Home / Directory / Illinois / Macoupin County Jail — Carlinville, Illinois
Macoupin County Jail — Carlinville, Illinois
Use the current Sheriff page, but call before acting: visit days, calling method, public phone number and clerk number conflict across official sources.
JAIL411 / FAMILY FIELD GUIDE
A practical family guide to Macoupin County’s adult jail in Carlinville.
Sources reviewed
Sheriff-operated adult county jail at 215 S. East Street; includes bounded U.S. Marshals and area-county contract populations only where official inspections establish them; excludes youth, state prison, municipal, immigration, courthouse-only, supervision and historic identities.
- Confirm custody
Call 217-854-3135 and record ID, authority and case.
- Choose the correct account
CPC/InmateSales handles communications; JailATM handles commissary.
- Confirm the trip
Sunday visiting has no regular MCPT service.
Start with identity and custody
Confirm the operating jail, person, authority and correct desk.
Use the operating Sheriff jail—not the 1869 Cannonball Jail
Macoupin County Jail is the Sheriff-operated adult county jail at 215 S. East Street, Carlinville, IL 62626. The current county phone is 217-854-3135. IDOC’s October 1, 2024 inspection records 93 rated adult beds (81 male, 12 female), zero juvenile beds and 59 people present that day.
| 215 S. East Street | Operating adult jail, Sheriff and several county offices; confirm the task-specific door. |
|---|---|
| 201 E. Main Street | Courthouse and court records, not housing. |
| 1869 Cannonball Jail | Retired in 1988; historic site, never use for custody tasks. |
Sources: Macoupin County Sheriff and jail information · 2024 Illinois county jail inspection · Macoupin County Judiciary · Macoupin County Old Jail history
Call for physical custody; use VINE and court records for different questions
No current Sheriff live roster was verified. Call 217-854-3135 with full legal name, date of birth, arresting agency and approximate arrest time. Ask whether booking is complete, the inmate ID, housing location, holding authority, case number and transfer/release status.
- Try spelling and name variants.
- Use VINE for notifications and Judici for a case file; neither proves present housing.
- If staff identifies IDOC, BOP, ICE, youth or another county, switch to that operator’s locator and rules.
Sources: Macoupin County Sheriff and jail information · Judici Macoupin County case search · Illinois VINE · IDOC individual search · Federal Bureau of Prisons locator · ICE detainee locator
Use the office that owns the decision
| Custody, visit, mail, health relay, property/release | Jail 217-854-3135 |
|---|---|
| Criminal case record | Circuit Clerk 217-854-3211, ext. 921 |
| Public Defender | 217-854-3211, ext. 5047 |
| Pretrial officer | Christopher Robinson 618-600-1895 |
| Probation/reentry classes | 217-854-4411, ext. 3062 |
Sources: Macoupin County Sheriff and jail information · Macoupin County Circuit Court Clerk · Macoupin County Public Defender · Macoupin County Probation and Court Services · Macoupin County OSPS directory
Plan contact without a wasted trip
Use the current Sunday window, resolve exceptions and prepare the video account.
Plan the published Sunday visit and confirm it the same day
The current Sheriff page says one 20–30 minute in-person visit on Sundays: women 12:00–1:00 p.m.; men 1:00–4:00 p.m. It also says visitation ends at 3:30 p.m. and last sign-in is 3:00 p.m.; because the men’s posted end and the visitation-end statement do not align, call before travel. The 2024 inspection says Wednesday and Sunday, conflicting with the Sheriff’s Sunday-only notice effective June 30, 2024.
Ask whether court, medical movement, discipline, lockdown or a contract holding authority changes eligibility. Do not assume a reserved video session creates in-person approval.
Sources: Macoupin County Sheriff and jail information · 2024 Illinois county jail inspection · 2023 Illinois county jail inspection
Bring the required photo ID and resolve every unpublished exception first
Every visitor must have valid photo identification showing date of birth; the Sheriff states no ID means no visit and no exceptions. Bags, purses and cell phones are barred from the visiting area, and other restrictions may apply.
The public rule does not say whether minors may attend, what proves guardianship, how many people may visit, whether there is an approved list, the dress code, infant supplies, storage, accessibility/language accommodations or special/long-distance visits. Call 217-854-3135 before bringing a minor or requesting an exception.
