Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. How do I find out if someone is currently detained at Sangamon County Jail?
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Sangamon County Jail maintains an online inmate list where one can find the list of detainees. The list is updated usually fairly frequently. To check the inmate roster please visit Sangamon County Jail Sheriff Department website. If that doesn't work, another good way to find someone is to call the Springfield police department at 217-753-6886 and find out about the inmate directly.
Q. What if you are not able to find the inmate in Sangamon County Jail?
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It means the inmate is transferred to nearby county jail or state prison facility or is released from jail. Check Illinois inmate search page for more details on how to search for an inmate in Illinois.
Q. What are the visitation rules of Sangamon County Jail?
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Any individual with valid government ID and who isn’t on felony probation is allowed to visit an inmate. Children below 18 years, must be accompanied by a legal guardian.
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For more information one can call 217-753-6886.
Sangamon County Jail Visitation Hours
| Sunday |
7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. |
12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday |
7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. |
12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
|
| Tuesday |
7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. |
12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
|
| Wednesday |
7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. |
12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
|
| Thursday |
7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. |
12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
|
| Friday |
7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. |
12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. |
| Saturday |
9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. |
12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. |
Map & Directions for Sangamon County Jail
More Information
The first Sangamon County jail was built in 1821. The designer was Joseph Thomas, for which he was paid $1. The builder was Robert Hamilton, for which he was paid $84.75. John Taylor, the sheriff of the time, said it was inadequate. The jail was used to hold the insane while they were determined if they should be sent to an asylum. In the early days, there was a whipping post beside the jail. The punishment was used several times for those who were determined to have committed small offenses.
In 1847, the social reformer Dorothea Dix wrote a paper on the conditions of the jail. She said that the jail of the time was externally brick and internally timber. An apartment was made for the keeper of the jail and his family. She complained that the jail was not only used for felons and insane, but also used as a poor house by the county commission. She complained that there was not enough money being spent on the food and upkeep for the prisoners.
The jail saw two of the most famous orators and lawyers of the 1800s. These two men were Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas. There are accounts of the two men trying a case before Stephen Logan, who was not only a judge, but also known as one of the greatest lawyers ever produced by Illinois.
The group the NAACP was founded because of a race riot where whites tried to lynch two black inmates. In the end, several black businesses were burned, two black men were lynched, and five white men were killed. The person who started the chain of events, while innocent, was a black teen by the name of Joe James. He was arrested for loitering after arriving by train. He was given parole to celebrate July fourth and passed out drunk. Another person, of similar description, broke into a house and attacked a teenage girl. The incidents and arrests led to the riots and the aftermath caused the NAACP to be founded in New York.
The current facility was opened in October of 1991. The place was built to hold 314 inmates, but has been overcrowded several times over the years. The jail is part of the Sangamon County Courts complex.
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