Home / Directory / Illinois / Lake County Adult Correctional Center — Waukegan, Illinois
Lake County Adult Correctional Center — Waukegan, Illinois
Start with the official roster, then use the task-specific address: the county publishes three adjoining jail/corrections addresses and internally conflicting onsite-visit language.
JAIL411 / FAMILY FIELD GUIDE
A practical family guide to Lake County’s adult Sheriff jail in Waukegan.
Sources reviewed
One Sheriff-operated adult county jail system in the downtown Waukegan justice complex; excludes Community Based Corrections, Hulse youth, municipal, state, federal, immigration, courthouse, probation, transitional, contract-only and historical identities.
- Confirm custody
Use the official roster and save the resident identifier and case.
- Use the right channel
Separate remote video, phone, TextBehind, legal mail and trust accounts.
- Confirm the trip
Verify the South County entrance, current visit status, parking and transit.
Start with the right custody record
Identity, lookup and task contacts.
Use the adult Sheriff jail, and keep its three public addresses task-specific
Lake County Adult Correctional Center / Lake County Jail is one Sheriff-operated adult system in downtown Waukegan. The county directs visitors and bond posters to 20 S. County Street, Waukegan, IL 60085; Corrections Division pages use 29 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue; and the September 17, 2024 IDOC inspection lists 25 S. Martin Luther King Drive. These are adjoining government-complex addresses, not proof of three jails.
IDOC rates the jail for 740 adults and confirms it is adult-only. Keep Community Based Corrections, Hulse juvenile detention, municipal lockups, state prisons, federal/immigration custody, courthouse, probation and historical identities separate.
Sources: Lake County: Adult Corrections Facility directory · Lake County Sheriff: Corrections Division · Nineteenth Judicial Circuit: Babcox Justice Complex · IDOC: 2024 Lake County Jail compliance report · Illinois DJJ: County detention centers · Illinois DOC: Facilities · Federal Bureau of Prisons: Inmate Locator · ICE Online Detainee Locator
Use the official roster, then confirm anything that affects travel or payment
Open the county’s official inmate search and use the full legal name. Save the inmate identifier, booking date, charges, court date, bond or detention status and housing information shown. If the embedded search does not load, try a current browser without content blocking, then call Jail Command at 847-377-4150.
- Check spelling, aliases and a recent transfer.
- Use Illinois VINE for notifications, not as proof of the exact unit.
- Use the Circuit Clerk for the case; a docket does not prove current housing.
- If another authority owns the hold, obtain that agency and facility before switching rules.
Sources: Lake County Sheriff: Locate an inmate · Lake County Sheriff: Inmate information · Illinois Attorney General: VINE · Lake County Circuit Clerk: Main Branch
Match each question to the office that controls it
| Task | Contact |
|---|---|
| Custody, visits, mail, property, release | Jail Command 847-377-4150 |
| Public jail reception / visitation complex | 847-377-4200 |
| Court file and date | Circuit Clerk 847-377-3380 |
| Appointed counsel | Public Defender 847-377-3360 |
| State jail standards | IDOC 217-558-2200, extension 4212 |
| Transit planning | RTA 312-836-7000 |
Sources: Lake County Sheriff: Corrections Division · Nineteenth Judicial Circuit: Babcox Justice Complex · Lake County Circuit Clerk: Main Branch · Lake County Public Defender · IDOC: 2024 Lake County Jail compliance report · Metra: Waukegan station
Visits and communication
Current remote video, local rules and provider failures.
Treat remote video as current; onsite language is internally inconsistent
The current Sheriff page says all visits are conducted remotely and directs families to GettingOut/GettingOut Visits; it also says a resident can initiate a ViaPath tablet visit without advance scheduling. The same page retains VisManager onsite-registration instructions, while the rules page describes one free onsite 30-minute visit each week. The 2024 inspection says in-person visits were limited to attorneys, clergy and family with a court order.
Call 847-377-4150 before travel. Ask whether any onsite family visit is presently available, which portal applies, and whether the resident must initiate the session.