Sources: Macoupin County Sheriff and jail information · ADA criminal justice guidance
Set up InmateSales video and split provider problems from jail decisions
- Create an InmateSales account and select Macoupin County.
- Upload a clear head-and-shoulders photo and a valid driver’s license, state ID or passport matching the account.
- Request facility/person access, review the live local schedule and save the confirmation.
- Test Chrome or the InmateSales View app, camera, microphone, speakers and connection; log in early.
For setup, schedule or token-reset help call 866-340-7879. For eligibility or movement call the jail. Current price, duration, lead time, cancellation and failed-session credit are not published locally.
Sources: Macoupin County Sheriff and jail information · Combined Public Communications family services · InmateSales portal
Manage communication, mail and money
Keep CPC communications, JailATM commissary and two mail routes separate.
Resolve the collect-versus-prepaid conflict before funding
The Sheriff says outgoing calls run 7:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m., cannot receive incoming calls, and are collect or resident phone-card calls. It directs families to CPC at 877-998-5678. CPC’s current FAQ instead says collect calling is no longer available and requires prepaid time. Confirm the enabled Macoupin account before funding.
CPC distinguishes Direct Pay (one phone number) from PIN Debit (resident may call allowed numbers). Save the transaction ID: CPC requires it for transfers or release/transfer refunds. Current local rates, taxes and confidential attorney-call registration are not public.
Sources: Macoupin County Sheriff and jail information · 2024 Illinois county jail inspection · Combined Public Communications family services · InmateSales portal
Use Chirper only through the verified Macoupin menu
The Sheriff and 2024 inspection confirm CPC text messaging; the Sheriff calls it “chirping.” Fund through InmateSales or the blue lobby kiosk. CPC says Chirper balances are not transferable; request a refund with the transaction ID. The Public Defender warns Chirps are documented and may be printed for court.
CPC advertises tablets and other products generally, but local tablet entertainment, education, attachment limits and prices were not confirmed. Buy only what appears for Macoupin in the live account.
Sources: Macoupin County Sheriff and jail information · 2024 Illinois county jail inspection · Macoupin County Public Defender · Combined Public Communications family services · InmateSales portal
Send scanned personal mail to Kentucky—not the jail street address
Address personal mail exactly: (Inmate Name – Inmate ID), Macoupin County Jail, P.O. Box 76550, Highland Heights, KY 41076. Include a return address. Mail must be no larger than 8.5 × 11 inches, no thicker than light card stock and feedable through a sheet scanner.
The Sheriff says other addresses are rejected and noncompliant mail is destroyed. It bans money, checks, stamps, blank envelopes, stationery, labels, stickers, homemade or musical cards, non-white paper/envelopes, colored-ink/crayon/glitter drawings, raised decoration, paint, white-out and glue. The public page does not provide a rejection appeal.
Use the direct Carlinville route for lawyer mail
Address lawyer/legal-representation mail: (Inmate Name – Inmate ID), Macoupin County Jail, 215 South East Street, Carlinville, IL 62626. Legal mail sent to the wrong address is listed for return to sender; certified mail requiring the resident’s signature and postage-due mail are also returned.
The Public Defender warns ordinary mail is screened but distinguishes attorney mail. Attorneys should confirm privileged markings, delivery, confidential call/visit arrangements and whether a client moved before sending time-sensitive material.
Sources: Macoupin County Sheriff and jail information · 2024 Illinois county jail inspection · Macoupin County Public Defender
Photos are the only published family-mail enclosure
The Sheriff allows up to ten photographs per package, printed on photo paper. Internet printouts, colored pages and provocative material are destroyed. The property rule also bars nudity, gang symbols, frames, covers and cases, and says photos are not accepted during visits.
No current public rule authorizes family books, periodicals or commercial packages; basic hygiene and other needed items are sold through commissary, with basic hygiene supplied as needed. Call before ordering a publication or care package even if a provider advertises it for participating facilities.
Sources: Macoupin County Sheriff and jail information · Combined Public Communications family services
Keep brown commissary funding separate from blue communication funding
| Commissary | Brown outer-lobby kiosk or JailATM; help 870-627-5476. |
|---|---|
| Phone/Chirper | Blue outer-lobby kiosk, InmateSales or 877-998-5678. |
The Sheriff says both kiosks are available 24/7, commissary runs weekly, the account cap is $300 and money is not transferred between residents. Do not mail currency. Fees, card/cash limits, deductions and release-balance handling are not public. IDOC’s 2024 addendum records a pending annual commissary audit.
