City Jails in Illinois

All City Jails in Illinois

Browse 232 city jails across 67 counties in Illinois

232
City Jails
67
Counties

Navigation Options

Quick navigation options

This page lists all 232 city jails in Illinois. You can browse by county below, search for specific facilities, or navigate to related pages.

Quick Links:

Other Facility Types in Illinois:

About City Jails in Illinois

Understanding city jails in the Illinois

Welcome to the most complete and up-to-date directory of city jails in Illinois. This page lists every active city jail facility operating across Illinois, giving families, attorneys, bail bondsmen, and the general public fast, reliable access to local jail information. Whether you need to locate a recently arrested loved one, find contact details for a specific facility, or simply understand how the city jail system works in Illinois, everything you need is available right here.

City Jail vs. Prison: What's the Difference?

City jails serve a very different function from state or federal prisons:

  • City Jails: Locally operated facilities that hold individuals for short periods — typically those who have just been arrested, are awaiting trial, are unable to make bail, or are serving sentences of less than one year.
  • County Jails: Similar to city jails but operated at the county level, serving a larger geographic area.
  • State Prisons: Operated by Illinois's Department of Corrections for felony offenses with sentences longer than one year.
  • Federal Prisons: Operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons for federal crimes.

If you're unsure where your loved one is held, use our free US inmate locator tool to search across all facility types at once.

How to Find Someone in a City Jail

When a loved one is arrested and taken to a city jail in Illinois, finding out exactly where they are being held is the first priority. Because city jails are locally operated, there is no single centralized database — which is exactly why this directory exists. Browse the list below, click on the relevant facility, and use the inmate search feature to locate your loved one quickly.

Booking & Intake Process

The booking process includes fingerprinting, photographing, health screening, and search of belongings. This can take a few hours to most of a day. During this period, the person is generally not accessible by phone or visitors.

Getting Bail

Bail is set by a judge at an arraignment, typically within 24-72 hours of arrest. A licensed bail bondsman can post bail on your behalf for a non-refundable fee of 10-15% of the total bail amount.

Hiring a Lawyer

Securing qualified legal representation as early as possible is critical. A criminal defense attorney can attend bail hearings, negotiate with prosecutors, and begin building a defense strategy from day one.

Calling an Inmate

Most city jails use third-party phone providers with outbound-only calls. Your number must be registered and a prepaid account set up. Read our calling guide for step-by-step instructions.

Sending Money

Inmates can receive money via online transfers, kiosk deposits, or money orders. Funds go to their commissary account for food, hygiene products, and phone credits. Click any facility for specific deposit methods.

Visitation

Visitation policies vary by facility. Some offer in-person visits while others use video only. Always check the specific facility's rules, visiting hours, and pre-approval requirements before making the trip.

Frequently Asked Questions

The total number of active city jails in Illinois is 232. This count is updated regularly to reflect any changes in facility status across Illinois.

Use the directory list on this page to find the city jail in the area where the arrest took place, then use the facility's inmate search tool to locate the person.

Yes. This page includes a built-in county filter that instantly narrows the list to show only city jails in a specific county within Illinois. Select your county from the dropdown above the list, and the results will update in real time.

Yes. Use the state selector tool on this page to switch to a complete directory of city jails in any other US state. Our database covers local jail facilities across all 50 states.

The length of time depends on the charges, bail status, and court scheduling. Pretrial detainees may be held for days, weeks, or even months as their cases move through the court system. Those serving sentences for misdemeanor convictions typically serve less than one year.

City jails in Illinois are operated by municipal authorities such as a city police department and typically serve a single city or town. County jails are operated by the county sheriff's office and serve a broader geographic area. Both hold similar populations — pretrial detainees and short-term sentenced inmates — but differ in jurisdiction and operational oversight.

City Jails by County in Illinois

View facilities organized by county

Filter City Jails by County

Illinois has City Jails spread across dozens of counties, and finding the right one quickly can be challenging without the right tools. Use the county list below to instantly narrow results and view only the City Jails in a specific county within Illinois. This is particularly helpful if you are trying to locate someone who was recently arrested in a specific area, or if you are planning a visit and need to find the closest facility to your location.

All City Jails in Illinois

Complete listing of city jails

Browse Every City Jails in Illinois

The full list of city jails in Illinois is displayed below. Each entry includes the jail's name, city, county, address, and contact information. City jails are locally operated facilities typically managed by municipal law enforcement agencies such as city police departments or local sheriff's offices. They primarily house individuals who have been recently arrested, are awaiting arraignment or bail hearings, or are serving short-term sentences.

Facility Name County Action
Kankakee Jail 385 East Oak St, Kankakee, IL 60901
Kankakee View Details
Manteno Jail 269 North Main St, Manteno, IL 60950
Kankakee View Details
Oswego Jail 3525 Route 34, Oswego, IL 60543
Kendall View Details
Plano Jail IL 111 East Main Stree, Plano, IL 60545
Kendall View Details
Yorkville Jail 804 Game Farm Road, Yorkville, IL 60560
Kendall View Details
Galesburg Jail 150 South Broad St, Galesburg, IL 61401
Knox View Details
Antioch Jail 433 Orchard St, Antioch, IL 60002
Lake View Details
Arcola Jail 114 North Locust, Arcola, IL 61910
Lake View Details
Bannockburn Jail 2275 Telegraph Road, Bannockburn, IL 60015
Lake View Details
Deerfield Jail 850 Waukegan Road, Deerfield, IL 60015
Lake View Details
Grayslake Jail 10 South Seymour Ave, Grayslake, IL 60030
Lake View Details
Gurnee Jail 100 North O'Plaine Road, Gurnee, IL 60031
Lake View Details
Hawthorn Woods Detention 2 Lagoon Drive, Hawthorn Woods, IL 60047
Lake View Details
Highland Park Jail 1677 Old Deerfield Road, Highland Park, IL 60035
Lake View Details
Kildeer Jail 21911 North Quentin Road, Kildeer, IL 60047
Lake View Details
Lake Zurich Jail 200 Mohawk Trail, Lake Zurich, IL 60047
Lake View Details
Libertyville Jail 200 East Cook Ave, Libertyville, IL 60048
Lake View Details
Mundelein Jail 221 North Lake St, Mundelein, IL 60060
Lake View Details
Round Lake Jail 741 West Townline Road, Round Lake, IL 60073
Lake View Details
Wauconda Jail 311 South Main St, Wauconda, IL 60084
Lake View Details
Waukegan Jail 420 Robert V. Sabojian Place, Waukegan, IL 60085
Lake View Details
Zion Jail 2101 Salem Blvd, Zion, IL 60099
Lake View Details
Marseilles Jail 209 Lincoln St, Marseilles, IL 61341
LaSalle View Details
Dixon Jail 220 South Hennepin Ave, Dixon, IL 61021
Lee View Details
Fairbury Jail 201 West Locust St, Fairbury, IL 61739
Livingston View Details
Page 6 of 10 (232 city jails in Illinois)

City Jails in Other States

Browse city jails in other states

Explore City Jails in Other States

Looking for city jails beyond Illinois? We've got you covered. Use the state selectors below to instantly switch to a full directory of city jails in any other US state. Whether you need to look up facilities in a neighboring state or search across the country, our nationwide directory makes it simple to find the information you need in just a few clicks.