Sources: Lake County Sheriff: Visit an inmate · Lake County Sheriff: Visitation rules · IDOC: 2024 Lake County Jail compliance report
Keep the verified ID, minor and scheduling rules ready if onsite access is approved
The county rules require an approved visitor list, scheduling at least 24 hours ahead, no walk-ins, no more than one visit to the same resident per day and ID. Accepted identification listed by the county includes a state driver license or ID, military ID, student ID, Mexican Matricula, passport with photo, government ID, Illinois Bar card or Court Services ID.
A person under 18 must be with a parent or legal guardian; proof of guardianship, birth certificate or marriage license may be required. Visitors may be searched and checked for warrants. Because the current page says remote-only, these rules do not establish that onsite family visits are currently open.
Sources: Lake County Sheriff: Visitation rules · Lake County Sheriff: Visit an inmate
Prepare GettingOut before the resident calls
- Create or sign into the GettingOut account; existing ConnectNetwork credentials may work.
- Install GettingOut Visits, sign in and enable push notifications.
- Confirm the resident’s full name and identifier in Lake County, Illinois.
- Test camera, microphone, speaker, app permissions and internet connection.
- Keep the app signed in because the resident may initiate the visit through a ViaPath tablet.
The county posts $0.19 per minute for remote video and says only used visit time is charged. Verify the live price before accepting because transaction terms can change.
Sources: Lake County Sheriff: Visit an inmate · ConnectNetwork: Lake County Adult Corrections AU01 · ConnectNetwork support
Separate account trouble from jail availability
For login, device, camera, microphone, charge or connection trouble, use GettingOut/ConnectNetwork support and preserve the Lake County facility, resident identifier, Central Time, device, app version, session time, error and receipt. For lockdown, court, medical movement, transfer or eligibility, call 847-377-4150.
The county does not publish a refund, failed-call credit, no-show or reschedule rule. Obtain a support ticket and identify who ended the session before paying again.
Sources: Lake County Sheriff: Visit an inmate · ConnectNetwork support · Lake County Sheriff: Corrections Division
ConnectNetwork is verified for AdvancePay and PIN Debit
The current provider facility page lists AdvancePay Phone, PIN Debit and Trust Fund for Lake County Adult Corrections AU01. AdvancePay support is 800-483-8314. Confirm the correct account type and resident identifier before funding.
IDOC reported that phone calls and virtual visits were liberally available by ViaPath/GTL tablet in 2024 and that calls to ten treatment providers were free. The county does not publish a current local rate table, calling hours, maximum duration, voicemail, international-call or post-release balance rule.
Sources: ConnectNetwork: Lake County Adult Corrections AU01 · IDOC: 2024 Lake County Jail compliance report · Lake County Sheriff: Corrections Division
Document blocked or disconnected calls before adding money
Save the called number, exact time, displayed error and transaction. Check carrier spam and collect-call restrictions, then use ConnectNetwork support for account blocks and Jail Command for a move, court, medical, discipline or transfer issue.
Do not use call forwarding or three-way calling unless the current jail rule permits it. Ask the provider how an unused balance is handled after transfer or release; no Lake County page states the answer.
Sources: ConnectNetwork: Lake County Adult Corrections AU01 · ConnectNetwork support · Lake County Sheriff: Corrections Division · IDOC: 2024 Lake County Jail compliance report
Mail, publications and money
Separate TextBehind, privileged mail, books, trust and commissary.
Send personal mail to the TextBehind address effective May 27, 2025
Address personal letters, pictures and drawings exactly as follows: Lake County Jail, IL; Inmate’s Full Name, Inmate Identifier; P.O. Box 247; Phoenix, MD 21131. Include the sender’s full name and physical address. TextBehind scans personal mail for tablet delivery.
Do not send cash, checks, money orders, credit cards, food, clothing, hygiene items, stamps, envelopes, non-paper material, nudity or gang material. Material that cannot be inspected without damage is not accepted. Keep originals because the county does not state that scanned items are returned.
