Cook County Jail - Division 11

Last updated by Mark Miclette

Search for an Inmate or Active Arrest Warrant in Cook County

Cook County Jail - Division 11

Division 11 is the largest single housing building at the Cook County Jail and one of the newest. Opened in the mid-1990s on the southern part of the campus, it uses a pod design built around a central control core and can hold men of every security classification. It is also home to Recipe for Change, the jail's best-known culinary training program.

If you need to confirm whether or not someone has been booked into the Cook County Department of Corrections, whether it is the Cook County Jail - Division 11 or another of the nine divisions that make up the Cook County Jail, start with the online Inmate Search. If you are looking for someone under the age of 18 who has just been arrested, their name will not be publicly listed, so your best bet is to call the jail at 773-674-7100 and explain that you are the parent or legal guardian.

At a glance

  • Address: 3015 S. California Ave., Chicago, IL 60608
  • Opened: 1995
  • Capacity: 1,536 men
  • Size: about 640,000 square feet
  • Population: men of every classification level
  • Security level: built as a medium-security facility; houses minimum through maximum

The building

The Sheriff's Office describes Division 11 as a state-of-the-art medium-security facility of roughly 640,000 square feet. Its layout places a central core in the middle with four housing pods arranged around it, so staff in the core can see into and control the surrounding units. Activity throughout the building is monitored and controlled by a touch-screen security system, which lets officers open doors and track movement electronically instead of relying on keys and manual locks.

With room for 1,536 men, Division 11 has the largest bed count of any single housing building listed by the Sheriff's Office.

Who is held here

Division 11 houses adult men who are almost all awaiting trial in Cook County cases. Because the building can accept any classification, its population mixes people charged with minor felonies and people facing serious violent charges, separated by pod and housing unit according to risk. Women are housed in other divisions.

Programs

Recipe for Change. Chef Bruno Abate founded this culinary program in Division 11 in 2014. Block Club Chicago described it in 2024 as operating in a basement space of about 13,000 square feet, with a working kitchen, a brick pizza oven, an art room where participants paint copies of famous works on the walls, and a music studio. About 48 men take part at a time, and applications regularly outnumber openings several times over. Participants can earn food-handling certifications they keep after release. The program bakes pizzas that detainees and staff can buy and have delivered to housing units; Chicago Catholic reported in 2026 that it was selling about 1,600 pizzas a week. Recipe for Change received a MacArthur Foundation award in 2016, has added catering and a women's culinary track, and has worked toward a food truck staffed by former detainees.

Religious services. Chaplaincy programs hold services in the building. On Christmas Day 2025, Cardinal Blase Cupich addressed pretrial detainees during a Christmas Mass in Division 11, as photographed by the Chicago Sun-Times.

Voting. Because most people in the jail are unconvicted, they keep the right to vote. Illinois law made the jail an official polling place beginning in 2020, and WTTW reported that more than 2,000 detainees cast ballots there in that year's general election.

Security and daily life

Daily life centers on the housing pods, with escorted trips to the Leighton courthouse a short walk north on California Avenue and to the program space in the basement. Street-gang rivalries from outside the jail have at times surfaced inside the building, as in the 2015 stabbings described below.

In the news

  • 2015: On the morning of April 22, a fight linked to a gang dispute broke out in Division 11, and three men were stabbed. WGN and CBS Chicago reported that all three were taken to Stroger and Mount Sinai hospitals with injuries that were not considered life-threatening, and no staff were hurt.
  • 2017: Correctional News reported on Recipe for Change's launch of hot pizza delivery to detainees' housing units, a service that drew attention well beyond Chicago.
  • 2025: The Christmas Mass in Division 11 was featured in the Chicago Sun-Times' holiday coverage of the jail.

History and changes

Division 11 opened in 1995, three years after Divisions 9 and 10, as Cook County added modern housing next to older structures dating from the 1920s through the 1970s. For years afterward, the campus routinely held about 10,000 detainees a day.

As that number fell, the Sheriff's Office closed Division 1 and the women's buildings, Divisions 3 and 17, during 2016; all three were later torn down. Once Illinois stopped using cash bail in September 2023, the count dropped again; Sheriff's Office figures put it at 5,901 in October 2025.

Getting there by bus or train

Division 11 visitors enter at 3015 S. California Ave., just south of 30th Street.

  • Bus #94 California: the easiest route. Get off at 31st Street (or 30th) on California.
  • Bus #60 Blue Island/26th: get off at 26th and California, then walk about half a mile south. The #N60 covers overnight hours.
  • Train: take the Pink Line to the California station (2011 S. California Ave.), then the #94 bus south to 31st Street.

