Staff facilitate special Father’s Day visiting

June 16, 2025

Father's Day visiting at CCI-Tehachapi featured custom-painted backdrops created by the Facility C population.

Across California, institutions and camps offered special Father’s Day visiting for families to enjoy spending time with their incarcerated loved one.

Editor’s note: This round-up of visiting events will be updated as more submissions are received. If your institution, program, division, or reentry facility participated in Father’s Day activities, send photos as separate attachments to Don Chaddock and Emily Idleman (emails found in Global).

CCI-Tehachapi makes Father’s Day visiting special

An incarcerated person hugs a woman while holding a little girl, standing in front of a King Dad banner with the words Father's Day and My Hero painted above it.

Father's Day at CCI-Tehachapi with three people visiting their incarcerated loved one.

California Correctional Institution-Tehachapi (CCI) staff and members of the Inmate Family Council (IFC) hosted a special Father’s Day event June 15.

Families enjoyed arts and crafts such as activity sheets, decorating picture frames and crafting bookmarks. Custom-made photo backdrops were created by the incarcerated persons at Facility C.

Visitors said they appreciated the event and extra effort put into making it happen.

Written by Visiting Sgt. S. Zazueta
Submitted by Lt. T. Harrison

CIW hosts Father’s Day visiting

Cornhole tournament at California Institution for Women at Corona during Father's Day visiting, June 16, 2025.

An incarcerated person makes snow cones at California Institution for Women at Corona during Father's Day visiting, June 16, 2025.

This year Father’s Day was celebrated with some fun summer activities at the California Institution for Women (CIW) at Corona. Families participated in the second Father’s Day Cornhole Tournament while also trying to beat the heat with some cool snow cones. Visitors made their fathers special barbecue aprons to help with all their future summer cook outs. A special thank you to the Inmate Family Council for providing hot coffee and donuts for all to share. According to organizers, everyone left with great memories and excitement for future CIW activities.

By Sgt. J. Drysol
Submitted by Lt. W. Newborg

Pelican Bay State Prison hosts Father’s Day visiting

Cornhole game during Father's Day visiting at Pelican Bay State Prison with a very young visitor and an incarcerated person.

Father's Day visiting with two people and their incarcerated son at Pelican Bay State Prison, June 15, 2025, at Crescent City, California.

Pelican Bay State Prison celebrated Father’s Day June 15 with an event aimed at fostering connection between incarcerated individuals and their families. The day was filled with activities designed to create positive shared experiences and reinforce family bonds.

The visiting yard buzzed with laughter and friendly competition as incarcerated individuals and their families engaged in games of cornhole. The collaborative spirit extended to a coloring station where visitors showcased their artistic talents, with other visiting families joining in on the fun.

Creating lasting memories was also a focus of the event. Fun Father’s Day props and backdrops were available, providing families with enjoyable opportunities to capture cherished family photos.

In a thoughtful gesture, stamped envelopes were provided to families upon their exit in the visiting processing area. This enabled them to easily send drawings, letters, and other sentiments back to their husbands and fathers, ensuring that the connection forged during the visit could continue beyond the special day.

The Father’s Day event at Pelican Bay State Prison exemplifies the commitment to supporting family ties and promoting positive interaction, recognizing the importance of these connections in the lives of both the incarcerated individuals and their loved ones.

“Thank you to everyone who helped make this day a success. The commitment, hard work, and collaborative spirit created a memorable experience,” said Warden Stephen Smith. “Pelican Bay State Prison looks forward to supporting these valuable connections in the future.”

Submitted by Lt. S. Leon