Sources: Lake County Sheriff: Write an inmate · TextBehind
Do not send privileged or official mail to Phoenix
The Sheriff says legal mail, checks, money orders and other official or privileged correspondence must continue directly to the jail under existing policy. The public page does not give the direct legal-mail address or an attorney sender-verification format. Counsel should call 847-377-4150 before mailing and mark privileged material as staff instructs.
Family-forwarded papers do not automatically become legal mail. Court filings go to the Circuit Clerk, not to TextBehind or the jail.
Sources: Lake County Sheriff: Write an inmate · Lake County Sheriff: Corrections Division · Lake County Circuit Clerk: Main Branch · Illinois County Jail Standards, Part 701
Use an approved seller for books and magazines; do not send family packages
The Sheriff permits books, magazines and reading material only when purchased and delivered directly from an approved vendor such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble. IDOC reported unlimited letters and books directly from publishers in 2024. Confirm title, format, quantity, seller and resident identifier before ordering.
The county does not publish a package program, photo count, page limit, hardcover restriction, rejection appeal or disposition of originals. Do not send food, clothing, medicine, electronics or a family-packed box.
Sources: Lake County Sheriff: Write an inmate · IDOC: 2024 Lake County Jail compliance report
Use the verified ConnectNetwork Trust Fund or a named lobby kiosk
The Sheriff lists ConnectNetwork online, mobile app and 888-428-1845 for Trust Fund and Self-Release. It also lists kiosks at Jail Reception and the separate Community Based Corrections Center lobby. The provider facility page confirms Trust Fund for AU01.
Confirm the resident identifier, fee, cardholder requirements, limit and posting time in the live transaction before payment. A CBCC lobby kiosk is a deposit location; it does not make CBCC part of the jail or extend jail rules to that program.
Sources: Lake County Sheriff: Put funds in an inmate account · ConnectNetwork: Lake County Adult Corrections AU01 · Lake County Sheriff: Post bond for an inmate
Commissary is verified, but the current contractor and catalog are not
The 2024 inspection says Stellar Services LLC provided commissary through October 2024 and that a September 3, 2024 audit found 2023 prices consistent with local stores, service at least weekly and profits used for resident benefit. That contract end date has passed.
The county does not publish the current contractor, catalog, prices, order days, spending cap, indigent process, debt deductions or credit for rejected items. Ask Jail Command; do not treat the expired contract as current.
Sources: IDOC: 2024 Lake County Jail compliance report · Lake County Sheriff: Corrections Division
Care, complaints and safety
Medical, mental health, grievance, ADA and PREA routes.
Relay urgent health information through Jail Command; the 2024 Wellpath term has expired
IDOC documented 24-hour Wellpath health staffing in 2024, physical screening within 14 days, mental-health care, dental care twice weekly, emergency transfer to Vista Medical Center East, approved keep-on-person medications and release vouchers for 7 days of general medication or 14 days of psychiatric medication. The report says Wellpath’s contract ran only through November 2024.
For immediate danger call 911 and 847-377-4150. Ask how a licensed provider can verify prescriptions, glasses, mobility aids or continuity-of-care information. Do not mail medication or assume Wellpath remains current.
Sources: IDOC: 2024 Lake County Jail compliance report · Lake County Sheriff: Corrections Division
State the concrete risk and request immediate clinical review
For suicidal statements, psychosis, withdrawal or an immediate threat, call 911 and Jail Command. Give the full name, identifier, exact statements or behavior, recent substances, known diagnoses and medication. Ask staff to document the relay and request clinical review.
The current public site does not publish a family clinical line, consent/release form, response time, current mental-health contractor or records-request route. Lake County 211 can connect released people and families to crisis and treatment services, but it does not replace internal jail care.
Sources: IDOC: 2024 Lake County Jail compliance report · Lake County Sheriff: Corrections Division · Lake County emergency information and 211
Residents may complain in writing; local forms and jail ADA details are not public
The inspected jail complied with Illinois standards that allow written requests or complaints to the jail administrator without censorship of substance and permit complaints to IDOC Jail and Detention Standards. A resident should keep dates, names, copies and responses when safe.
