How do I find an inmate or search a jail roster?

Illinois Department of Corrections - IDOC (state prisons) / County Sheriff's Office (county jails)

Details

What you need to know

Fee

Online searches free; certified records requests may involve fees ONLINE OPTION: Yes - IDOC Offender Search at idoc.illinois.gov; county sheriff websites for local jails WHERE TO GO: IDOC (state prisons); County Sheriff's Office (county jail)

Online Option

Yes - IDOC Offender Search at idoc.illinois.gov; county sheriff websites for local jails

Where to Go

IDOC (state prisons); County Sheriff's Office (county jail)

County-specific variations apply

Each of Illinois's 102 county sheriffs operates a separate jail. Online inmate search availability and functionality vary significantly - Cook County (Chicago) has a comprehensive online inmate search (cookcountysheriff.org); other large counties (DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane, Winnebago) have good online access; many downstate rural Illinois counties have limited online access requiring a direct call to the jail or Sheriff's Office.

Illinois Notes

Important state-specific details

Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) manages all state prisons and work release centers; Offender Search at idoc.illinois.gov covers currently incarcerated state inmates and those on parole.
County jails operated by County Sheriffs - separate from IDOC; recent arrests will NOT appear in IDOC database.
Cook County Department of Corrections (different from IDOC): Cook County operates its own large jail system at 26th and California (Chicago); use cookcountysheriff.org for Cook County jail inmates.
Illinois Sex Offender Registry: isp.illinois.gov/sor - searchable online.
For visitation, phone calls, sending money, commissary, or mailing to an Illinois inmate: inmateaid.com has IDOC and county jail facility details.

Official Source

State office contact

State Office

Illinois Department of Corrections - idoc.illinois.gov | (217) 558-2200; Cook County Sheriff (county jail): cookcountysheriff.org | (312) 603-3434