Family Rights and Advocacy in California

Family Rights and Advocacy in California | InmateAid

Phone calls from California state prisons are free. They have been free since January 1, 2023, under Senate Bill 1008 -- the Keep Families Connected Act. No charges to the person calling out. No charges to you on the receiving end. Audio calls from the wall phones and tablets in CDCR facilities carry no cost. There is no cap on the number of calls. There is a 15-minute limit per call.

California is one of only five states in the country where prison phone calls are free. Named here first because it is the most important practical change for families in this system and because some families still do not know it applies to them.

The second thing to know: California is in the middle of a tablet and phone platform transition. CDCR awarded a new telecommunications contract to **Securus Technologies** in February 2025, after a court ruling vacated the prior contract with ViaPath Technologies. Institutions began transitioning in February 2026. Families may need accounts with both platforms during the transition period -- the platform in use depends on whether your loved one's facility has switched yet. Check cdcr.ca.gov/family-resources/tablets/ for the current transition schedule.

Critical: content does NOT transfer between platforms. Photos, e-messages, and media stored on ViaPath tablets are permanently lost when the facility switches to Securus. If your loved one still has a ViaPath tablet and the switch is upcoming, this matters.

California's prison system is the largest in the country -- 34 state prisons and approximately 90,000 incarcerated people. It also has more family advocacy infrastructure than most states. This article maps it.

What Families Are Facing in California

CDCR operates 34 state prisons spread across California, from Pelican Bay State Prison in Del Norte County (near the Oregon border) to Calipatria State Prison in Imperial County (near the Arizona border and the Salton Sea). The geographic spread is enormous. A family in Los Angeles visiting someone at Pelican Bay is looking at a 7-hour drive each way. Central Valley facilities like Corcoran, Avenal, and Coalinga are 3-4 hours from both LA and the Bay Area.

Before every visit: call **1-800-374-8474** to verify the facility is open. Lockdowns, emergencies, and staff shortages can close a facility without advance notice. Driving 4 hours to a closed facility is a reality California families face.

CDCR facilities can hold incarcerated people in different security levels, and transfers between facilities happen without required family notification. Use **CIRIS** (California Incarcerated Records and Information Search) at cdcr.ca.gov to track your loved one's current location. For common names where CIRIS search is ambiguous: call the CDCR ID Unit at **(916) 445-6713** (have a date of birth ready).

On mail: California is one of a limited number of state correctional systems that still allows families to send physical printed photos through the mail. Incoming letters are opened and inspected for contraband and forwarded to the incarcerated person. Address mail with the P.O. Box Housing designation when possible (your loved one should have this information).

On messaging: the e-message cost is $0.05/message under ViaPath and will drop to $0.03 under Securus. Inbound photos are similarly priced. CDCR pays for audio calls; families pay for video calls, e-messages, and photos.

Your Rights as a Family Member in California

Visitation rights

CDCR visitation is managed through the **Visitation Scheduling Application (VSA)**. In-person visits are scheduled online through VSA or by contacting the specific facility.

- Up to 5 approved visitors per in-person visit at most facilities

- Visitors must be on the approved visitor list

- Background check required for visitor approval

- Call 1-800-374-8474 before every visit to confirm the facility is open

- For video visitation scheduling where required by facility: LACVideoVisiting@cdcr.ca.gov (for LA-area facilities)

- Dress code restrictions exist at all facilities; Friends Outside (see below) provides clothing loans if your attire is turned away at the door

Communication rights

Audio calls: **FREE** since January 1, 2023 under SB 1008. No account setup needed on your end for audio calls -- your loved one initiates the call; you receive it. No charge. 15-minute limit per call.

Video calls, e-messages, photos: families pay for these. During the ViaPath-to-Securus transition, costs are shifting. Check current rates at the platform your loved one's facility currently uses.

All calls are recorded except legal calls to attorneys.

Notification rights

CDCR is not required to notify family members of transfers. CIRIS (cdcr.ca.gov) and the CDCR ID Unit at (916) 445-6713 are the official locator resources. CDCR notifies next of kin for serious medical emergencies and deaths -- your loved one must have designated you in their CDCR records. Confirm this with them.

Grievance rights

Internal CDCR grievances must be filed by the incarcerated person. Family members cannot file the internal grievance. But California has three external pathways that are more accessible to families than most states:

1. **Office of the Ombudsman**: **(916) 445-1773** -- an external, independent complaint pathway for conditions, treatment, and rights violations. Families can contact the Ombudsman directly.

2. **Inmate Family Councils (IFC)**: Every CDCR prison has an IFC -- a council of family members of prisoners at that facility who meet regularly with prison administration. Suggestion boxes are in visiting areas. This is direct family participation in facility oversight.

3. **Statewide Inmate Family Council (SIFC)**: cdcr.ca.gov/sifc -- 10 members who meet quarterly at CDCR headquarters in Sacramento. Families can attend; issues from local IFCs escalate to the SIFC.