Lake County publishes no jail grievance form, deadline, appeal levels, emergency procedure, language-access process, ADA coordinator or accommodation form. Ask Jail Command; use IDOC at 217-558-2200, extension 4212, for a standards complaint. Courthouse disability procedures are separate from jail accommodations.
Sources: IDOC: 2024 Lake County Jail compliance report · Illinois County Jail Standards, Part 701 · IDOC Jail and Detention Standards Unit · Nineteenth Judicial Circuit: Criminal Court Tower
Ask for the Lake County PREA channel; no jail-specific outside route is published
Report immediate danger to 911 and Jail Command. Ask for the jail’s PREA coordinator, confidential or anonymous method, outside reporting agency, evidence-preservation steps and retaliation protections. A family member may report without confronting the alleged abuser.
The current Sheriff pages reviewed do not publish a jail-specific PREA hotline, third-party form, outside agency, audit or data report. IDOC, IDJJ, federal and immigration PREA channels belong to their own systems and must not be substituted.
Sources: Lake County Sheriff: Corrections Division · IDOC: 2024 Lake County Jail compliance report · IDOC Jail and Detention Standards Unit · Illinois DJJ: County detention centers · Illinois DOC: Facilities · Federal Bureau of Prisons: Inmate Locator · ICE Online Detainee Locator
Court, counsel and release
Court records, counsel, current release decisions, property and reentry.
Use the Circuit Clerk for the case and Jail Command for custody
Lake County criminal matters use the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit complex. The Circuit Clerk gives case information at 847-377-3380; the main court is at 18 N. County Street, and the Criminal Court Tower is at 301 Washington Street. Bond Court is in the Babcox Justice Complex at 20 S. County Street.
The court says an arrested person appears before a judge within 48 hours. Confirm the actual date and courtroom because weekends, holidays, transfer and case type affect the route.
Sources: Nineteenth Judicial Circuit: Court organization · Nineteenth Judicial Circuit: Felony Division · Lake County Circuit Clerk: Main Branch · Nineteenth Judicial Circuit: Babcox Justice Complex · Nineteenth Judicial Circuit: Criminal Court Tower
Contact the appointed office only after confirming representation
The Lake County Public Defender is at 15 S. County Street, 847-377-3360. The office says the court appoints counsel for eligible defendants who cannot afford a lawyer. If it already represents the person, staff can help determine the next court date; otherwise call the Clerk.
Do not send privileged case strategy through public email. Ask the jail and counsel how to arrange a confidential attorney call or professional visit.
Sources: Lake County Public Defender · Nineteenth Judicial Circuit: Court organization · Lake County Sheriff: Visitation rules · IDOC: 2024 Lake County Jail compliance report
Use the current court order; the Sheriff’s cash-bond page conflicts with Illinois law
Illinois abolished monetary bail effective September 18, 2023, but the Sheriff page still describes 24/7 cash or certified-cashier-check bond at 20 S. County Street and ConnectNetwork Self-Release funding. Do not pay based only on that legacy page.
Read the current judge’s order and confirm with the Circuit Clerk or attorney whether the case involves release conditions, detention, an older monetary obligation, another jurisdiction or a permitted payment. If staff confirms an eligible payment, verify payee, exact amount, ID and receipt before tender.
Sources: Lake County Sheriff: Post bond for an inmate · 725 ILCS 5/110-1.5: monetary bail abolished · Nineteenth Judicial Circuit: Felony Division · Lake County Circuit Clerk: Main Branch · Lake County Public Defender
Use written authorization for third-party property pickup
The 2024 inspection confirms that admission property is inventoried and that release to a third party requires written resident authorization and the recipient’s signature. On discharge, the jail verifies identity and inventories property returned.
Lake County does not publish the pickup door, hours, accepted recipient ID, clothing drop, abandoned-property deadline, check/card/cash treatment or release waiting area. Call 847-377-4150 before traveling and bring the confirmation, government ID and a safe ride plan.
Sources: IDOC: 2024 Lake County Jail compliance report · Lake County Sheriff: Corrections Division
Ask the resident to request reentry help before release
Lake County says reentry specialists assess needs and coordinate addiction, mental-health, physical-health, education, behavior, spiritual and worker programming. IDOC recorded GED, workforce development, voting, College of Lake County Bridges, Toys for Tots, NICASA substance-use help and Community Connections in 2024.
