Kankakee County Detention Center Inmate Roster

Kankakee County Detention Center Overview

The Kankakee County Detention Center stands at 400 E Merchant Street in Kankakee, separate from the newer main jail on the public-safety campus. It is operated by the Kankakee County Sheriff's Office Corrections Division. The 2024 IDOC inspection treats it as part of one county jail system that can be adjusted to hold both men and women across all security levels as the population requires. The building houses county detainees assigned here by the Corrections Division, and it is tied to the county's older work-release history.

This is the historic jail. It was constructed in 1973 with a design capacity of 106 detainees. It was double-bunked in 1994 to reach 220, and a 2003 work-release dorm raised capacity to 244. The 2024 IDOC inspection lists the layout as 7 single cells, 104 double cells, and 3 dorms. Because the Sheriff and the state treat the two buildings as one system, custody questions are handled through the same roster and corrections phone lines as the main jail.

Kankakee County Detention Center Capacity and History

The 2024 IDOC inspection, dated August 21, 2024, lists a rated capacity of 244 beds. That number is the end point of a long expansion from the original 1973 design. The inspection summary lists the male capacity at 244 and 0 female beds, but the narrative says the system holds women as the population requires, so the bed line should not be read as a population figure. No facility-specific live roster count is published for this building, because the public roster dropdown lists the main jail by name.

The Two-Building Kankakee County Jail System

The Sheriff's Corrections Division runs the older detention center and the newer Jerome Combs Detention Center as one connected jail system. The 2024 IDOC inspection treats them under a single Kankakee County Detention Center heading, with separate building summaries. That is why custody, classification, and housing decisions can move a detainee between buildings as the population requires, and why one roster and one set of corrections phone lines cover both.

For a searcher, the practical effect is simple. Start at the shared Tyler roster to confirm custody, then use the corrections line when the housing field does not make clear which building holds the person. The older building carries the county's work-release history, while the newer jail is the main public-facing facility for visitation and mail. The Jerome Combs Detention Center page covers that newer building in detail.

How to Look Up an Inmate at the Kankakee County Detention Center

Both county jail buildings share one public roster, the Tyler Inmate Inquiry linked from the Sheriff's inmate-search page. The public housing-facility dropdown lists Jerome Combs Detention Center, so a record housed in the older building may show a blank or unclear facility. When that happens, the roster still confirms custody, and a call to the corrections line clears up the housing detail.

1. Open the Tyler Inmate Inquiry from the Sheriff's inmate-search page.
2. Search by last name, or by a subject or booking number if known.
3. Open the profile to confirm custody, charges, and bond status.
4. If the housing facility is blank or unclear, call the corrections line at 815-802-7200.

The jail inmate records page explains the roster search fields that apply to both buildings.

Kankakee County Detention Center Address and Contact

The older detention center has its own address and corrections phone line, separate from the main jail. The Sheriff's main number covers general questions.

For jail and prisoner records that are not online, the Sheriff's FOIA officer can be reached at foiakcso@kankakeecountyil.gov, with the full request inside the email body.

Visiting Someone at the Kankakee County Detention Center

The general county visitation rules cover both detention buildings. Visits are by video monitor and by appointment, made 24 hours ahead, with a valid photo ID and arrival at least 15 minutes early. The 2024 IDOC inspection adds that in-person visits at this older building are reserved for attorneys, clergy, and family members with a court order. The daily windows are below.

Phones, cameras, weapons, bags, food, and drinks are not allowed in the visitation area.

Mail, Phone, and Money at the Kankakee County Detention Center

Mail and money handling follow the county's shared rules. Mail must carry the detainee's jail ID number and a full return address, and all mail is searched. Money goes through JailATM online or the lobby kiosk at the main jail, with no money orders or cashier's checks accepted. Phone and messaging run through Securus, and the county provides educational programming through tablets. The table summarizes each channel.

Booking and Custody at the Kankakee County Detention Center

Booking and intake for the county jail system run through the Sheriff's Corrections Division, which confirms the legal authority to hold a person, searches property, and starts the jail record. The 2024 IDOC inspection notes that this older building still detains juveniles on a temporary basis, mainly for in-person court appearances. Detainee personal records kept by the jail include property, authorized absences, visitor names and dates, discipline, case disposition, and medical elements. Classification and housing assignments decide which building a detainee is placed in.

Requesting Records for the Kankakee County Detention Center

Jail and prisoner records that are not on the public roster are obtained through the Sheriff's FOIA process, which covers both detention buildings. The Sheriff lists case and incident reports, jail and prisoner records, warrants, and arrest records among the documents the office keeps, so a specific written request can reach them.

Email requests go to foiakcso@kankakeecountyil.gov, with the full request written inside the email body, since the Sheriff does not open attachments or links. Mailed and in-person requests go to the Sheriff's Office at 3000 S Justice Way, Kankakee, IL 60901. The first 50 black-and-white pages are free, with a small per-page fee after that. The Sheriff points complete criminal-history requests to the Illinois State Police instead.

• Case and incident reports
• Jail and prisoner records
• Criminal and civil warrants
• Arrest and booking records

About the Kankakee County Detention Center

The 2024 IDOC inspection gives a clear picture of this older facility. It still offers GED services through the local community college and social services through staff named Jasper Jones and John Redmen, plus educational classes on tablets. The building does not offer outdoor recreation, and interviewed detainees asked for more fresh fruit and vegetables and time outside. The inspection found the building out of compliance on thirty-minute supervisory checks, completed on time 95.2 percent of the time in the reviewed sample. Recent upkeep included new paint, replaced elevator floors, and a floor scrubber.

Smaller operational notes round out the picture. The older building contracts monthly with a local pest-control service, and a commissary audit found prices in line with local stores, with commissary offered at least weekly and no electronic cigarettes sold. These details describe an aging building that the county keeps in steady use. People sentenced to prison transfer from the county system to the Illinois Department of Corrections, while the newer Jerome Combs Detention Center is the main public-facing jail.