California Institution for Women

California Institution for Women (CIW) is switching to Securus, the statewide communications provider for CDCR facilities. Securus says calls, videoconferencing, and electronic messaging will roll out starting in September. You can open a Securus account now—free telephone calls don't require one, but video visits and electronic messaging will once those services launch. For videoconference visits, add funds through AdvanceConnect for prepaid sessions and register for Securus Video Connect. During registration, select

All mail to and from people in custody gets screened for contraband. Legal mail follows special procedures—it's inspected but not read during routine checks. You can send lawful correspondence, though facilities may limit how much paper or how many personal items someone can keep for safety and fire-code reasons. Address every envelope with the incarcerated person's full booked name plus the required facility identifier (booking number, X-reference, or PFN). Include your printed return name and address so undeliverable items come back to you. Expect restrictions on hard-to-inspect extras like glitter, stickers, or multilayer cards. Photos are often limited by size and number—Polaroids and sexually explicit images are commonly rejected. Some systems route non-privileged mail through central processing or scanning while excluding legal mail and publisher-sent publications.

California Institution for Women (CIW) uses third-party vendor platforms for account access and related services. Securus directs families to open an account—it's not required for free telephone calls, but you'll need one for video and electronic messaging once those launch. GTL VisitMe includes a

CIW's contact pages list several ways to reach the right office—picking the correct channel saves time. Start with the facility's main or intake phone line for custody and location questions. Need release details, records issues, or formal documentation? Look for the Records & ID unit. For medical records, use the Health Records Center or the designated medical records contact. Many systems route urgent medical concerns, PREA/abuse reports, transportation questions, and vendor support through specialized hotlines, so use the channel that matches your issue. If the facility can't resolve your request, state-level offices may handle escalations like records requests, subpoenas, and vendor questions. Before you call, have the person's full name, any aliases, and date of birth or booking/ID number ready. Records and property requests often require a government-issued photo ID and specific submission rules.