For post-release food, shelter, treatment or utilities, call 211 or text the ZIP code to 898211. PADS Lake County at 847-689-4357 is the county’s housing-crisis entry point; the Job Center has second-chance partners. Availability and eligibility must be confirmed.
Sources: Lake County Sheriff: Inmate programs · Lake County Sheriff: Inmate reentry · Lake County Sheriff: Inmate worker program · IDOC: 2024 Lake County Jail compliance report · Lake County emergency information and 211 · PADS Lake County · Lake County Job Center
Plan the trip
Entrance, parking, transit, useful contacts and boundary checks.
Use the South County visitor entrance and verify parking before leaving the car
The court’s Babcox page identifies the public entrance on South County Street and jail visitation on the left side of the main level. It warns not to park in the lot south of the building because the vehicle may be towed. City Lot F at Water and Sheridan and street parking are listed.
The Sheriff lists metered parking on MLK Jr. Avenue/Utica Street and Washington Street; bond parking is on County Street south of Washington. The county does not publish a dedicated accessible jail drop-off, clearance, after-hours entrance or whether onsite family visits have resumed. Call before travel.
Sources: Nineteenth Judicial Circuit: Babcox Justice Complex · Lake County Sheriff: Visitor parking · Lake County: Adult Corrections Facility directory · Lake County Sheriff: Visit an inmate
Use Waukegan’s downtown transit hub as the verified transfer point
Metra’s Union Pacific North line serves Waukegan station at 95 N. Spring Street. Pace Routes 565 and 568 run daily through downtown/Waukegan terminal; Route 572 runs weekdays and Saturday; Route 562 runs weekdays from Washington/Sheridan. These operator pages support service patterns, not a jail-door stop.
Plan through RTA at 312-836-7000. Confirm the exact boarding side, fare and current departure. The final sidewalk route to the South County visitor entrance and an accessible step-free path were not verified; do not treat live arrival data as fixed.
Sources: Metra: Waukegan station · Metra: Union Pacific North line · Pace Route 565 · Pace Route 568 · Pace Route 572 · Pace Route 562 · Nineteenth Judicial Circuit: Babcox Justice Complex
Use current service contacts; do not assume hours, rooms or eligibility
For immediate food and practical help, Lake County 211 operates 24/7 in English and Spanish. UMMA Harvest Market is at 221 Washington Street in Waukegan; check current enrollment and pickup instructions. PADS at 1800 Grand Avenue handles housing crises.
For an overnight stay, the official Courtyard Chicago Waukegan/Gurnee page is a live booking source; it is not beside the jail and no room rate or availability is asserted here. Confirm cancellation, transport and parking before purchase.
Sources: Lake County emergency information and 211 · UMMA Harvest Market · PADS Lake County · Courtyard Chicago Waukegan/Gurnee
Confirm the authority behind any non-county hold
The adult jail may receive people arrested by municipal agencies or held on another authority’s case, but that does not transfer municipal, state, federal or immigration rules into the Lake County guide. Record the arresting agency, charging court, hold owner and receiving facility.
Use IDOC only for state-prison custody, BOP for federal prison custody and ICE ODLS for immigration detention. Hulse is youth detention and must never use adult-jail visiting, mail or money instructions.
Sources: Lake County Sheriff: Locate an inmate · Illinois DJJ: County detention centers · Illinois DOC: Facilities · Federal Bureau of Prisons: Inmate Locator · ICE Online Detainee Locator · IDOC: 2024 Lake County Jail compliance report
Keep these source conflicts visible until responsible offices resolve them
| Topic | Conflict | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Address | 20 S. County, 29 S. MLK and 25 S. MLK | Use the task-specific address and call |
| Visits | Remote-only notice, onsite portal/rules, and 2024 court-order-only in-person report | Call Jail Command before travel |
| Rated sex split | Inspection cover says 660 male/80 female; narrative says 680 male/60 female | Use total 740 only |
| Medical | Wellpath term ended November 2024 | Do not name it as current |
| Commissary | Stellar term ended October 2024 | Confirm current contractor |
| Bond | Cash-bond page remains after statewide abolition | Use current court order |
Sources: Lake County: Adult Corrections Facility directory · Lake County Sheriff: Corrections Division · IDOC: 2024 Lake County Jail compliance report · Lake County Sheriff: Visit an inmate · Lake County Sheriff: Visitation rules · Lake County Sheriff: Post bond for an inmate · 725 ILCS 5/110-1.5: monetary bail abolished
Before acting, verify the person, channel, amount and destination
- Confirm custody and save the inmate identifier and case number.
