California State Prison, Centinela (CEN)

California State Prison, Centinela (CEN) is a male-only correctional facility located in Imperial County, California, approximately 20 miles from the cities of Imperial and El Centro. The prison was established in October 1993 and is managed by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The institution is named after Cerro Centinela, or Mount Signal, which straddles the U.S.-Mexico border.

CEN spans approximately 2,000 acres and comprises various security levels, ranging from minimum to maximum. The facility includes one Level IV General Population (GP) yard, two Level III GP yards, one Level III Sensitive Needs Yard (SNY), and a Level I yard.

Additionally, there is an Administrative Segregation Unit (AdSeg) with a maximum capacity of 175 inmates and a Correctional Treatment Center (CTC) that provides medical, dental, and mental health services. The Centinela Fire Department, part of the institution’s rehabilitation program, trains inmates as structural and wildland firefighters.

The prison was initially designed to accommodate 2,308 inmates but currently operates at overcapacity, housing about 2,773 inmates as of January 2023. This overpopulation reflects a broader trend within California’s correctional system, which has faced chronic overcrowding issues for decades.

CEN has a history marked by various notable events. In the mid-1990s, it gained attention when the administration of Governor Pete Wilson attempted to enforce federal immigration laws by asking Immigration and Naturalization Service agents to take custody of an inmate, leading to a legal dispute. Over the years, the facility has also been involved in various legal and humanitarian issues, including the tragic death of a quadriplegic inmate in 2006 due to a van’s air conditioning failure.

For those wishing to visit inmates at CEN, visitation hours are generally scheduled on weekends. Visitors must go through a thorough background check before being allowed entry. Specific hours and additional guidelines can be obtained by contacting the prison directly or visiting the official website of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

California State Prison, Centinela, remains a significant part of the state’s correctional landscape, offering various programs aimed at inmate rehabilitation and community safety.

For further information about California State Prison Centinela, including inmate records search and visitation details, individuals can refer to the official website of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation or utilize online inmate search platforms specific to the state of California.