Lake County Juvenile Detention Inmate Search
Searching for an Inmate in Lake County
Most local arrests end up at the Lake County Jail, 29 S Martin Luther King Jr Ave, Waukegan, IL 60085 (847-377-4150). To find someone, start with the Lake County Sheriff inmate records search. VINELink tracks custody and sends alerts when the Sheriff's Office books someone. Booking at the county jail can lag; a Cook County jail may have the person. Call 847-377-4050. Below: the county jail, jails next door, release, prison and more.
How do I search for an inmate?
- Start at the Lake County Sheriff inmate records search with the person's name.
- Also read the weekly arrest summary.
- Search VINELink online, or with the VINELink app for iPhone and the VINELink app for Android.
- Still nothing? Call the sheriff's office at 847-377-4050.
What about youth arrested in this county?
Youth stay off the roster (705 ILCS 405/1-7). Detained youth go to the Lake County Juvenile Detention. Parents of local youth should call 847-377-4050 or local juvenile probation.
↑ Back to the question listCan I get a booking photo?
Illinois treats adult booking photos as public (5 ILCS 140/2.15). Ask the Lake County Sheriff's Office with an Illinois Freedom of Information Act request, or call 847-377-4050. Youth photos and most U.S. Marshals Service photos are withheld (5 U.S.C. 552). ICE records for someone held by the Sheriff's Office go through the ICE FOIA request page with the jail name and dates.
↑ Back to the question listMoney, mail and visits for county inmates
- Calls: see our phone page.
- Deposits: our money guide.
- Snacks and supplies: Local commissary page.
- Visits: Local visitation rules.
- Letters: our mail guide.
- Messages: County inmate email.
How does release work after an arrest?
Illinois ended cash bail in 2023 under the Pretrial Fairness Act, so there's no money to post in Lake County (725 ILCS 5/110). Within 48 hours, release or detention is decided (725 ILCS 5/110-6.1). More: our bail and release page.
↑ Back to the question listWhere do local prisoners go after sentencing?
Prison-bound inmates here go to Illinois Department of Corrections intake. Families can follow moves on the Illinois Department of Corrections inmate search, then see our Illinois state prisons guide.
↑ Back to the question listWhere is a federal defendant from Lake County held?
The U.S. Marshals Service may hold federal defendants in county jails in this county. Court for these cases sits in Chicago: the Northern District of Illinois, Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, 219 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 60604, 312-435-5670. Check VINELink while the case is open, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator after sentencing.
↑ Back to the question listWill the county hold someone for ICE?
- A Form I-247A is ICE's request to the jail.
- The Illinois TRUST Act (5 ILCS 805/15) stops the county from honoring the 48-hour hold.
- Agents may wait outside the County Jail.
- After an ICE arrest, use the ICE Online Detainee Locator System with the A-number of the detainee.
What other jails should I check besides Lake County?
Search empty? Call each county jail next door:
- McHenry County Jail, Woodstock: 815-338-9396
For state prisons, use the Illinois Department of Corrections inmate search. For federal holds, use the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator.
↑ Back to the question listHow many people live in the county?
This county has about 719,339 residents (U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 estimate, released 2026). Waukegan, IL is the county seat.
↑ Back to the question listWhat are the police numbers for Waukegan and nearby towns?
If an officer from Waukegan or another town made the arrest, call:
- Waukegan Police: 847-360-9000
- North Chicago, Mundelein, Highland Park: no listed number here yet; the sheriff's office, 847-377-4050, can direct you
Lake County Juvenile Detention Inmate Services Information
Phone: 847-377-7800
Physical Address:
24647 North Milwaukee Avenue
Vernon Hills, IL 60061
Mailing Address (personal mail):
Juvenile's first and last name
25467 N. Milwaukee Avenue
Lake County Juvenile Detention
Vernon Hills, IL 60061
Every year Lake County law enforcement agencies arrest and detain 16,000 offenders, and maintain an average of 800 inmates (county-wide) in their custody on any given day.
The weekly turnover rate of inmates is approximately 55%, meaning that every week more than half of these inmates are released and then replaced with new offenders being booked into jail.
The charts below break down the men, women, races, ethnicities and the types of crimes that people are arrested and incarcerated for in both Lake County and state prisons throughout the country. This information is compiled from local police and the Lake County Sheriff's Department, as well as the state of Illinois and the United States Department of Justice and Census Bureau.
If you are looking for a prisoner in Illinois or Federal custody, click on the appropriate institution below.
If you are searching for an inmate being held in another county in Illinois, click below.
STATE OF Illinois COUNTY JAILS
If you are searching for a prisoner in a Illinois State Prison click below.
If you are searching for a United States Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate click below.
Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Search
For ICE Detainees (Immigration) being held at a detention facility in the United States, click below.
Lake County Inmate Race & Ethnicity - 10/28/2026
| Race | Inmates | % Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 146 | 23.78% |
| Black | 76 | 12.38% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 312 | 50.81% |
| American Indian/Native Alaskan | 8 | 1.30% |
| Asian | 54 | 8.79% |
| Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian | 8 | 1.30% |
| Other | 10 | 1.63% |
| Total | 614 | 100.0% |
Lake County Inmate Criminal Charges - 10/28/2026
(many inmates have multiple charges)
| Charge | Inmates | % Total |
|---|---|---|
| Felony (3rd Degree) | 177 | 28.83% |
| Felony (2rd Degree) | 118 | 19.22% |
| Felony (1st Degree) | 46 | 7.49% |
| State Jail Felony | 42 | 6.84% |
| Felony (Uncategorized) | 124 | 20.20% |
| Misdemeanor (Class A) | 107 | 17.43% |
| Misdemeanor (Class C) | 0 | 0.00% |
| Holds | 0 | 0.00% |
| Uncategorized | 0 | 0.00% |
Lake County Inmate Sex - 10/28/2026
| Sex | Inmates | % Total |
|---|---|---|
| Male | 544 | 88.60% |
| Female | 70 | 11.40% |
| Total | 614 | 100.0% |
Lake County Inmate Age - 10/28/2026
| Age | Inmates | % Total |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 7 | 1.14% |
| 18-20 | 29 | 4.72% |
| 21-24 | 66 | 10.75% |
| 25-30 | 133 | 21.66% |
| 31-35 | 104 | 16.94% |
| 36-40 | 87 | 14.17% |
| 41-45 | 64 | 10.42% |
| 46-50 | 41 | 6.68% |
| 51-55 | 33 | 5.37% |
| 56-60 | 27 | 4.40% |
| 61-65 | 12 | 1.95% |
| 66-75 | 8 | 1.30% |
| 76-85 | 3 | 0.49% |
| Total | 614 | 100.0% |
- Lake County Jail: 847-377-4188
- Adult Probation: 847-377-4504
- County Sheriff (bus. hrs): 847-377-4000
- County Sheriff (non bus. hrs): 847-549-5200
- Criminal Court: 847-377-3600
- Juvenile: 847-377-7800
- Juvenile Court: 847-377-7825
- Juvenile Detention - 24 hr: 847-377-7825
- Juvenile Probation: 847-377-7825
- lake County State's Attorney: 847-377-3000
- Public Defender: 847-377-3360
- Waukegan Police: 847-360-9000
The Lake County Juvenile Detention serves the following cities and towns of Lake County: Antioch, Barrington, Beach Park, Buffalo Grove, Grayslake, Gurnee, Gurney, Highland Park, Highwood, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Lake Villa, Libertyville, Lindenhurst, Mundelein, North Chicago, Round Lake, Round Lake Beach, Round Lake Park, Waukegan, Winthrop Harbor and Zion.