Sources: Macoupin County Sheriff and jail information · 2024 Illinois county jail inspection · Combined Public Communications family services · JailATM deposits
Protect health, safety and access
Relay urgent facts and document unpublished grievance, ADA and PREA routes.
Send urgent facts to the jail; the resident uses a sick-call slip
For an immediate threat call 911. For urgent custody health information call the jail at 217-854-3135; give full name, date of birth, symptom/risk, medication and your callback, but expect privacy limits. Residents request medical or mental-health treatment on a sick-call slip returned to an officer.
The Sheriff page lists $5 nurse and $15 doctor charges subject to change, says care is not denied for insufficient funds, and limits dental care to emergencies. Treat the prices as unconfirmed until staff verifies them.
Sources: Macoupin County Sheriff and jail information · 2024 Illinois county jail inspection
Escalate safety words plainly and use the community crisis contact after release
Tell staff directly if there is suicide risk, withdrawal, hallucination, victimization or inability to function; ask for a welfare check and record time/name. The 2024 inspection says Advanced Correctional Healthcare provided medical, mental-health and dental triage, with added mental-health services from Locust Street Resource Center.
Locust Street Resource Center is listed at 320 S. Locust Street, Carlinville, 217-854-3166. It is a community/reentry contact, not a way to obtain confidential jail records.
Sources: 2024 Illinois county jail inspection · Macoupin County Housing Authority resources · Macoupin County Public Health Department
Do not drop off medication without approval
The Sheriff says prescribed medication must be taken at the assigned time in front of medical staff or an officer, and possession in a cell may end non-life-threatening medication access. That rule does not establish that outside medicine, glasses, devices or prescriptions may be delivered.
Call 217-854-3135 before bringing anything. Ask medical staff what original pharmacy/doctor information is needed and how the resident signs a release for records. No family clinical line or public records form was found.
Sources: Macoupin County Sheriff and jail information · 2024 Illinois county jail inspection
Use the resident process and preserve a timeline
The 2024 inspection says rules are delivered through the kiosk, but the public site does not publish the grievance form, deadlines, emergency route or appeal chain. The resident should submit the correct kiosk/paper grievance, keep the confirmation or date, name the requested remedy and appeal within the stated jail deadline.
A family member may send facts to the Jail Administrator through 217-854-3135, but that does not replace the resident’s grievance. For standards questions, IDOC Jail and Detention Standards lists 217-558-2200, ext. 4212.
Sources: Macoupin County Sheriff and jail information · 2024 Illinois county jail inspection · Jail and Detention Standards Unit
Request jail access directly; transit accessibility is a separate process
Call the jail at 217-854-3135 before a visit to request communication, mobility, language, religious or other access. State the barrier, accommodation and date needed, and ask who decides and how to appeal. No local jail ADA coordinator or interpreter process is published.
For MCPT, request accessible format or reasonable modification at 217-839-4130; dial 711 for relay. MCPT documents door-to-door service, lifts/securement and a free aide when required, subject to safety and availability.
Sources: Macoupin County Sheriff and jail information · Macoupin County Public Transportation · MCPT ADA service policy · MCPT reasonable-modification form · ADA criminal justice guidance · DOJ ADA complaint
Report sexual abuse immediately; ask for the unpublished outside route
For immediate danger call 911 or tell any jail employee. A resident should say “PREA” or “sexual abuse/harassment,” request separation and medical/mental-health attention, and preserve names/times without confronting the accused.
The public site does not identify the local PREA coordinator, anonymous third-party method, outside recipient or retaliation-monitoring contact. Call 217-854-3135 and ask for those exact routes; if the concern is facility compliance, IDOC Jail Standards is 217-558-2200, ext. 4212. Do not use ordinary monitored Chirps for confidential attorney communication.
Sources: Macoupin County Sheriff and jail information · Jail and Detention Standards Unit · Macoupin County Public Defender · Federal PREA outside reporting standard
Coordinate court, counsel and release
Use the filed order, correct attorney and every holding authority.
Track the court file separately from custody
Macoupin criminal cases are handled at the courthouse, 201 E. Main Street. Use Judici for the public docket, then call the Circuit Clerk at 217-854-3211, ext. 921, to verify case number, courtroom, next date and filed orders. Court phone is 217-854-3181.