These structures are real. They are underused by families who do not know they exist.

Office of the Ombudsman: The External Complaint Pathway

CDCR Office of the Ombudsman

Phone: **(916) 445-1773**

Contact through cdcr.ca.gov/contactus

The CDCR Ombudsman is an independent office that families can contact about conditions of confinement, treatment of incarcerated people, and rights violations. It is a direct, accessible, external complaint pathway -- not just a referral service.

What the Ombudsman can do: investigate complaints, provide a channel for concerns that bypass the prison administration chain, and escalate issues within CDCR. It cannot override court orders or compel legal outcomes, but it has genuine investigative authority within the department.

For families with a concern about how their loved one is being treated, the Ombudsman is the first external call to make -- before engaging outside advocacy organizations, and before contacting legislators.

California Family Advocacy Organizations

Friends Outside

friendsoutside.org

PO Box 4085, Stockton, CA 95204

Phone: (209) 955-0701

Friends Outside is the most broadly accessible family support organization in California. CDCR funds them under a legislative mandate to staff visitor centers at California state prisons. What they provide:

- Comfortable waiting areas at California state prisons during visiting hours

- **Childcare during visiting hours for children up to age 17** -- so a parent can visit without leaving children unattended

- Clothing loans if visitor attire violates the facility's dress code

- Transportation between institutions and public transit terminals

- Information on visiting rules

- Emergency assistance resources

- The "Write to Me" program for children writing to incarcerated parents

- Case managers inside facilities who work directly with incarcerated people

Some facilities temporarily lack Friends Outside presence due to staffing. Check friendsoutside.org for current locations and hours.

Friends Outside is the practical, on-the-ground resource for families who are visiting California prisons. The childcare program alone makes visits possible for single parents who would otherwise have to choose between bringing children into a prison visiting room or not visiting at all.

Legal Services for Prisoners with Children (LSPC)

prisonerswithchildren.org

1540 Market Street, Suite 490, San Francisco, CA 94102

Phone: 415-255-7036

LSPC is an advocacy organization focused on women prisoners and their families. Two specific free resources they provide that every California family should know about:

- **"Incarcerated Parents Manual"** -- comprehensive guide for incarcerated parents and their families; available in English and Spanish at prisonerswithchildren.org

- **"Toolbox for Family Advocates of California Prisoners"** -- a family-facing guide to navigating CDCR; English and Spanish

LSPC also engages in litigation and responds to requests for information. Their website is one of the most comprehensive resource pages for California prison families.

Statewide Inmate Family Council (SIFC)

cdcr.ca.gov/sifc

The SIFC brings together CDCR and family representatives quarterly at CDCR headquarters in Sacramento. Meeting minutes and policy updates are posted on the website. If you have a concern that affects families across the system -- a policy change, a systemic issue at multiple facilities -- the SIFC is the formal channel for raising it with CDCR at the statewide level.

At the local level: your loved one's facility has an **Inmate Family Council (IFC)** with family members who meet regularly with prison administration. A suggestion box in the visiting area accepts concerns from visiting family members. The IFC is direct facility-level access to administration.

Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM)

famm.org

Active California network. Advocates for sentencing reform, second-look sentencing, and compassionate release. California has enacted several reform measures in recent years (including Proposition 57); FAMM works on legislation affecting people still serving extreme sentences.

Bear Witness Project

bearwitnessproject.org

Monitors conditions in California prisons; collects and documents family testimony about conditions and treatment. A resource for families who want their experience documented and their voice included in systemic advocacy.

Prisoner Rights Organizations Families Can Contact on Their Loved One's Behalf

Prison Law Office

prisonlawoffice.org

General Delivery, San Quentin, CA 94974

Phone: 510-280-2621

The Prison Law Office is the most significant prisoner rights litigation organization in California. They handle class action cases on conditions of confinement, medical care, mental health care, solitary confinement, and other systemic issues at CDCR. Their litigation has reshaped California's prison health care system and conditions.

What to know about contacting PLO: they handle systemic cases, not individual complaints. They do not represent individual prisoners in grievance disputes. Their value for families is in the larger picture: if your loved one is in a facility where a known systemic problem exists, PLO may already be involved. Check their website for active cases and whether your loved one's facility is covered.

ACLU of California

ACLU of Northern California: aclunc.org | 415-621-2493

ACLU of Southern California: aclusocal.org | 213-977-9500

Both ACLU affiliates handle prisoners' rights litigation in California. They do not take individual grievance cases routinely. Contact them when the issue involves a pattern of rights violations or a systemic problem that may have statewide scope.

California Innocence Project

californiainnocenceproject.org

225 Cedar Street, San Diego, CA 92101

Phone: 619-515-1525

If you believe your loved one is factually innocent of the crime for which they were convicted, the California Innocence Project investigates and litigates wrongful conviction cases. The application process for case review is on their website.

