SEARCH FOR INMATE LOCATION Name of the facility:
Cook County Department of Corrections
a.k.a. Cook County Jail
Location:
2700 South California Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60608
Contact us:
1-773-869-5245
(automated help line)
(773) 869-7100
(main telephone number)
Other Important Telephone numbers:
| Business Office: |
(773) 869-6866 |
| Legal Office: |
(773) 869-7683 |
| Office of the Executive Director: |
(773) 869-2859 |
| Program Services: |
(773) 869-6815 |
| Records Department: |
(773) 869-6804 |
| Training Academy: |
(708) 583-3150 |
| Trust / Personal Property: |
(773) 869-6864 |
The Cook County Department of Corrections is the largest (96 acres) single-site
county pre-detention facility in the United States. Primarily holding
pre-trial offenders, the Department admitted 86,110 detainees in 1996
and averaged a daily population of approximately 9,000.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I would like to visit an inmate, how can I find out the inmate's housing location?
Use our automated system 1-773-869-5245.
Are money orders accepted for bonding purposes?
No. Only cash and certified checks are accepted for bonding purposes, and the use of certified checks must
be done during normal banking hours.
Credit Cards are now being accepted for cash bail. Posting of Bail Bonds by Credit Card must be transacted in person
at the 26th and California facility.
What is the address to send mail to an inmate?
The mailing address for sending letters to detainees is:
P.O. Box 089002
Chicago, Illinois 60608
Be sure to include with the address the detainees name and I.D. number. (I.D.
#'s can be retrieved from our automated system 1-773-869-5245).
What items CANNOT be mailed to an inmate?
View the listing. Some of these items will be
made available to the inmate through Commissary.
How do I wire an inmate funds for Commissary?
You can wire money to an inmate through WESTERN UNION using a QUICK COLLECT®. You will need the
following information:
CODE CITY = CCDOC
STATE = Illinois
Account = [Enter the inmate's full name and I.D. #]
VISITATION FOR INMATES
The Cook County Department of Corrections encourages inmates to maintain ties with their
families and friends through regular visits. Family visiting is scheduled to allow access on a
regular basis limited only by staff demands and the visiting facilities in the Department.
Requirements for Entry into the Facility
- Identification: driver’s license, school identification card, voter’s card,
birth certificate, passport, or any acceptable identification card with a photo.
- Registration: Each visitor is required to register on the Visitor Registration Form, providing
their name and address and the relationship to the detainee.
- Search: All visitors are subject to search prior to being allowed to visit any inmate.
To find an inmate’s housing location call
1-773-869-5245
PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
The Mission Statement of the Program Services Department is to provide
information, social services, technical assistance, and cultural enrichment
programs to detainees at the Cook County Department of Corrections.
Program Services has 38 employees that provide services to approximately
10,000 detainees on a daily basis. In 1996, 169,456 informational and job–related
services were provided for the detainees population.
Law librarians stock, manage and update the law libraries in ten divisions.
In 1996, 70,000 detainees were afforded an opportunity to research their
cases, and in many cases, defend themselves in Court.
If DOC rules and regulations are broken by detainees, the infraction
is written up by a DOC officer or supervisor. Two inmate boards hear and
administer findings on these infractions. During 1996, 9,916 cases were
heard. The detainee, who has experienced an injustice, has a right to file
a complaint regarding housing, or general or medical treatment and to grieve
the situation. The Department attempts to alleviate tension by resolving
as many of these problems and concerns as possible.
The Program Services Correctional Rehabilitation Worker serves as a liason
for detainees in regard to their families, attorneys, the courts and other
social service agencies. There are 19 Correctional Rehabilitation Workers;
each has an average case load of 550. Notary service is also available.
The Cook County Department of Corrections also relies on interns and
volunteers to supplement staffing; 30 college students expanded their learning
fields of criminal justice or social work as interns under the supervision
of a seasoned Correctional Rehabilitation Worker. Tutoring, bible study,
self–enhancement and cultural enrichment programs, holiday treats (holiday
dinner, candy, etc.), socks and soap are provided by more than 450 volunteers.
Religious services are held daily in every
division with 20 chaplains providing services and counseling to the detainees.
Beauty shops and barber shops, staffed by detainees, are also available
in each division to enhance personal hygiene. Veterans can keep abreast
of benefits by requesting veteran services. Other agencies available through
the DOC include the Department of
Children and Family Services; Chicago
Legal Aid to Incarcerated Mothers (CLAIM); the John
Howard Association, a prisioners’ rights organization; TASC (Treatment
Alternative to Street Crime); and after–care programs such as My Sister’s
Keeper.
Detainees are encouraged to vote in local and national elections; voters’
registration and absentee voting are provided and stringently monitored
by the Cook County Board of Elections.
Marriages are also performed by a judge in Criminal Courts on a monthly
basis.
Detainees, with the encouragement of officers, teachers, and civilian
staff, participate in programs saluting ethnic holidays such as Kwanzaa,
Cinco de Mayo, etc. Professional entertainers and motivational speakers
also make frequent presentations at the Department of Corrections.