The OSPS/state-court directories display 217-854-7361, while the county clerk page labels that number as fax. Use 217-854-3211 unless the clerk confirms otherwise.
Sources: Macoupin County Circuit Court Clerk · Macoupin County Judiciary · Illinois Courts Macoupin courthouse directory · Macoupin County OSPS directory · Judici Macoupin County case search
Request appointment in court and protect confidentiality
The Public Defender is 217-854-3211, ext. 5047. Eligible unrepresented people may ask at court or write the Circuit Clerk at P.O. Box 197, Carlinville, IL 62626; the judge decides financial eligibility. The office tells clients to return the colored information sheet and contact counsel before the court date.
Family members need written client permission before the office may discuss the case. Ordinary jail calls and Chirps are recorded/documented; ask counsel and the jail how to arrange privileged contact.
Sources: Macoupin County Public Defender · Macoupin County Circuit Court Clerk
Read the current order—do not shop for a cash-bond amount
Illinois eliminated cash bail on September 18, 2023. Ask the clerk or lawyer for the filed detention/release order and every condition. Macoupin’s OSPS officer is Christopher Robinson, 618-600-1895; statewide OSPS is 217-280-5873.
Before pickup, confirm whether there is a detainer, another case, sentence, U.S. Marshals/outside-county authority, transport order or supervision intake. A court release decision does not guarantee immediate discharge.
Sources: Macoupin County OSPS directory · Illinois Office of Statewide Pretrial Services · Illinois Courts: cash bail elimination
Use a written resident request for property pickup
The Sheriff says a resident may arrange pickup of personal property by a friend or family member through a written request. The person collecting may be asked for photo ID. Call 217-854-3135 first to confirm approval, name match, pickup hours, door and what property is released.
Jury-trial clothing needs Jail Administrator approval and must arrive at least 48 hours before trial; late clothing is refused. This is not a general clothing-drop rule.
Confirm every authority, pickup detail and remaining balance
Ask booking to read each holding authority and confirm the release order has arrived. For a U.S. Marshals or another county’s resident, ask which agency controls transport/release and whether Macoupin can provide a time.
Confirm the pickup door, window, identification, weather clothing, prescriptions/medication, property and account-balance method. None is published. Arrange a flexible ride; processing, court paperwork or another hold may change the time.
Sources: Macoupin County Sheriff and jail information · 2024 Illinois county jail inspection · 2023 Illinois county jail inspection · Macoupin County OSPS directory
Connect services before release and keep records requests separate
Probation is at 215 S. East Street, second floor, 217-854-4411, ext. 3062; state inspections document substance-use, domestic-violence and anger-management classes. Illinois Valley EDC at 217-839-4431 offers eligibility-based homelessness prevention and rapid rehousing. The Job Center is 116 S. Plum Street, 217-854-9753.
The Legal Self-Help Center is at Carlinville Public Library, 510 N. Broad Street, 217-854-3505. Confirm eligibility and hours; none of these contacts changes a release order.
Sources: 2024 Illinois county jail inspection · 2023 Illinois county jail inspection · Macoupin County Probation and Court Services · Macoupin County Housing Authority resources · Illinois Valley EDC housing · Macoupin County Legal Self-Help Center
Travel with confirmed details
Reserve rural transit and confirm the jail entrance, return ride and overnight plan.
Confirm the jail door; courthouse parking does not prove jail access
Navigate to 215 S. East Street, not the historic jail. The same address hosts Sheriff, jail, probation and other county functions. Illinois Courts says street parking surrounds the courthouse at 201 E. Main, but no official source reviewed identifies the jail visitor/release parking area, entrance, drop-off or final accessible path.
Call 217-854-3135 before leaving. Ask which door is open for the task, whether the 24/7 lobby kiosks are reachable without security screening, where an accessible vehicle may stop and where a release pickup waits.
Sources: Macoupin County Sheriff and jail information · 2024 Illinois county jail inspection · Illinois Courts Macoupin courthouse directory · Macoupin County Old Jail history
Reserve MCPT; there is no fixed jail stop or live-arrival claim
Macoupin County Public Transportation is demand-response, not a fixed jail route. It publishes Monday–Friday 6:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m., 24-hour notice for in-county trips, 72-hour notice for out-of-county trips and service subject to availability. Call 217-839-4130.