- Call about any visit, legal-mail address, property pickup or release trip.
- Match the payment to the resident and the current court order.
- Keep receipts, screenshots, support tickets and the staff contact.
- Use the South County visitor entrance only after confirming the task and hours.
- Recheck transit and parking on the travel date.
Sources: Lake County Sheriff: Locate an inmate · Lake County Sheriff: Corrections Division · Lake County Circuit Clerk: Main Branch · Nineteenth Judicial Circuit: Babcox Justice Complex · Lake County Sheriff: Visitor parking · Metra: Waukegan station
Original directory record & nearby facilities Open preserved information
This section preserves the earlier Jail411 directory information, including historical figures and contacts. Use the dated, sourced family guide above for the instructions covered there. Other local facilities have their own rules.
Facility record / Illinois
Lake County Adult Correctional Center is a county or city jail in Waukegan, Lake County, Illinois. It has a rated capacity of 720 and a reported population of 634 — about 88% occupancy, as recorded in the February 2026 federal dataset. By capacity it is the 5th-largest of the 94 county or city jail records listed for Illinois with a published capacity. It is one of 3 correctional facilities in Lake County.
Jail411 does not hold custody records. A listing here does not mean anyone is held at this address. Confirm the person’s location with the responsible agency before you travel, send money, or pay for a service.
Where this record came from. The contact, status and security fields, with capacity and population, come from the HIFLD and Federal Bureau of Prisons directory release refreshed February 2026. They describe the record, not today’s population. Check the facility’s current official website.
Contact this facility
- Phone
- (847) 377-4188
- Address
- 20 S. County St..
Waukegan, IL 60085Open in maps - Official page
- Official page at lakecountyil.gov
- County
- Lake County
Facility details
Capacity
634 people in a facility designed for 720
As of the February 2026 federal dataset.
Listed as open in the February 2026 directory release.
Finding someone held here
Use the county system for a recent arrest. A state corrections search covers people in state custody. It generally will not list someone booked into a county jail this week. Bookings, bail, release, and visiting are all handled by Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Official site for this facility →
Call this facility directly: (847) 377-4188
Before you travel, pay, or mail anything
Get two things first: which facility the person is actually in, and their booking or ID number. Almost nothing works without them. Then check this facility’s current instructions — rules and service providers change.
Other facilities in Lake County
| Facility | City | Type | Security |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hulse Juvenile Detention Center | Vernon Hills | Juvenile facility | Juvenile |
| Lake County Community Based Corrections | Waukegan | County or city jail | Minimum |
Clear information.
Clear boundaries.
Jail411 is an independent information resource for families and friends. We are not a government agency, jail operator, law firm or live custody-records service.
Can Jail411 tell me if someone is in custody right now?
No. Jail411 does not hold live custody records. Use the official locator for the county, state, federal or ICE system that has the person; start here if you do not know which.
Does posting bond mean the person comes home?
Not always. A probation or parole hold, another county's warrant or an immigration detainer can keep someone in custody after bond is posted. Ask the jail what holds are on the booking before you pay.
What should I confirm before visiting?
The person's current facility, the visiting schedule, approval requirements, accepted identification and arrival instructions. Check the facility page and its official sources before you travel.
What if I find something that needs correcting?
Send us the page and the detail that needs attention. Include the official source when you have one. Do not send private booking documents or other sensitive personal information.
Plan the next step.
Practical guides for calls, visits, mail, money and release.