North Kern State Prison

North Kern State Prison is located at:

2737 West Cecil Avenue
Delano, CA 93215

This is the physical address of the facility and not the mailing address you would use to contact inmates.

This facility is a reception center, minimum-to-medium custody facility, and a transportation hub for inmates being transferred to other facilities in California. The reception center is where inmates are classified, which includes mental and physical health evaluations and can take up to 90 days. Once an inmate is classified, they may stay at North Kern State Prison, or get moved to a different facility that better suits their needs.

To contact the prison, you can call the main phone line at (661) 721-2345. You cannot directly call inmates, but you can receive their outgoing collect calls.

  1. Basic Information About North Kern State Prison
  2. Sending Mail to Inmates at North Kern State Prison
  3. Visiting an Inmate at North Kern State Prison
  4. Appealing a Criminal Sentence in California
  5. Contact Spolin Law About Appealing a Criminal Sentence

Sending Mail to Inmates at North Kern State Prison

If you wish to send mail to a family member or friend at North Kern State Prison, you must know the individual’s full name and inmate number, as well as the yard they are housed in.

Mailing addresses for inmates at North Kern State Prison include:

  • Facilities A & M
    PO Box 5000
    Delano, CA 93215-5000
  • Facility B
    PO Box 4999
    Delano, CA 93216-4999
  • Facility C
    PO Box 5004
    Delano, CA 93216-5004
  • Facility D
    PO Box 5005
    Delano, CA 93215-5005

You cannot mail packages unless you order a quarterly or religious package through an authorized private vendor. Also, if you wish to send money, you must follow CDCR’s guidelines regarding using a lockbox, an electronic funds transfer, or mailing funds directly to the facility.

  1. Basic Information About North Kern State Prison
  2. Sending Mail to Inmates at North Kern State Prison
  3. Visiting an Inmate at North Kern State Prison
  4. Appealing a Criminal Sentence in California
  5. Contact Spolin Law About Appealing a Criminal Sentence

Visiting an Inmate at North Kern State Prison

If your friend or family member is currently incarcerated at North Kern State Prison, and you wish to visit, you must adhere to CDCR guidelines.

You must obtain approval from CDCR to visit an inmate. You must fill out and submit CDCR Form 106. You can obtain this form by having the prisoner you wish to visit send it to you, and it must have the inmate’s signature. Once it is completed, you will mail it to the visiting sergeant and/or lieutenant at the facility where your loved one is housed. Be sure to mail this to the correct address for the prison staff, not to the inmate.

The CDCR will review your visiting application and conduct a background check before notifying you if you are approved or not.

When you know which facility your loved one is housed in and you are approved by the CDCR, you can schedule your visit online through the Visitor Processing Appointment Schedule System (VPASS). If you are unsure of where your friend or relative is located, you can use the CDCR Inmate Locator online. You will need to know the individual’s last name or inmate number.

You need to schedule your visit beforehand, and on the day of, CDCR recommends you check Visiting Status for that facility to determine if it is accepting visitors.

Visiting hours are typically:

  • Saturday and Sunday between 8:30 AM and 2 PM
  • New Year’s Day
  • July 4th
  • Thanksgiving
  • Christmas

When you arrive for your visit, you must have a valid and current form of identification, such as a state ID, a driver’s license, an armed forces ID, a U.S. Department of Justice Immigration and Customs Enforcement ID, a passport with a photo, or a photo ID from the Mexican Consulate.

Minors can visit an inmate along with an approved adult visitor. A certified copy of the child’s birth certificate is required, and if the child comes with their guardian, then proof of guardianship is required. If the child is with someone other than a parent or legal guardian, the adult must bring a notarized written consent authorization form signed by the minor’s parent or legal guardian.

  1. Basic Information About North Kern State Prison
  2. Sending Mail to Inmates at North Kern State Prison
  3. Visiting an Inmate at North Kern State Prison
  4. Appealing a Criminal Sentence in California
  5. Contact Spolin Law About Appealing a Criminal Sentence

Appealing a Criminal Sentence in California

If your loved one has been sentenced to a term of incarceration in California and is currently housed at North Kern State Prison, you may be interested in learning more about appealing a criminal conviction or sentence.

It is important to note that an appeal is not a new trial. Instead, a higher court conducts a limited review of the conviction or the sentence, depending on the substance of the appeal. Misdemeanor appeals go to the Appellate Division of the Superior Court while felony appeals go to the California Court of Appeals.

To appeal a conviction or a criminal sentence, there must be a valid basis for doing so. You cannot simply argue that your loved one’s sentence is unfair. There must be evidence to support a review of the conviction or sentence. For example, your lawyer may argue a legal error occurred during the previous trial, that your relative suffered from ineffective assistance of counsel, prosecutorial misconduct occurred, jury misconduct occurred, or the judge made a sentencing error.

When sentencing a defendant, judges must follow certain rules. For some convictions, certain sentences are imposed by law. In other circumstances, judges have a great deal of discretion – though this can be abused. If the judge does not adhere to the appropriate sentencing rules, then the defendant can argue it is an illegal sentence.

There are strict time limits on how long defendants have to appeal, which is why it is important to speak with a criminal appeals lawyer right away. A Notice of Appeal must be filed within 30 days of a misdemeanor conviction or sentence. A felony Notice of Appeal must be filed within 60 days of the order the defendant wishes to appeal.

There are, however, further post-conviction relief options that don’t have the strict deadlines that traditional appeals do. Contact Spolin Law right away to learn more.

  1. Basic Information About North Kern State Prison
  2. Sending Mail to Inmates at North Kern State Prison
  3. Visiting an Inmate at North Kern State Prison
  4. Appealing a Criminal Sentence in California
  5. Contact Spolin Law About Appealing a Criminal Sentence

Contact Spolin Law About Appealing a Criminal Sentence

It can be difficult to watch your loved one serve time at North Kern State Prison. To make matters more difficult, you may believe your relative, partner, or friend was given too long of a prison sentence. For help regarding whether the term of incarceration violates California sentencing laws, contact Spolin Law today. We will review your loved one’s sentence and advise you on whether an appeal is possible, and whether it would likely result in a change to your loved one’s sentence. To schedule a free, initial evaluation of your case, contact us today at (310) 424-5816.