Give 215 S. East Street, the appointment/check-in time, mobility needs and a flexible return window. Confirm exact fare from origin, pickup window, jail drop-off point, return pickup and holiday/weather operation. Drivers may wait only five minutes; be ready 45 minutes early. No fixed stop or live arrival was verified.
Sources: Macoupin County Public Transportation · MCPT fare schedule · MCPT ADA service policy
Use seven planning dates—not a promise of a seat
| Tue Sep 29 | Published weekday service; reservation required. |
|---|---|
| Wed Sep 30 | Published weekday service; reservation required. |
| Thu Oct 1 | Published weekday service; reservation required. |
| Fri Oct 2 | Published weekday service; reservation required. |
| Sat Oct 3 | No regular service published. |
| Sun Oct 4 | No regular service published; this conflicts with Sunday jail visits. |
| Mon Oct 5 | Published weekday service; reservation required. |
Availability, weather and return timing must be confirmed. MCPT’s lack of Sunday service means the published in-person visiting day requires another ride plan.
Sources: Macoupin County Sheriff and jail information · Macoupin County Public Transportation
Use local contacts as options, not promises
| Food assistance | Carlinville pantry: 217-854-4446; verify hours and eligibility. |
|---|---|
| Behavioral health | Locust Street Resource Center, 320 S. Locust: 217-854-3166. |
| Coffee/food near square | Hawthorn Tree, 242 East Side Square: 217-854-0088. |
| Meal option | Potrillo’s, 18838 State Route 4: 217-899-8211. |
| Lodging option | Carlinvilla Motel, 18891 Route 4: 217-854-3201. |
Call for current hours, access, eligibility, rates and availability; no endorsement or reservation is implied.
Sources: Macoupin County Housing Authority resources · Carlinvilla Motel contact · The Hawthorn Tree · Potrillo’s Carlinville location
Original directory record & nearby facilities Open preserved information
This section preserves the earlier Jail411 directory information, including historical figures and contacts. Use the dated, sourced family guide above for the instructions covered there. Other local facilities have their own rules.
Facility record / Illinois
Macoupin County Jail is a county or city jail in Carlinville, Macoupin County, Illinois. It has a rated capacity of 95. By capacity it is the 41st-largest of the 94 county or city jail records listed for Illinois with a published capacity.
Jail411 does not hold custody records. A listing here does not mean anyone is held at this address. Confirm the person’s location with the responsible agency before you travel, send money, or pay for a service.
Where this record came from. The contact, status and security fields, with capacity and population, come from the HIFLD and Federal Bureau of Prisons directory release refreshed February 2026. They describe the record, not today’s population. Check the facility’s current official website.
Contact this facility
- Phone
- (217) 854-3135
- Address
- 215 South East Street
Carlinville, IL 62626Open in maps - Official page
- Official page at macoupincountyil.gov
- County
- Macoupin County
Facility details
Listed as open in the February 2026 directory release.
Finding someone held here
Use the county system for a recent arrest. A state corrections search covers people in state custody. It generally will not list someone booked into a county jail this week. Bookings, bail, release, and visiting are all handled by Macoupin County Sheriff’s Office.
Official site for this facility →
Call this facility directly: (217) 854-3135
Before you travel, pay, or mail anything
Get two things first: which facility the person is actually in, and their booking or ID number. Almost nothing works without them. Then check this facility’s current instructions — rules and service providers change.
Clear information.
Clear boundaries.
Jail411 is an independent information resource for families and friends. We are not a government agency, jail operator, law firm or live custody-records service.
Can Jail411 tell me if someone is in custody right now?
No. Jail411 does not hold live custody records. Use the official locator for the county, state, federal or ICE system that has the person; start here if you do not know which.
Does posting bond mean the person comes home?
Not always. A probation or parole hold, another county's warrant or an immigration detainer can keep someone in custody after bond is posted. Ask the jail what holds are on the booking before you pay.
What should I confirm before visiting?
The person's current facility, the visiting schedule, approval requirements, accepted identification and arrival instructions. Check the facility page and its official sources before you travel.
What if I find something that needs correcting?
Send us the page and the detail that needs attention. Include the official source when you have one. Do not send private booking documents or other sensitive personal information.
Plan the next step.
Practical guides for calls, visits, mail, money and release.