Jail Superintendent Larry Beck
Assistant Superintendent William Smith
The Sangamon County Jail was opened in October 1991 after nearly four years of planning and construction. The facility uses a podular, indirect supervision design, with direct supervision in four of the major cellblocks. The facility is capable of housing a maximum of 314 inmates. Inmates are housed, based on security level, from a dormitory type area for work release and trustees to single cells for maximum-security inmates. The jail houses three basic types of inmates, those who are awaiting bond or trial, those who have been sentenced to serve county time, and those who are being held for other agencies.
Inmate Services
Inmates in the facility are provided with the essentials of life, including clothing, meals, hygiene items, and medical services. In addition, extra services, such as a facility barber, mental health assessments, the ability to purchase items from the commissary, and numerous programs offer the inmates outlets to minimize problems between the inmate population and staff.
Many services, such as the barber and commissary, inmates pay for themselves. Inmates are allowed to have unlimited funds on their account. Family and friends may place money on an inmate account daily. This is done using the deposit kiosk in the main lobby area of the facility. Additionally money, in the form of a money order, may be sent through the mail. You can also visit the Jail Info tab to access other ways to send money from home.
Very few items are allowed in the facility from the outside. Clothing items that are allowed, with special permission, are clothes that would be used in a trial appearance; other items, such as educational material, medicines, etc., must be approved by the facility administration.
When an inmate is transferred from pre-arraignment to general population bedding, facility clothing and a hygiene kit are issued. The hygiene kit includes a toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, and washcloth. Additional items may be purchased from commissary, including snacks, stationery, undergarments, games, and additional personal hygiene and grooming supplies. The facility barber performs weekly haircuts, which are charged to the inmate's account.
Effective September 7th, 2020, the Sangamon County Jail will be implementing a New Offender Mail Policy. The new mail management provider is called TextBehind. TextBehind is a communication service designed to connect families, children and friends with their incarcerated loved ones using our easy to use website and the FREE mobile app. The mailroom staff will review, approve and send mail via kiosk at this facility during business hours. To submit a electronic letter click the link TextBehind.com website or mobile app by 11:00 AM Monday through Friday for you to receive approved mail on the same day.
MAILING OPTIONS:
1. Sending Electronic Mail through TextBehind:
Family and friends you can create and send electronic letters, greeting cards, photos and drawings from your children at an affordable cost online by visiting TextBehind.com using a computer or FREE TextBehind mobile app for smartphones.
2. Sending Hand-Written Mail to TextBehind:
Family and friends if you choose to write letters by hand, you must send the inmate a letter to the following TextBehind mailing address to be photocopied before being forwarded to this correctional facility. The letters must be addressed correctly as shown below:
Inmates First/Last Name and Inmates ID Number
Sangamon County Jail
P.O. Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131
Funds can be added to an inmate's account via one of the following methods:
- Cash through the kiosk available in the Jail lobby 24 hours a day.
- Debit/Credit Card by calling Access Corrections @ 1-866-345-1884
- Debit/Credit Card Online through Access Corrections website: www.accesscorrections.com/#/
Medical services are not denied any inmate in the facility. There is a medical screening performed as the person enters the facility, and a full physical completed by medical staff within the first fourteen days of incarceration. Sick call is performed daily by qualified medical personnel and treatment provided. If the inmate is deemed too ill to be housed in the general population, the facility has a six-bed medical ward to accommodate their needs.
Information for Attorneys
Attorneys may visit at any time, however, there may be extended waits during feeding hours or shift changes.
Attorneys wishing to mail clients legal documentation:
- Documentation is only accepted that is mailed in through the USPS or checked in directly with Jail Administration. No documentation will be accepted at Main Control.
- Documentation must be free of staples, paperclips, binder clips, or other such materials. Documentation must be on plain paper only.
- Privileged mail will be opened in the presence of the inmate, however, it is still subject to search for contraband.
- Documentation must pertain to the recipient’s current legal case. All other documentation may be rejected or confiscated.
- No files folders, envelopes, or other such items will be accepted. Inmates can purchase manila envelopes off commissary.
- Whenever possible, discovery items shall be sent in on a CD/DVD disc or thumb drive for the inmate to view via computer.
Programs for Inmates
A number of facility programs have been made available to the inmates. These include, but are not limited to, Alcoholics Anonymous, PORA, Gateway, GED testing as funding allows, recreation, library services, and church services.
Inmate Visitation
Visitation for inmates in the facility is held daily from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and 4:30-9:30 p.m. through our video visitation system. Visits run 25 minutes in length and are monitored. Each inmate may have up to five visits per week. To get more information on how to register and schedule video visit go to www.icsolutions.com.
Inmates with children under the age of 12 may also request parental visits. Parental visits are held in a glass visitation booth and provide a more personal connection for the inmate and their child/children. The inmate must initiate the request for parental visits through jail administration. Once they have been approved to participate, inmates are allowed one parental visit per week. All of the rules that apply to video visitation shall apply to parental visits.
Telephones are placed in every cellblock in the facility. Inmates are allowed to make as many calls daily as they wish. To fund inmate phone calls please refer to the following:
- Cash through the kiosk available in the Jail lobby 24 hours a day.
- Debit/Credit Card by calling Access Corrections @ 1-866-345-1884
- Debit/Credit Card Online through Access Corrections website: www.accesscorrections.com/#/
Officers and Staff
The inmates of the facility are supervised by a staff of 72 Correctional Officers and 27 Control Room Operators. The staff is thoroughly trained in the handling of inmates and in response to emergency situations. Officers must undergo a basic training course of five weeks, which is supplemented by ongoing training.
The Sangamon County Jail, in conjunction with Macon County Law Enforcement Training Center (MCLETC), is a satellite training facility for the state-mandated Basic Correctional Officer Training. This mandated five-week training course is held two to three times yearly and candidates from all over the state attend. The facility utilizes instructors from the ranks of the correctional staff to provide this training.
Hours and Location
Hours:
The Jail Administration Office is open 8:30 am- 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The Sangamon County Jail is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Location:
One Sheriffs Plaza, Springfield, Illinois, 62701.
Enter through the county complex doors on Adams Street, just east of Ninth Street. Once inside, turn left and enter the facility lobby. For general information concerning inmates, the Main Control booth is directly ahead.
Contact:
Administration: 217-753-6763
For general information, day or night, call 217-753-6886 or 217-753-6887.