Chapter 5 – Adult Custody and Security Operations

54010.12.1 Persons with Whom Inmates May Correspond Confidentially

• Persons and employees of persons with whom inmates may correspond confidentially, and receive correspondence confidentially from, include:

  • All state and federal elected officials.

  • All state and federal officials appointed by the governor or the President of the United States.

  • All city, county, State, and federal officials having responsibility for the inmate’s present, prior, or anticipated custody, parole, or probation supervision.

  • County agencies regarding child custody proceedings, as clearly identified in the communication and listed on the envelope.

  • All state and federal judges and courts.

  • Any attorney at law, on active status or in good standing, listed with a state bar association.

  • All officials of a foreign consulate.

  • The Secretary, Undersecretary, Executive Director, Assistant Secretaries, Division Directors, Associate Directors, the Chief, Inmate Appeals, and the Chief, Office of the Ombudsman.

  • A legitimate legal service organization that consists of an established group of attorneys involved in the representation of offenders in judicial proceedings that includes, but not limited to:

    • The American Civil Liberties Union.

    • The Prison Law Office.

    • The Young Lawyers Section of the American Bar Association.

    • The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

    • California Appellate Project.

• Per DOMDepartment Operations Manual Subsection 54010.11, all incoming confidential mail from an attorney or legal service organization shall include the attorney’s name, title, and return address of their office.

• Institution mailroom staff shall contact the CDCRCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Office of Legal Affairs, if there is any question regarding the legitimacy of a legal service organization.