The Cheshire Correctional Institution is located at:
Cheshire Correctional Institution
900 Highland Avenue
Cheshire, CT 06410
and holds adults from the state of Connecticut who are facing felony or misdemeanor charges.
Connecticut abolished county government decades ago, so there are no sheriff-run county jails. Most people arrested in Connecticut are first booked at the local police department or a State Police barracks, where police can set bail. Anyone who cannot post that bail is taken to the next session of Superior Court, and if the judge sets bail they cannot meet, the state Department of Correction admits them to a facility like the Cheshire Correctional Institution. Admission staff fingerprint and photograph each person, inventory property, confirm warrants and complete a medical and mental-health screening before housing.
People arrested by the Connecticut State Police, local police departments and federal agencies such as the U.S. Marshals may be held here.
Connecticut’s TRUST Act generally bars police, judicial marshals and Department of Correction staff from holding someone on a civil ICE detainer or alerting ICE about a person’s release. Exceptions cover people convicted of a class A or B felony, people with possible ties to terrorism, and a list of other serious offenses that the legislature has expanded. The law was extended in 2025 to cover more state agencies, including prosecutors.
Information on people in custody comes from the official booking list (opens in a new tab), which may include charges, bond amount and, where allowed, a photo. Questions can be directed to the Cheshire Correctional Institution at 203-651-6100.
Admission, from arrival to a housing unit, may take from a couple of hours to most of a day when several people are being processed at once.
A person held after arrest must be brought before the Superior Court at its next session, typically the next business day. A Judicial Branch bail commissioner or pretrial services officer interviews the person and makes a release recommendation, and the judge may grant release on a written promise to appear, set conditions or require a bond. State law limits cash bail for most misdemeanors. Surety bail bond agents operate in Connecticut and are licensed by the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. Our Bail page has release instructions.
Contact the Cheshire Correctional Institution at 203-651-6100 to ask whether the person has been admitted.
If they were just arrested, they may still be at the arresting police department or in a courthouse lockup, so it can help to call that department too. Expect to give a date of birth to confirm identity.
Someone arrested overnight often will not appear in Department of Correction records until after court the next business day.
You can also check the Cheshire Correctional Institution Booking Roster online.
In New Haven County, an arrested person is usually booked first at the arresting police department or State Police troop, after Miranda warnings where questioning is planned. If police bail is not posted, judicial marshals bring the person to court.
The process has several stages. Defense attorneys generally advise against discussing the charges, since recorded calls and statements can be used in court.
Intake involves a photo, fingerprints and a long set of questions about personal history and health. If the charge is a serious felony, a DNA sample may be taken. Records are checked for warrants in Connecticut and nationwide.
In a DUI arrest, refusing a breath or urine test leads to a license suspension. A blood draw generally requires consent or a warrant and is done by medical personnel.
Connecticut law bars strip searches of people arrested for a motor vehicle violation or a misdemeanor unless there is reasonable belief they are hiding a weapon or contraband. Others may be strip searched before housing, and metal detectors or scanners are used.
Correction and medical staff ask about medical history, medications, allergies, substance use, mental health and suicide risk, gang affiliation and tattoos. The answers shape the person’s classification, housing and medical care.
Personal property is taken, recorded and stored at admission. It goes back to the person at release, or, with their consent, some items can be released to a family member or friend.
That covers clothing, cash, wallets, bags, phones, jewelry, piercings and watches, and glasses if they raise a safety concern. Shoelaces are removed.
The person is given a chance to call someone about the arrest or to begin arranging bond or bail.
The Cheshire Correctional Institution issues a uniform, footwear, bedding, a towel and basic hygiene items to people held for court.
A shower, sometimes with lice or scabies treatment, comes before the move to housing.
Admission may take an hour or more than a day, depending on how many people arrive from court at once, staffing and the person’s cooperation.
Someone who is intoxicated or violent can be kept in a holding area for several hours before admission is finished.