Search Chicago Released Inmates

Chicago released inmates records come from two main sources: the Chicago Police Department and the Cook County Sheriff's Office. With a population over 2.7 million, Chicago generates a high volume of arrests each year. The CPD keeps its own arrest search portal going back to January 2014, and Cook County runs a separate inmate locator for the county jail. Both tools are free and open to the public. If you need to track down someone who was booked or released in Chicago, you have several ways to get that done without paying a fee or leaving your house.

Chicago Police Arrest Search

The Chicago Police Department runs a public arrest search tool at publicsearch1.chicagopolice.org. This portal covers arrests made by CPD going back to January 2014. Only adults age 18 and older show up in the results. You can search by name, mugshot, or booking number.

Results from the CPD arrest search show basic booking info. You get the person's name, charges, arrest date, and a mugshot if one is on file. The tool does not show whether the person is still in custody or has been released. For custody status, you need to check the Cook County inmate locator instead. Still, the CPD portal is one of the best places to start if you know someone was arrested in Chicago.

The Chicago Police Department headquarters sits at 3510 South Michigan Avenue. You can call 311 from inside the city or (312) 746-6000 from outside Chicago for general questions. The department has 22 districts spread across the city, and each one processes its own arrests. All arrest data feeds into the same central system that powers the online search tool.

Note: The CPD arrest search only shows adults 18 and older, and records start from January 2014.

The screenshot below shows the Chicago Police Department's public arrest search portal where you can look up arrests by name or booking number.

This search tool requires no account and is available around the clock.

Chicago Police FOIA Requests

If you need records that go beyond what the online search shows, you can file a Freedom of Information Act request with the Chicago Police Department. The Illinois FOIA law at 5 ILCS 140 gives you the right to ask for public records from any government body in the state. CPD has a dedicated FOIA office that handles these requests.

You can reach the CPD FOIA office by phone at (312) 745-5308 or by email at foia@chicagopolice.org. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM. You can also submit requests through the CPD FOIA portal on their website. Put your request in writing and include the person's full name, any dates you have, and what type of records you want. CPD must respond within five business days under state law.

The screenshot below shows the Chicago Police Department's FOIA request page with instructions for submitting records requests.

Most basic FOIA requests are free. CPD may charge copying fees for large requests.

Cook County Jail Inmate Search

Everyone arrested in Chicago goes through the Cook County Department of Corrections for booking. The jail sits at 2700 South California Avenue and spans 96 acres. It is one of the largest single-site jails in the country. The Cook County Inmate Locator lets you search for anyone currently held or recently released from the facility.

Cook County also provides info through its main government site. The Locate an Inmate page on cookcountyil.gov walks you through the different ways to find someone in the system. You can search by name and see the person's booking date, charges, bond amount, and current status. This covers all of Cook County, not just Chicago. If someone was arrested by a suburban police department and booked into County, they show up here too.

For more details on Cook County released inmates resources, visit the Cook County released inmates page.

State and Federal Search Tools

Some people arrested in Chicago end up in state prison rather than county jail. The Illinois Department of Corrections keeps records on anyone sentenced to a state facility. Use the IDOC Offender Search to find people who served time in state prison after a Chicago conviction. The database includes current inmates and those already released or on parole.

The Illinois VINELink system tracks offender custody status across the state. You can sign up for free alerts that notify you when someone is moved, released, or transferred. This works for both county jail and state prison inmates from Chicago.

The Illinois State Police offer a name-based background check service. This paid tool searches criminal history records statewide. Results show convictions and may include details about time served. The Illinois Unified Code of Corrections at 730 ILCS 5 governs how the state handles sentencing, release, and parole for all inmates.

Note: State prison records and county jail records are in separate databases, so check both if you are not sure where someone was held.

Ways to Find Chicago Released Inmates

You have several options for looking up released inmates in Chicago. The fastest way is to use the online tools. Start with the CPD arrest search for arrest records going back to 2014. Then check the Cook County inmate locator for jail booking and release data. Between these two tools, you can find most people who went through the system in Chicago.

For records that are not online, contact CPD directly. Call (312) 746-6000 or dial 311 from within the city. You can also file a FOIA request by email or through the online portal. If the person went to state prison, search the IDOC database or call the Illinois Department of Corrections for help.

• CPD arrest search covers adults arrested since January 2014
• Cook County inmate locator shows current and recent jail bookings
• FOIA requests go to foia@chicagopolice.org or (312) 745-5308
• IDOC offender search covers state prison inmates from Chicago cases
• VINELink provides free custody status alerts statewide

Nearby Cities

These cities sit near Chicago. Each one falls under its own county or police jurisdiction. If someone was arrested in one of these places, you may need to search that area's records separately.