Tip: For bus times and directions from your address, use the CTA Trip Planner at transitchicago.com or call CTA at 1-888-968-7282. Give yourself extra time; security lines at the jail can be long.

Other buildings at the Cook County Jail

  • Division 2 / Division 6 Annex, 2700 S. California Ave., Chicago, IL 60608 (visitors use the post at 2800 S. Sacramento Ave.)
  • Division 3 Annex (women), main jail campus, 2700 S. California Ave., Chicago, IL 60608
  • Division 6, 2801 S. Sacramento Ave., Chicago, IL 60608 (visitor post at 2800 S. Sacramento Ave.)
  • Division 8 Residential Treatment Unit (RTU), 2700 S. California Ave., Chicago, IL 60608
  • Cermak Health Services, 2800 S. California Ave., Chicago, IL 60608 (visitors use the post at 2700 S. California Ave.)
  • Division 9, 2834 W. 31st St., Chicago, IL 60608 (visitor post at 2854 W. 31st St.)
  • Division 10, 2950 S. California Ave., Chicago, IL 60608
  • Division 16, main jail campus, 2700 S. California Ave., Chicago, IL 60608

Jail-wide numbers: main line (773) 674-1945; find where someone is held (773) 674-5245; Visitor Information Center (773) 674-8225.

Inmate Services

Who’s in Jail? About the Facility Recent Bookings & Arrests Directions / Map Bail & Bond On Site Inmate Visitation Remote Visitation Nearby Jails

Phone

773-674-7100

Physical address

3015 S. California Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60608
Get directions

Mailing address (personal mail)

Inmate's Full Name & Booking#
Cook County Corrections Department
2700 S. California Ave.
Chicago, IL 60608

Mailing address (legal mail or subscriptions)

Inmate's Full Name & Booking#
Cook County Corrections Department
2700 S. California Ave.
Chicago, IL 60608

Other Jails and Prisons

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To search for an inmate in the Cook County Jail - Division 11, review their criminal charges, the amount of their bond, when they can get visits, or even view their mugshot, go to the Official Jail Inmate Roster, or call the jail at 773-674-7100 for the information you are looking for. You can also look up the  Cook County Criminal Court or any court in Illinois, as well as criminal court case information regarding an offender.

The Cook County Court Clerk has a lot more specific information you can use to find more about an offender's criminal court case as well.

Cook County Jail - Division 11 Inmate Search

The Cook County Jail - Division 11 maintains an average of 1536 offenders in custody on any given day. The Cook County Jail - Division 11 has a monthly turnover of 40% of their inmate population, another 30% turnover every 90 days, another 20% every six months, and approximately 10% stay incarcerated between six and twelve months. Every year Cook County law enforcement agencies arrest and detain approximately 177,880 offenders.

The following charts of Cook County inmate population demographics are updated daily. The information shown is for today. For research purposes we have broken down the inmates by sex, age, ethnicity, and criminal charges.

The information is compiled from the Cook County Corrections Department, the state of Illinois Department of Corrections, as well as the United States Department of Justice and Census Bureau records. It represents every person in custody in Cook County.

For complete information on how to get directions, bond, visit, mail, send and receive email and texts, receive phone calls, and send money or commissary to an inmate, find arrest information for Cook County and other counties surrounding this one, scroll down this page. We have a section for each.

We also provide photos of the jail that we have collected over the years.

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Helpful Legal and law Enforcement Phone Numbers in Cook County

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What happens during booking at Cook County Jail - Division 11?

After arrest, individuals are processed at Cook County Jail - Division 11, where they undergo a series of steps that determine their charges and whether they’ll be released on their own recognizance, allowed to post bail, or held until their court date.

The first rule for anyone arrested is to remain silent. Anything they say can be used in court, so it’s best to speak only to an attorney about the incident.

Here are the typical stages of the booking process at Cook County Jail - Division 11:

  • Verifying the person’s identity.
  • Taking mugshots.
  • Questions regarding medical and mental health history, along with drug and gang affiliations.
  • Collecting DNA if necessary.
  • Conducting a physical search.
  • Confiscating personal belongings.
  • Providing a phone call.

If you need details about an offender’s bail or bond, contact the facility at 773-674-7100.

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How do you post bail in Cook County?

If someone is taken to Cook County Jail - Division 11 in Chicago for booking, the next steps depend on their case:

1. The individual may be released without bail, under a promise to appear at a court hearing.
2. They could be held in custody until their trial.
3. They may post a bail or bond for release. To find out the exact bail amount, call 773-674-7100.

Bail payments can be handled in various ways.

