Cook County Inmate Roster

How to Search the Cook County Jail Roster

The Sheriff's Individual in Custody Locator at iic.ccsheriff.org is the only official public lookup tool for current Cook County Jail custody. The locator's terms page is the starting point. Anyone using the search must agree to the terms first.

The Sheriff locator home page is captured below.

1. Open the Sheriff's Individual in Custody Locator.
2. Read and agree to the Terms and Conditions.
3. Choose "Search for an Individual in Custody."
4. Enter the full first name and full last name, or enter the Booking ID without hyphen (example format 20250043394).
5. Complete the Google reCAPTCHA challenge.
6. Click Submit. The system returns custody status and housing location.

If a search by name returns no result, the person may have been transferred, released, or never booked into Cook County custody. Try the Illinois Department of Corrections search next, then the federal BOP locator if the case is federal.

Cook County Inmate Locator Search Fields

The Individual in Custody Locator uses a tight set of fields. Booking ID returns a unique match; name search may return several common names.

What a Cook County Inmate Profile Shows

The Sheriff's locator returns housing location, booking ID, and information needed for bond or trust deposits. Housing codes use a division prefix and a tier or living-unit suffix. The first characters identify the division. The second characters identify the tier or living unit.

Note: Detailed profile fields beyond the housing location require reCAPTCHA confirmation. No mug shot or charge list is published on the public locator.

Cook County Jail Divisions

The Cook County Jail is a campus, not a single building. The Sheriff's Department of Corrections runs several active divisions, each with its own classification level and population. Division XI alone is 640,000 square feet with four PODS and a culinary program called Recipe for Change.

Cook County Corrections Contact Numbers

The Sheriff runs a small set of phone lines for custody, visitor, and bond questions. Reach Customer Service Main Line at (773) 674-1945 seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The automated help line provides English and Spanish options.

Spyropoulos Clerk biography page below ties the Clerk side to court-record search; for jail-side questions, use the Sheriff numbers.

Cook County Jail Visitation

Visits are scheduled by staff after the individual in custody adds the visitor to a visitation list. Family video visits run through Microsoft Teams; visitors need an active Teams account and email. Violations of CCDOC rules during a video visit, including drinking, smoking, inappropriate behavior, or nudity, can revoke visiting privileges.

Visitor applications can be obtained at the Sheriff's website, in the lobby of the jail division, or at the entrance of any Cook County courthouse. Visitor approval is subject to a background check.

Cook County Inmate Mail

Mail to a Cook County inmate must use the booking ID. The mailing format is name, booking number, then 2700 S. California Ave., Chicago, IL 60608. If the sender does not know the booking number, the Sheriff's automated help line at 773-674-5245 or the locator can confirm it.

The Sheriff publishes a long list of prohibited items including adhesive tape, batteries, candy, cigarettes, lighters, clothing, cosmetics, glass or metal objects, glue, marker pens, money orders over $100, more than three paperbacks per mailing, Polaroids, stamps, stickers, twine, and any mail sprayed or saturated with foreign substances. Returned mail can be reviewed; a sender may write to Mail Rejection at the same address within ten days.

Booking, Bonding, and Release Timing

Newly booked individuals must be processed before bond can be posted. Waiting time depends on when court paperwork arrives and is processed. After September 18, 2023, Cook County does not require cash bond for new cases; older cases filed before that date may still have cash bond.

For older cases, Division 5 at 2700 S. California Avenue accepts bond 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., 365 days a year. The Sheriff also accepts bonds at Skokie, Rolling Meadows, Maywood, Bridgeview, and Markham courthouses Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. excluding holidays. Cash, bank checks, and cashier's checks are accepted; personal checks and money orders are not. Credit and debit card bail must be done in person at 2700 S. California with a 2.13% non-refundable service fee. After bond is posted, discharge takes approximately 2 to 3 hours; longer if a GPS monitor is required.

Trust Accounts and Commissary

Each individual in custody has a trust fund account for commissary and other items. Weekly commissary purchase limit is up to $100 of clothing, supplies, or food. Deposits use Western Union, MoneyGram, JailATM, currency exchange facilities, USPS money order or cashier's check, and lobby kiosks at External Post 5, External Post 7, External Post 9, Division 10 Lobby, Division 11 Lobby, and Division 5 Lobby.

• Western Union city code: CCDOC or COOK COUNTY DEPT CORRECTION; State: Illinois.
• MoneyGram receive code: 1750.
• JailATM support phone: 1-870-627-5476.
• USPS: money orders up to $100, cashier's checks up to $1,000; no cash by mail; payable to the individual using exact name and booking ID.

State and Federal Inmate Searches

The Illinois Department of Corrections search at illinois.gov/idoc covers state prison custody for people sentenced to IDOC. The IDOC search page is below.

The Illinois State Police sex offender registry at isp.illinois.gov/Sor is the official statewide registry. Its public page is shown below.

VINELink at vinelink.com publishes custody status and offers notifications for many Illinois agencies. The screenshot below shows the VINELink landing page.

Phone Calls and Text Messages

Since September 22, 2021, the Cook County Jail uses GTL, now ViaPath, for phone calls. Family and friends can also send text messages to an individual in custody. The text fee is $0.06 per message sent in; replies from the individual are free. All messages are subject to review. Attorneys should not use the text platform for confidential or privileged communication because it is monitored.

Funds for phone and commissary use come from the individual's trust account, so a deposit through Western Union, MoneyGram, JailATM, or a lobby kiosk also supports phone time. Keep the booking ID handy for every deposit.

Note: Use the Legal Office at 773-674-7683 to arrange privileged attorney communication rather than the monitored text or phone system.

Individual in Custody Services and Programs

The Sheriff runs Individual in Custody Services with Correctional Liaisons who process requests and grievances, support families, and help with legal documentation. Law and public librarians provide legal research help and general reading access. The Mental Health Transition Center, tied to Division XVI, runs programming for eligible participants. Sheriff programs span educational, vocational, religious, substance-abuse, veterans, community-support, and anti-violence tracks.

Related Cook County Searches

For release verification and reentry, see released inmates. For jail population and capacity figures, see jail population. For active warrants and holds, see warrant records. For criminal case files, see criminal records.