Crime & Traffic

It can be confusing to understand the Illinois Corrections' System. If you are trying to find, visit, or talk with someone who is in prison, there are rules and regulations that you should know. This article talks about those rules and has links so you can learn more.

If you are a family member or loved one of someone in prison, you may find additional support through Restore Justice’s Loved Ones Self-Advocacy Training. These trainings are designed to help families better navigate the prison system, advocate for their loved ones, and connect with others facing similar challenges.

Finding someone who is incarcerated

Every individual under custody first goes to a Reception and Classification (R&C) Center. This is called processing.

Stateville, Graham, and Menard are the R&C centers in Illinois for male prisoners. Individuals from counties in northern Illinois are taken to the Northern Reception Center. This is part of Stateville Correctional Center. Logan is the R&C Center for all female prisoners.

While in R&C, each person gets their Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) number. Within a day or two of the time they arrive, the number will be posted on the IDOC website. You will need this number whenever you visit them or send them mail.

IDOC assigns individuals to the most suitable facility based on various factors. Transfers occur when beds become available, which can take from one week to a year.

Individuals are not informed of their new location in advance, so they can’t tell their family this information. No visitation is allowed for the first 30 days a prisoner is in an R&C. After that, they may be allowed limited visits, mail, and phone calls.

You can find the location of an incarcerated person after they are transferred out of the R&C. You will need their last name, birthday, or IDOC number. Use the IDOC Inmate Search to search for their location. 

You can register with Victim Information and Notification Everyday (VINELink). VINE notifies victims when a prisoner moves or is about to go on parole A release from prison. It allows someone to serve time outside of prison as long as they follow certain conditions. . It is available to everyone. There is also a link on each prisoner’s page on the IDOC website to sign up for VINE updates.

Sending mail

Individuals can receive mail at any time during their stay in prison. You may write to them as you would anyone else. When addressing the envelope, include the person's name and their IDOC number below the name, exactly as they are on the IDOC website. Do not use nicknames or your letter will be returned. The IDOC website lists the mailing addresses for mail. Click on the facility where the incarcerated person is located.

The mail that you send to someone in custody will be opened and searched for contraband (items not allowed in prison). You may be prosecuted if contraband is found. 

Do not decorate your envelopes or letters with stickers, glitter, or tape. Your letter will be sent back to you.

Portions of mail may be kept from the incarcerated person if it could be a threat to security or safety. If this happens, both you and the person will be notified in writing of that decision. The reasons mail may be thrown out are listed on the IDOC website. 

Individuals in custody can receive an unlimited amount of the following items through mail:

• Books,
• Periodicals,
• Magazines,
• Newspapers, and
• Catalogs. 

Sending money

Money can be sent to an individual in custody and placed in their account for use in the commissary or for sending mail.

Money orders

You may send a money order to someone who is in custody. Money orders are limited to $999.99. Money orders must be sent with the individual’s name and their IDOC number. They must also include the sender’s name and address. You can get deposit slips from each facility or through JPAY. Money orders should be made payable to JPAY and sent with a deposit slip to: PO Box Post office box, an individual box for mail at a post office 260250, Hollywood, FL 33026.

Electronic payments

All electronic payments must include the person’s IDOC number and last name.

You can send electronic payments of up to $5,000 through the following services:

• GTL (ConnectNetwork)
• JPAY
• Send2Corrections

You can send an electronic payment of up to $3,000 through Money Gram using the Blue Money Gram Express Payment Form (code 7364). These are applied within 72-96 hours.

Learn more on IDOC's website. 

Talking to an incarcerated person on the phone

When someone first gets to prison, they make a list of people they want to talk to on the phone or have visit them. This list can be updated once a month. You can only talk to them on the phone if you are on their approved list. Keep in mind that these calls are recorded and not confidential unless scheduled with an attorney in advance.

People in custody cannot get incoming calls. They can only make outgoing calls using the prison’s phone service. Learn how to fund phone calls. 

Illinois prisons recently switched from Securus to a new phone company called ICSolutions. If you had a Securus account before, you now need to create a new account with ICSolutions. You can read more about the change in the Phone service transition information. 

For the most current information about phone calls, visit the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Messaging an incarcerated person electronically

Friends and family can send electronic messages to people in all Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) facilities except Adult Any person 18 years old or over Transition Centers (ATCs). Messages are sent through ICSolutions’ CorrLinks system (not GTL). 

You do not have to be on an approved list. The messages will be printed and delivered to the person like regular mail. At this time, replies are not always available. Whether a person can send a message back depends on their facility and custody status.

Like prison mail and phone calls, these messages are not confidential and are read or screened by each facility. The prison can limit this access for safety.