  • Cash bonds are paid in full, normally at the jail's bonding window or with the clerk of court, by cash, cashier's check or money order, and card payments are often possible through a kiosk in the lobby or an online vendor for a convenience fee; have the inmate's full name and booking number ready, and reach the jail at 773-674-7100.
  • Licensed bail bond agents in Cook County can facilitate payment.
  • Property bonds are available in many courts: an owner may pledge land or a home after proving clear title and equity of at least the bond amount (often double) with the deed and a recent tax or appraisal figure, and the court that set bail decides whether to accept it.

For a comprehensive guide to the bail process in Cook County, Illinois, visit the Cook County Jail - Division 11 Bail FAQ page.

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How Do You Visit an Inmate in the Cook County Jail - Division 11? What is the Schedule?

Cook County Department of Corrections In-Person Inmate Visitation

(Scroll down for Video Visitation instructions)

As long as there is a threat of inmates getting sick from COVID or other pandemic related illness, the following rules will be in affect for all inmates and their visitors:

  • Visitation will only be approved for visitors completing the Cook County Department of Corrections Visitation Application.
  • Visitation will only be allowed for inmates who have been vaccinated.
  • You must apply for a visit at least 48 hours before you request to visit.
  • To find out when your inmate is allowed to have in-person visits, look them up online and view the area of their listing that indicates the times they can have visits. (see circled area below).
  • If you fill out the application and are NOT approved, you may find the answer by looking up your inmate and seeing if they are allowed visitors, or you can call 773-674-8225 or 773-674-8194 to find out why, and what you need to do to get approved.
  • For questions regarding scheduling you can also get answers by emailing the Visitor Information Unit.

These are the in-person COVID visitation guidelines:

  • In person visits will be in an outdoor, social distancing setting.
  • All visitors will be screened by staff for symptoms of COVID-19; temperature check and brief questionnaire, prior to entry.
  • All visitors must wear a face mask that covers their nose and mouth and maintain social distancing (at least 6 feet) at all times during their in-person visit. If you don't follow this guideline, the visit will be immediately ended.
  • If you have COVID symptoms, you will not be permitted entry into the Department of Corrections.
  • If you experienced any COVID symptoms within 14 days prior to your scheduled in-person visit or have tested positive for COVID within 10 days of your scheduled in-person visit, you will not be allowed to enter the Department of Corrections.
  • If you are NOT fully vaccinated (defined as 14-90 days since receiving all doses of a COVID vaccine), the following guidelines also apply:
    **If you have been in close contact (direct physical contact, or within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with an individual with COVID within 10 days of your scheduled in-person visit (or within 7 days if you test negative no earlier than 5 days after close contact), please do not come to the Cook County Jail.
    **If you have returned from a state covered by the City of Chicago’s travel order in the last 10 days of your scheduled in-person visit, you will not be allowed to enter the jail unless you test negative for COVID no more than 72 hours before arriving in Chicago.

These are the general rules for visitation:

  • All visitors MUST present a valid, government issued picture ID to gain admittance.
  • Minors age 17 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. If a minor is high school age, they must present a school picture ID.
  • A parent can bring up to three minors on a visit.
  • No communication is allowed with any other inmate in custody that you are not been approved to visit.
  • Scroll down for more detailed rules regarding dress code.
  • Family and friends wishing to participate and receive an In-Person Visit may consult with their loved one. Next, your detained friend or family member will need to add your name to the visitation list and you will be contacted by a Cook County Jail staff member to schedule a day and time for your visit.

Cook County Department of Corrections - Division 11
In-Person Inmate Visitation Schedule - For information call 773-674- 3722

Entrance Instructions:  Visitors for Division 11 must enter at the post located at 3015 S. California Blvd.

DAY INMATES TIME
SUN AA, AB, AC,
AD, CA, CB,
CC, CD		 8:00AM-1:00PM
SUN BF, BG, BH,
BJ, DA, DB,
DC, DD		 3:30PM-8:30PM
MON BA, BB, BC,
BD, CF, CG,
CH, CJ		 3:30PM-8:30PM
TUE AA, AB, AC,
AD, BF, BG,
BH, BJ, DA,
DB, DC, DD		 3:30PM-8:30PM
WED AF ,AG, AH,
AJ, CA, CB,
CC, CD, DF,
DG, DH, DJ		 3:30PM-8:30PM
THU NO VISITS    ---
FRI NO VISITS    ---
SAT AF, AG, AH,
AJ, DF, DG,
DH, DJ		 8:00AM-1:00PM
SAT BA, BB, BC,
BD, CF, CG,
CH, CJ		 3:30PM-8:30PM

Once regular in-person visitation returns in 2023, the following will link you to the actual visitation schedules for each Cook County Jail Division:

Cook County Department of Corrections Inmate Video Visitation

Video Visitation is done using Microsoft Teams Group Chat Software. 