Human Rights Defense Center (HRDC)

humanrightsdefensecenter.org

Phone (for family members): 561-360-2523

HRDC has been a central player in California phone rate advocacy. They advocate on publications access, free speech in facilities, and phone/mail policies. Family members can contact directly. Particularly relevant for issues involving blocked publications or mail.

How to File a Complaint on Your Loved One's Behalf

Step 1: Document everything specific

Date, facility, staff name if known, what happened, any evidence. Specific documentation matters.

Step 2: CDCR Office of the Ombudsman

**(916) 445-1773**

This is your external, independent complaint pathway inside CDCR. Start here before escalating outside the department.

Step 3: Inmate Family Council (IFC) at the facility

Find IFC members in the visiting area, or use the suggestion box. Local IFC meetings with prison administration are regular. This is direct family-to-administration access at the facility level.

Step 4: CDCR main line

916-324-7308. For general questions, administrative information, and issues that do not rise to Ombudsman level.

Step 5: Contact your California state legislators

State senator and assembly member have oversight interest in CDCR. Find your legislators at legislature.ca.gov.

Step 6: Contact advocacy organizations

Prison Law Office (510-280-2621), ACLU of NorCal (415-621-2493), or ACLU of SoCal (213-977-9500) for legal issues. LSPC (415-255-7036) for family and children's issues. Friends Outside (209-955-0701) for visitation and facility access issues.

Step 7: Federal escalation

For civil rights violations: U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division (justice.gov/crt). For federal facilities in California: BOP Western Region.

What families cannot compel: You cannot file an internal CDCR grievance for your loved one. You cannot compel CDCR to respond on any specific timeline. External organizations can document, litigate, and advocate -- they cannot guarantee outcomes.

Staying Connected: The Practical Guide for California Families

Phone calls

**FREE** for all audio calls from CDCR state prisons (SB 1008, effective January 1, 2023). No charge to you or your loved one. 15-minute limit per call; no cap on number of calls. Calls are made from wall phones and tablets. All calls are recorded except legal calls.

Platform transition (February 2026 onward)

CDCR is transitioning from ViaPath to Securus. Facilities started switching in February 2026. During the transition: check which platform your loved one's facility uses.

- If still on ViaPath: use ViaPath/ConnectNetwork platform

- After transition to Securus: set up a Securus account at securustech.net

Content on ViaPath tablets does NOT transfer to Securus. If photos or messages on the ViaPath platform matter to your family, your loved one needs to print them before the facility switches.

Video calls, e-messages, photos

Families pay for these (CDCR pays only for audio).

- Video calls: $0.10/min (Securus) vs. $0.16/min (ViaPath)

- E-messages: $0.03 (Securus) vs. $0.05 (ViaPath)

- Photos (inbound): $0.03 (Securus) vs. $0.05 (ViaPath)

- Free video calls: 30 min/month (Securus) vs. 15 min/2 weeks (ViaPath)

Mail

Physical mail and printed photos still accepted at CDCR facilities. Address with P.O. Box Housing when possible. Incoming mail is opened and inspected for contraband.

CDCR is one of a limited number of state correctional systems that still allows physical printed photos through the mail -- a meaningful option for families who prefer tangible connection.

Visiting

Schedule through VSA (Visitation Scheduling Application) online.

Call **1-800-374-8474** before every visit to confirm the facility is open.

Contact Friends Outside (209-955-0701 | friendsoutside.org) for childcare, clothing loans, and transportation assistance.

Up to 5 approved visitors per in-person visit at most facilities.

Locating your loved one

CIRIS: cdcr.ca.gov (California Incarcerated Records and Information Search)

ID Unit: (916) 445-6713 (for common names -- have date of birth ready)

CDCR main: 916-324-7308

InmateAid California inmate search: [internal link]

Supporting Yourself While Supporting Them

California has more family-facing infrastructure than almost any other state. The IFCs at each facility, the SIFC, Friends Outside's legislative mandate, LSPC's free family toolkits -- these exist because California families and advocates fought for them over decades.

None of it makes the situation easy. The distance from LA to Pelican Bay is still 7 hours. The platform transition is still causing lost photos and confusion. The 15-minute call limit still cuts conversations short.

Friends Outside runs support groups for formerly incarcerated people and has connections to family support in communities near major prison clusters. Contact them at (209) 955-0701 or friendsoutside.org.

LSPC's "Toolbox for Family Advocates of California Prisoners" (English and Spanish, free at prisonerswithchildren.org) is the most comprehensive practical guide for California prison families. If you have not read it, read it.

Worth Rises (worthrises.org) continues to monitor Securus's California contract and the costs of video calls, messaging, and commissary services. If the transition to Securus results in increased costs or service problems, Worth Rises is the organization documenting and challenging it.