Pleasant Valley State Prison Inmate Lookup

Pleasant Valley State Prison Overview

Pleasant Valley State Prison, often shortened to PVSP, is operated by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. CDCR lists the prison at 24863 West Jayne Avenue, Coalinga, CA 93210, with main phone (559) 935-4900. PVSP is located in Fresno County in the community of Coalinga. Its custody population is different from the Fresno County Jail population: PVSP holds sentenced state-prison inmates in CDCR custody, while Main Jail, North Annex, and West Annex hold people in local sheriff custody.

CDCR's facility information describes PVSP as providing modern long-term housing and rehabilitative services for incarcerated people of all custody levels. The current CDCR facility page did not state a design or rated capacity in the visible indexed text captured for the research file, so no PVSP capacity number is listed here. When capacity or current population matters, use current CDCR or official audit sources rather than transferring Fresno jail capacity figures to a state prison.

Pleasant Valley State Prison Capacity and Population

The research did not locate a current, facility-specific PVSP design capacity on the visible CDCR facility page. That absence matters because Fresno County's jail capacity figures do not apply to PVSP. The county jail system's combined open-floor capacity and live jail count cover the sheriff-operated jail buildings in downtown Fresno, not CDCR state-prison housing in Coalinga.

PVSP's population should be understood as part of California's sentenced state-prison system. A person may begin in Fresno County jail after arrest, appear in Fresno Superior Court, and later transfer to CDCR after conviction and sentencing. Once transferred, the county jail roster is no longer the correct primary lookup tool. CDCR CIRIS becomes the state custody locator, while court records remain with the court that handled the criminal case.

How to Look Up an Inmate at Pleasant Valley State Prison

The correct lookup system for PVSP is CDCR's California Incarcerated Records and Information Search, known as CIRIS. CA.gov describes CIRIS results as including name, CDCR number, age, current location, commitment counties, admission date, and Board of Parole Hearing dates or outcomes for people currently in CDCR custody. The CIRIS disclaimer warns that the information is not an official record, may contain errors or omissions, may omit some incarcerated people, and can lead to mistaken identification if a searcher relies only on name, age, CDCR number, admitted date, or location.

1. Open CDCR CIRIS and accept the disclaimer before searching.
2. Search by CDCR number when known, or search by name with as much identifying information as available.
3. Confirm that the current location is Pleasant Valley State Prison or another CDCR facility.
4. If the person cannot be located, call CDCR's Identification Unit at (916) 445-6713 during its posted weekday hours.

The successful screenshot for this facility set is the CDCR CIRIS statewide locator entry, because the PVSP facility screenshot was not successfully captured.

CIRIS is the right first stop for PVSP because the Fresno Sheriff Inmate Info Center covers county jail custody, not sentenced CDCR custody.

Pleasant Valley State Prison Address and Contact

Use the prison's main phone for institution-level contact and CDCR's Identification Unit when the question is how to locate a person in state custody. For Fresno County court filings, hearing history, or criminal case documents, use Fresno Superior Court resources. For sheriff jail custody, use the Fresno Sheriff roster. Those systems can all relate to the same criminal case, but they are separate agencies and records.

Visiting Someone at Pleasant Valley State Prison

PVSP visiting follows CDCR family and visiting procedures, not Fresno County jail visiting rules. That distinction is important. County jail visits in Fresno have 30-minute local jail rules, while CDCR prison visiting generally involves state prison approval, institutional procedures, scheduling, and rules for family and friends. Before traveling to Coalinga, confirm the incarcerated person's current CDCR location, visiting eligibility, approval status, and current institutional schedule.

CDCR visiting rules can change by institution, housing status, security status, health operations, staffing, or statewide policy. A person may be in CDCR custody but temporarily restricted from visits, moved to a different facility, or subject to different procedures because of classification or housing. CIRIS helps confirm location, but final visiting details should be checked through CDCR's visiting resources and the institution.

Mail, Phone, and Money at Pleasant Valley State Prison

CDCR mail rules are different from Fresno County jail mail rules. CDCR's contact guidance says letters should include the incarcerated person's full name, CDC or CDCR number, institution name, P.O. Box housing if available, and city, state, and ZIP. If the CDCR number or housing assignment is unknown, use CIRIS or contact CDCR's Identification Unit. For common names, CDCR says date of birth is required when asking the ID Unit for help locating someone.

Do not use Fresno County's TouchPay facility number or booking number process for PVSP. Those details apply to the Fresno County Jail system. PVSP is CDCR custody, so family contact, mail, phone, visitation, and money questions should be handled through current CDCR prison procedures and the institution's posted instructions. If a person recently transferred from Fresno County jail to CDCR, county booking identifiers may no longer be enough to find the person in state prison records.

Reception and Classification at Pleasant Valley State Prison

PVSP does not book street arrests the way Fresno County Main Jail does. State prison custody generally begins after a criminal case results in a prison sentence and the person transfers from local custody into CDCR. CDCR then handles state-prison records, classification, housing, institutional programming, and movement between prisons. Fresno Superior Court records can still show case history, but the day-to-day custody location belongs to CDCR after transfer.

For searchers, the practical sequence is to check the Fresno Sheriff roster only while the person is in county jail. If the county profile disappears after sentencing or transfer, use CDCR CIRIS. If CIRIS does not show the person, call the CDCR Identification Unit. For common names, have date of birth and any known CDCR number, court case number, or commitment county information ready.

About Pleasant Valley State Prison

PVSP offers a broad set of programs listed by CDCR. Career Technical Education includes Electrical Works, Office Services and Electronics Technology, Small Engine Repair, Carpentry, Building Maintenance, Auto Body and Paint, Auto Mechanics and Engine Repair, Welding, and HVAC. Academic and education offerings include Adult Basic Education, GED or High School Diploma, Voluntary Education Program, ESEA, College Program through Coastline, and West Hills College face-to-face programming. CDCR also lists CalPIA, Health Care Facility Maintenance or Medical Janitorial Services, and Building Maintenance.

The research also identifies substance-use and behavioral programming, including Integrated Substance Use Disorder Treatment, medication-assisted treatment, cognitive behavioral intervention, self-help, work crews, and family liaison support. A recent-news caution is also part of the record: CDCR reported that a January 24, 2024 death at PVSP was being investigated as a homicide, with the Office of the Inspector General notified and the Fresno County Coroner responsible for determining the official cause of death.