Reception is a temporary processing phase that every incoming state inmate goes through before being assigned to a permanent facility and the privileges available during that period are more limited than what inmates experience in general population. North Kern State Prison is one of California's primary reception centers and the experience there reflects how the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation manages the intake process system wide. Phone access during reception is generally available but limited. Inmates in reception can typically make...

Maxing out a sentence means serving every day of the imposed time without parole, which most people assume means walking out the door with no strings attached. In many cases that is true. But a DUI conviction in another county while on any form of supervised release, including house arrest, creates a separate legal situation that operates independently from the original sentence being completed. Here is how this typically works. Even after maxing out a state prison sentence, a person can...

The quality and availability of educational programs, job training, and mental health services within the prison system vary significantly depending on factors such as the type of facility, location, funding, and institutional priorities. Here’s an in-depth look at each of these services and their effectiveness across the prison system: 1. Educational Programs: Availability: Basic Education: Most prisons offer basic educational programs, such as GED (General Education Development) preparation and adult basic education, aiming to help inmates who lack a high school diploma. High School...

The confusing active and inactive status you are seeing is almost certainly a reflection of where your person is in the intake process rather than any error or problem with the account itself. When someone first arrives at a facility they go through an orientation and intake review period before they are fully processed into the system. During that window their information exists in the database but their account is not yet fully activated for services like phone calls and commissary....

The Resolve to Stop the Violence Project, known as RSVP, is a rehabilitation program that operates within certain California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation facilities. It is a highly regarded intensive program focused on transforming violent behavior through a combination of restorative justice practices, cognitive behavioral work, and community building among participants. The program is facility specific, meaning it is not available everywhere and an inmate has to be housed at or transferred to a facility that runs RSVP to participate....