Visiting an incarcerated person by video

Prisons must allow access to video calling if it is available at the prison. People can get access to tablets for video calling as a reward for good behavior. You can visit using Apple, Android, and Windows devices. The IDOC website includes information on how to visit based on the device you have. Video visits cost $3.20 for 20 minutes. 

All visitors must register with ICSolutions. Adults must add themselves and then any minor A person under 18 years old children. All callers must be on the individual's approved visitation list. You should write a letter to the incarcerated individual to make sure you are on the approved visitation list. All video visits may be monitored or recorded and ended for violation of any rules.

Visiting hours are Mon-Fri, 8AM-2PM. You must schedule a visit at least 7 days in advance. You can schedule up to 30 days in advance.

Individuals in custody can have one video visit per day and two video visits per week. There can be up to three approved people per video visit, but only one can be on screen at a time. Children who need assistance may be on screen with another approved visitor.

Behaviors that are not allowed on video visits include:

• Nudity and behaviors of a sexual nature,
• Display of any illegal materials such as drugs or guns,
• Unlawful activity, and
• Recording or filming any visit.

A full list of rules can be found on the IDOC website. Violations of any of the rules may result in an immediate termination When something ends and a loss of visiting privileges. 

Visiting in person

Prisons may not limit in-person visits just because they make video calling available.

IDOC has a standard visitation policy. Review the visitation policy ahead of your visit. A list of facilities can be found on IDOC’s website.

Each incarcerated person can have 7 visits per month. These visits are limited to 4 hours per visit. You cannot visit more than once per day. You may request an extended visit in advance to the Chief Administrative Officer. You must be on the approved visiting list. Every incarcerated person can submit a list of 30 people to IDOC who are allowed to visit. The IDOC must keep this list in paper and electronic form on their website. Visitors, vehicles, and items are subject to search.

To schedule your visit:

• Use the search tool to find the individual you would like to visit,
• Confirm that you are on the approved visitation list by writing the incarcerated individual a letter, and
• Schedule your visit online.

Be sure to arrive at the facility 10 minutes before your scheduled visit. When you arrive for a visit, you must:

• Call the facility for instructions. They will tell you when it is safe to enter,
• Bring two forms of ID, one of which must be a state issued ID,
• Provide information about your vehicle, and
• Undergo a COVID screening and wear a mask.

Some items like electronic devices and bags are not allowed in the visitation room and must be placed in a locker. You can find a full list of these items on the IDOC website.

When you visit a prison, you cannot wear:

• Clothing that is sexually explicit, offensive, or degrading,
• Inappropriate or revealing clothing,
• Hats, gloves, scarves or headbands except for religious headgear,
• Jewelry that is very heavy or has offensive symbols, or
• Jewelry with names, initials, pictures, or words.

Religious headgear must be removed and searched. Acceptable headgear includes kufis, yarmulkes, turbans, habits, and fezzes. If you have different religious headgear, send a written request to the prison at least ten days before your visit. If approved, you can wear it, but it will still be searched.

To buy food and drinks from the vending machine, you must purchase a vending card, which usually costs $1.00. You can add money to that card for use during your visit. 

Age requirement for visitors

There are certain restrictions for minors who wish to visit someone in custody. A person under 18 years old must be accompanied by an approved visitor who is 18 or older.

A person 12 years or younger must be:

• Brought by an approved visitor who is a parent or guardian, or
• Given written consent When someone gives permission for someone else to do something by a parent or guardian that says the child will be brought by an approved visitor who is 18 or older. 

Bringing items during a visit

People in custody are not allowed to receive any items from visitors during their visit. This includes clothing, jewelry, books, magazines, and paperwork. People in custody will be searched when entering and leaving the visiting area. Any items that are found after a visit that were not present before will be considered contraband. The finding of contraband may result in disciplinary action and the loss of visitation privileges. 

People in custody can only take a few items from the visiting room. Staff will check them before you leave:

• Photos from the offender photo program
• Drawings, notes, or coloring pages made in the kids’ area
• Legal papers from a lawyer Someone who represents clients in courts or who gives legal advice

Visitation rules

Rules can be different from prison to prison. Inappropriate behavior or contraband may result in a temporary or permanent restriction. If someone in custody is found with contraband during or after a visit, the prison will assume you gave it to them. The prison can deny To refuse or say no , suspend, or restrict visitors.

More information on visiting and communicating

The following sites have more information on visiting prisons and communicating with individuals in custody:

• Illinois Department of Corrections
• Illinois Prison Talk is a message board for visitors to Illinois' Prisons
• Illinois Code lists the laws about visitation and communication 

If you have a complaint A written statement to start a lawsuit that says what the defendant did or suggestion for a Department of Corrections facility, you can contact the agency.