Visiting is also permitted on four designated holidays which are New Years, Independence Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Visits are generally one hour long. No appointment is necessary except for inmates that are housed at the Palm Hall-Cypress Hall facility. Those that wish to make an appointment, or those that may need any other visiting information may call (909)597-1821 between the hours of 10:00 a.m and 2:00 p.m.

Mail Delivery

Those that wish to write to an inmate may do so, but there are rules and regulations that a person should be aware of. Prisoners can correspond with anybody by mail except for another incarcerated person or those that have been recently released from prison. The content of mail can be anything except for subjects that pertains to threats, criminal activity or anything that is gang related. Also, no nudity or sexual photographs are allowed.

When writing to a prisoner that is housed at the California Institution for Men, the mail should be addressed to the prisoner with their full name, CDCR number and then the address. Each facility at California Institute for Men has their own P.O. Box. Below you will find the information for each facility.

Facility A (WEST), CIM. Inmate’s Housing, P.O. Box 368, Chino, CA 91708

Facility B (Reception Center Central), CIM, Inmate’s Housing, P.O. Box 441, Chino, CA 91708

Facility C (EAST), CIM, Inmate’s Housing, P.O. Box 500, Chino, CA 91708

Facility D, CIM, Inmate’s Housing, P.O. Box 600, Chino, CA 91708

Those wishing to send money to an inmate may do so with regular mail. All checks and money orders must be made payable to “California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.” Besides the sender’s name and address, the inmate’s name and CDCR must also be on the check or money order. It is very important to make sure that the sender’s name and address are on the check or money order. If there is no name and address, the inmate will not receive the money. There are two other options of sending money to inmates. Money can be sent using a lock box or by sending the money via electronic funds transfer.