San Quentin State Prison Inmate Search and Prison Information
San Quentin State Prison offender locator: Offense Date, Sex, Who's in jail, Commitment Date, Disposition, Release Date, Inmate List, Address Given, Liens and Judgments, Mugshots, Type, Arrests, Issuing Auth, Warrant, Received Date, Probate Documents, Appeals Court, Charges, Institution, Bond, Bookings, Booking Date.
San Quentin State Prison is one of California’s most well-known and oldest prisons, established in 1852 to supposedly replace a prison ship called the Waban. It is said that inmates on the Waban helped to build San Quentin. Until 1933 it housed male and female inmates until women were moved to a separate prison.
San Quentin is walled and contains four large cell blocks (North, South, East and West), one maximum-security block, a Central Health Care Service Building, a medium security dorm and a minimum security firehouse. The prison contains the state’s only gas chamber and death row for male inmates.
There are a variety of jobs, programs and inpatient/outpatient mental health services. The prison also contracts a local organization to offer family liaison services, helping families and inmates find healthy ways to reintegrate the inmate back into daily life after release.
San Quentin State Prison Prison Information
| Jail Name | San Quentin State Prison |
| Jail Type | State Prison |
| Authority: | California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation |
| Location | 1 Main Street, San Quentin, CA, 94964 |
| Contact Numbers | 415-454-1460 |
| City | San Quentin |
| Postal Code | 94964 |
| State | California |
| County | Marin County |
| Jail Webpage | website |
Inmate Resources for Family and Friends
Public Records Online Search
Criminal Records and Contact Info aggregated from real law enforcement agencies and government court houses.
Inmate Search
The California Department of Corrections hosts an online inmate locator database as a service to those wishing to locate an inmate. It should not be relied upon for totally accurate information.
Inmates can be searched for using their inmate number, which yields the most accurate results. Alternatively, inmates can be located by their last name. For narrower results, enter the inmate’s first and/or middle name. For all names, partial spellings will yield results.
Sending a Mail
Inmates can be sent mail by anyone, although all incoming letters will be opened and inspected for contraband. Contraband can include anything besides up to ten plain pieces of paper and up to ten 8x10 inch photos. Send mail to:
Inmate’s full name, CDC#
Housing Unit
San Quentin State Prison
San Quentin, CA 94974
An inmate’s CDC# can be found using the inmate locator or by calling the Public Information Officer of the inmate’s institution.
Inmates can be sent packages quarterly through third-party vendors. There are a variety of different companies to choose from, some specializing in items by category such as shoes, vitamins or music. Others offer more general options such as packaged foods, clothing, etc.
Sending Money
There are several ways to send money to an inmate. One can use a lock box, which has no service fee and is the best way to send a money order, cashiers check or personal check. Another option is an electronic funds transfer (EFT), which is a paid service but also is the fastest way to send money (1-3 days.) Three EFT companies are used: GTL, JPay, and Keefe.
Finally, one can mail checks or money orders up to $999.99 but it could take up to one month for the funds to reach the inmate. Mail checks to:
Inmate’s Name
Housing Unit
San Quentin State Prison
San Quentin, CA 94974
Make checks payable to CDCR. Include the inmate’s name and CDCR number on the check. Also include the sender’s name and address on the face of the check or money order.
Phone Calls
While no one can call an inmate on the telephone, inmates can make outgoing phone calls. The California Department of Corrections utilizes the GTL system for phone calls, which allows family and friends to create prepaid accounts from which funds for the call will be taken for any received call. Inmates must have money to place a call. Rates vary between $.0.096/minute for local prepaid calls to $0.135/minute for collect calls. Calls are monitored.
Visiting Rules
Visitation is encouraged, as it promotes healthier relationships between inmates and family/friends, as well as is beneficial for the reentry process. Fully prepare yourself before visiting by reading the visitation guidelines. These give all the information needed, anywhere from how to behave and dress to what you can bring. Visitation rules vary for prisoners based on behavior and security level, which can determine who can visit, for how long and if visits should be scheduled ahead of time.
Adult visitors must apply before visiting an inmate. Applications can be sent from the inmate to you. They will contain a questionnaire, which should be completed fully. Once you are approved, the inmate will be notified and they should notify you. From there, schedule a visit with VPASS. Applications should be mailed back to the sergeant or lieutenant at:
San Quentin State Prison San Quentin, CA 94964-002
Most inmates have visitation rights, although there are different types of visits. Some are contact where the inmate can be with visitors in person. Others might be non-contact with a partition between people.
There are strict clothing requirements for visitors. The most important rule of thumb is to dress modestly and plainly, with no transparent or tight clothing. Clothing should not depict threatening or crude language or images. Avoid dressing in anything that might resemble prison clothing, including orange, jumpsuits, army green, camouflage, or blue denim pants. Do not wear hats or gloves inside visitation.
How Often Can I Visit?
Frequency of visits depends on an inmate’s security level, institution and behavior, among other factors. Check with your inmate’s specific institution for more information.
Visitation Hours
| Sunday | 7:30 AM to 2:30 PM |
| Monday | – |
| Tuesday | – |
| Wednesday | – |
| Thursday | – |
| Friday | – |
| Saturday | 7:30 AM to 2:30 PM |
| Holiday | – |
Directions
Refer the map below to find the driving directions.