  • In order to use Microsoft Teams you need to be registered and prepaid. While you can sign up for free, you get more benefits and it's easier to use with a paid version.
  • Family and friends wishing to participate and receive a Video Visit may consult with their loved one.
  • Next, your detained friend or family member will need to add your name to the visitation list and you will be contacted by a Cook County Jail staff member to schedule a day and time for your visit.
  • The following are the instructions and steps to have a video visit with your inmate after you have been added by your inmate, and you have opened your account with Microsoft Teams.
    1. Type www.skype.com in the search bar.
    2. Click 'sign in' in the upper right hand corner.
    3. Click 'New to Skype' Sign up - then 'NEXT'.
    4. Under 'Create Account', add your email address. - then 'NEXT'.
    5. Create a password, then click 'NEXT'.
    6. Enter your first and last name, then click 'NEXT'.
    7. Enter your Country/region, then your birthday, then click 'NEXT'.
    8. Download the SKYPE app to your chosen device, then ...
    9. Sign into SKYPE using your email and password you just registered under.

We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Cook County Jail - Division 11’s Inmate Visitation Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 773-674-7100 for further assistance.

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Can I Use My Computer or Phone to Have a Remote Video Visit with an Inmate in the Cook County Jail - Division 11?

Cook County Department of Corrections Inmate Video Visitation

Video Visitation is done using Microsoft Teams Group Chat Software. 

  • In order to use Microsoft Teams you need to be registered and prepaid. While you can sign up for free, you get more benefits and it's easier to use with a paid version.
  • Family and friends wishing to participate and receive a Video Visit may consult with their loved one.
  • Next, your detained friend or family member will need to add your name to the visitation list and you will be contacted by a Cook County Jail staff member to schedule a day and time for your visit.
  • The following are the instructions and steps to have a video visit with your inmate after you have been added by your inmate, and you have opened your account with Microsoft Teams.
    1. Type www.skype.com in the search bar.
    2. Click 'sign in' in the upper right hand corner.
    3. Click 'New to Skype' Sign up - then 'NEXT'.
    4. Under 'Create Account', add your email address. - then 'NEXT'.
    5. Create a password, then click 'NEXT'.
    6. Enter your first and last name, then click 'NEXT'.
    7. Enter your Country/region, then your birthday, then click 'NEXT'.
    8. Download the SKYPE app to your chosen device, then ...
    9. Sign into SKYPE using your email and password you just registered under.

We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Cook County Jail - Division 11’s Video Remote Visitation Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 773-674-7100 for further assistance.

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How Do You Deposit Money for an Inmate in the Cook County Jail - Division 11?

We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Cook County Jail - Division 11’s Inmate Money and Trust Fund Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 773-674-7100 for further assistance.

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How Do I Receive Phone Calls from an Inmate in the Cook County Jail - Division 11?

We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Cook County Jail - Division 11’s Inmate Phone Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 773-674-7100 for further assistance.

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How do I Mail an Inmate in the Cook County Jail - Division 11, and what can I send them?

We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Cook County Jail - Division 11’s Inmate Mail Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 773-674-7100 for further assistance.

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Can I purchase Commissary Online for an Inmate in the Cook County Jail - Division 11, and what can I purchase?

We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Cook County Jail - Division 11’s Commissary Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 773-674-7100 for further assistance.

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How Can I Communicate with an Inmate in the Cook County Jail - Division 11 using an Online Messaging Service?

We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Cook County Jail - Division 11’s Text and Email Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 773-674-7100 for further assistance.

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Do Inmates in the Cook County Jail - Division 11 have Access to Tablets or Computers?

We’ve compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for everything you need to know about Cook County Jail - Division 11’s Tablet Policies, Rules and Guidelines. If you still have questions after reviewing these FAQs, call 773-674-7100 for further assistance.

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What are the other Jails in the Neighboring Counties surrounding Cook County?

Cook County (this county)Will CountyKane CountyDupage CountyLake CountyMchenry CountyLake County, Indiana
Cook County Jails listed No jails listed

Nearby counties

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Search for an Inmate or Active Arrest Warrant in Cook County

Human-verified information Manually curated

Every detail on this page is checked by hand, not scraped. This unofficial directory helps friends and family of incarcerated individuals find critical information — inmate lists, locations, bail resources, visitation hours, rules, and text, phone, email, and mail services — for jails, detention centers, and prisons across the United States.