How to Conduct an Illinois Department of Corrections Inmate Search

Those seeking information on inmates supervised by the Illinois Department of Corrections can obtain these details by e-mailing local police departments, visiting them personally, or sending requests through postal mail. When the Illinois Department of Corrections was established, there were only seven correctional facilities across the state. However, longer sentences and the increasing number of inmates have necessitated the construction of more facilities. As a result, there are currently 28 correctional facilities operated by the Illinois Department of Correction, in addition to various work and boot camps and transition centers. In order to obtain information about a particular inmate supervised in an Illinois DOC correctional facility, you can view the contact information for these facilities at http://www.idoc.state.il.us/subsections/facilities/instaddress.asp.

The Illinois DOC also operates a convenient online inmate search, located at http://www.idoc.state.il.us/subsections/search/default.asp. Follow the on-screen instructions to conduct a search of Illinois inmates. Some information must be provided by the user, including the inmate's last name and date of birth or IDOC number. For help with this system, contact 217-558-2200; this number is for the general public and private agencies. For government organizations, there is a separate line at 1-888-446-9103.

Types of Correctional Facilities in Illinois

Adult inmates are allowed to request incarceration in a facility of their choice. If the judge approves and recommends the application, the inmate's current facility will review the request. However, the DOC has the right to rule whether or not an inmate can transfer to a different facility or camp; this choice often depends on the crime committed by the inmate. The various boot camps in the state of Illinois have strict regulations. The Department is also responsible for determining whether or not a particular inmate can endure the regimentation. For example, boot camp lasts four months. Inmates are not allowed to meet anyone for the first month, and after that they can meet only their immediate family members. They are not allowed to make telephone calls freely. There are also restrictions on what they can have in their possessions while at camp. Inmates are allowed to have only what the Department provides them; possession of any other items results in confiscation of the items and punishments for the inmate.

There are two boot camps operated by the Illinois DOC: in Du Quoin State Fairground, located in Perry County, and in Shawnee National Forest, at Dixon Springs. The DOC also operates various work camps. In 2008, the inmates of all the work camps under the Illinois DOC provided 389,000 hours of accumulated community service on different projects and disaster relief programs. These work camps serve a distinct purpose by showing the public that these inmates are giving back to society.

The Illinois DOC operates Adult Transition Centers, or ATCs, also known as work release centers. When an inmate is set to be release in two years, he or she is sent to one of these centers. Inmates of this unit can go to school or work and then return to the unit. No more than 1,280 inmates can be housed in this unit, and with more than 45,000 inmates in the state, the DOC is very selective about choosing them.

There are eight levels of security in the correctional facilities of Illinois: transitional facilities have one security level; minimum security facilities have low, medium, and high levels of security, as do medium security facilities; maximum security facilities only have one level. If a convict is sentenced to a prison term of 20 years or more, he or she is sent to a maximum security prison. For an imprisonment term of eight to nineteen years, a convict is sent to one of the three levels of medium security facilities. If an inmate in a medium or minimum security facility does not abide by the rules, he or she is sent to a maximum security prison. Once transferred here, inmates face stricter rules; they cannot make phone calls or have visitors, and cannot visit the prison commissary for the first month.

Other Methods of Obtaining Inmate Information

If you are seeking information about a certain inmate, and you know his or her facility of incarceration, you can get this information from the aforementioned DOC online search. However, the website will only provide data on inmates who are currently incarcerated. You can still search for any past Illinois inmates by sending a request to info@doc.illinois.gov. Along with your e-mail, send the required information: the inmate's full name, date of birth, and year when the inmate was received by the DOC. You can also include additional information such as county of incarceration, correctional facility, or any other dates related to his or her incarceration term. Include the mailing address where the information should be sent along with your e-mail address, should the DOC need to contact you.

You can also call the Illinois DOC at 217-558-2200, extension 2008. Their hours of operation are from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CST on all working days. If your question requires that you contact the DOC via postal mail the address of the Department in Chicago is Illinois Department of Corrections, James R. Thompson Center, 100 West Randolph, Chicago, IL 60601.

The address of the Department in Springfield is Illinois Department of Corrections, 1301 Concordia Court, P.O. Box 19277, Springfield, IL 62794-9277.