Why You Can't Mail Quarterly Packages to Someone at Wasco (And What to Do Instead)

Trying to send a quarterly package to someone at Wasco State Prison? Here's the bottom line: you can't mail it yourself. CDCR requires all quarterly packages to come from approved vendors - not from family members. Why the restriction? CDCR switched to a vendor-only system to reduce contraband and eliminate the labor-intensive searches that came with personal packages. Under the old system, if a family-sent package contained prohibited items, the incarcerated person might have to pay return shipping - or watch those items get donated or thrown away. The vendor requirement prevents that headache before a package ever arrives.

To get a quarterly package to someone at Wasco, you need to order through an authorized private vendor. The key word here is "authorized" - vendors must receive CDCR approval before they can provide quarterly package services to any institution. So don't worry about finding the right shipping address. There isn't one for personal packages. The approved vendor process is the only way quarterly packages get delivered.

1. Start with an approved vendor - Quarterly packages are only available through authorized private vendors that have CDCR approval.
2. Place your order directly with the vendor - You purchase the package through the vendor (not by mailing items to the prison yourself).
3. Let the vendor handle shipping to the institution - The vendor ships the package to Wasco under CDCR’s quarterly package rules.

Restitution changes what "help" actually looks like, depending on how you send it. Money sent directly to an incarcerated person is still subject to court-ordered restitution. That means the full amount you send may not end up available for them to spend. Quarterly packages work differently. When you buy a package directly from an approved vendor, families aren't impacted by restitution on that purchase. This is one reason some families prefer vendor packages over cash deposits - especially when they want to make sure specific items actually reach their loved one.

If you’re a business trying to become an approved Quarterly Package Vendor for CDCR institutions (including Wasco State Prison), the contact listed by CDCR is Lt. Victor Espinoza at Victor.Espinoza@cdcr.ca.gov.

Need to reach Wasco State Prison directly? The main phone number is (661) 758-8400. The physical address is 701 Scofield Avenue, Wasco, CA 93280. For package ordering, remember: you'll still need to go through the CDCR-approved vendor process. Quarterly packages are only available through authorized private vendors.