Lincoln Correctional Center

Lincoln Correctional Center is a minimum-security prison for male inmates located in Lincoln, Illinois. Owned and operated by the Illinois Department of Corrections, this facility has an operational capacity of 1,019 and the annual average cost per inmate is $25,278.

It is the mission of Lincoln Correctional Center to provide for the protection of society through the humane and secure incarceration of adult male offenders based upon a foundation of legislative and judicial decisions. The administration is committed toward instilling responsibility and mature decision-making in its offenders. 

By providing extensive and high-quality educational programs, work assignment opportunities, public services, leisure time activities, and religious avenues, the institution is expected to go far beyond the provisions of the minimum necessities of food, sanitation, clothing, housing, and medical services to the offenders.

The Lincoln Correctional Center consists of a total of 14 buildings, which is comprised of approximately 25 acres. Of the 14 buildings making up the facility, 11 are located within a double security fence surrounded by five strategically located towers. The living units consist of five, dorm-style housing units along with a segregation unit and a seven-bed health care unit.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

Visiting hours at Lincoln Correctional Center are from 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., seven days a week.  Offenders are permitted seven visits per month, with no more than three on weekends or holidays. All visitors must arrive by 6:00 p.m.

General visiting guidelines

You must be on your inmate’s approved visitation list in order to be granted a visit.  The inmate is responsible for arranging their visits and notifying their visitors of their visiting status.  

To check if you are on the offender’s visitor list, you should write a letter to your inmate because staff can’t tell you whether or not you are on an offender’s visitation list when you call the facility.  

All adult visitors age 18 and over must complete a Prospective Visitor's Interview (PVI) form on their first visit to Lincoln Correctional Center. This PVI form can be completed in advance and brought in on the first visit.

Visitors must submit to a body search by officers at the Visitor Center. If you are intoxicated or under the influence of alcohol or drugs, you will not be allowed to visit.

Visitor Property Policy

Visitors are not allowed to bring electronic devices such as cell phones or tablets. Other items not allowed in the visiting room include food, drink, smoking materials, currency, packages, purses, bags, sacks, books, magazines, sunglasses, or personal keys.   

Visitors may place personal items in small lockers available in the Visiting Center for 25 cents.  The locker key may be carried into the facility after the visitor secures personal responsibility for these items.  The facility will not assume responsibility for these items.

No baby food, except two plastic baby milk bottles are to be taken into the Visiting Room.  Baby items may consist of one baby blanket and two diapers.

Required Identification

All adult visitors will be required to produce photo identification (ID) and verification of his or her date of birth.  Be sure to bring two forms of identification with youㅡone should be a current state issued photo ID.

Dress Code

All visitors must be dressed appropriately for a prison environment or the visit will not be permitted.  Clothing must be in good taste and not advertise or suggest any items in such a manner to signify a Security Threat Group or other illegal activity.  Visitors should not wear clothing that is sexually explicit, offensive, or degrading. All visitors must wear underwear and female visitors must wear a bra.  Visitors should not wear clothing which reveals the buttocks or breasts.

Examples of inappropriate dress for visitors are: short shirts or dresses, wrap around skirts, see-through clothing, see-through or low-cut blouses, tube tops, halter tops, tank tops, swim suits or swim suit tops, short shorts, clothing with “cutouts” or leggings.  Dresses or skirts should extend to the knees.

Contraband

Bringing contraband into an Illinois DOC facility is a criminal offense as specified in the Illinois Criminal Code of 1961.

"Contraband" means items which are prohibited by criminal law, departmental or facility rules or posted notices.  They are items which an offender has no authority to possessㅡproperty which is in excess of that which is authorized by the facility.

All persons, vehicles, and items brought onto State property are subject to search. Failure to  submit to a search will result in denial, suspension, or restriction of visiting privileges. 

Information about Vending Machines

The visiting rooms at the facilities offer a variety of products for purchase in vending machines provided by outside vendors.

Vending machine items may only be purchased using a debit card.  Visitors may purchase a debit card at the facility, normally at the gatehouse. The price of the debit card will vary by facility depending upon the vendor providing the service.

Any vending items purchased must be consumed during the visit and may not be carried out of the visiting room.

Video Visits

The Illinois DOC has partnered with Global Tel*Link (GTL) to provide video visitation services for the Lincoln Correctional Center.

All potential visitors must register with GTL. Registration process will include completing a Prospective Visitor Interview Form; all visitors must fully complete this form with GTL even if they have completed this form at a facility.

All visitors must be on the offender’s approved visitation list in order to be granted a visit. Video Visitation Hours are as follows:

Sunday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.; 12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.; 4:00 p.m.– 8:00 p.m.

Visitors should log on to the GTL site 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time, and all video visits will be scheduled through the GTL website. Do not call the facility to schedule a video visit. 

You should check before scheduling the video visit of dates and times that are available for the offender. Staff at the facility can’t tell you if a date or time will work with an offender’s daily schedule. The facility will inform the offender of the pending visit and arrange for the offender to be present.

In order to accommodate all offenders at the Lincoln Correctional Center:

• An offender may only receive one video visit per day.
• No more than three approved visitors per video visit for offenders confined in general population or protective custody status.
• An offender may receive only two video visits per week. This is counted against allotted visits.
• Visitors may only schedule one video visit per day.
• All video visits must be scheduled at least seven days in advance.
• Visits may be scheduled up to 30 days in advance.
• Only scheduled visitors may appear in the video visit monitor.
• One visitor on screen at a time, excluding children who need assistance sitting for the visit.

Video Visitation is a privilege and is only available to offenders in general population or in the health care unit. Offenders housed in Segregation, in orientation, or temporarily housed at the facility will not be permitted video visitation. 

All video visits are monitored live and recorded, any violation of visitation rules, inappropriate conduct, or language may be subject to immediate termination of the video visit with or without warning. The visit Dress Code policy applies to video visitation.

How to Call an Inmate

Inmates at the Lincoln Correctional Center can’t receive incoming calls. However, they do have access to a phone during assigned times and can make outgoing calls. For complete details on how to call an inmate in Illinois, please click here.

How to Send Money

You can send money to an inmate at Lincoln Correctional Center via GTL (ConnectNetwork), JPAY, Western Union, or money order. You must have the inmate’s name and IDOC number to send money.

• GTL (ConnectNetwork) 
• JPAY 
• MoneyGram locations using the Blue MoneyGram Express Payment Formー receiving code is 7364
• Western Union online or at locations using the Quick Collect Form – code city and state are ILDOC  IL

Money Orders

Please note that a money order must be sent directly to the lockbox, NOT to the facility. Money orders must be sent with the lockbox deposit slip and must be complete with the inmate name, IDOC inmate number, sender’s name, and address.

Deposit slips are available by clicking here. The money orders should be sent with a deposit slip, be made payable to JPay, and sent to the following address:

JPay
PO Box 260250
Hollywood, FL 33026

​Programs For ​Inmates

Academic:

• ABE (Adult Basic Education)
• GED (General Education Development)
• Associate of Liberal Studies
• Associate of Arts

Vocational:

• Business Management
• Commercial Custodian
• Computer Technology I & II
• Construction Occupations
• Food Services
• Horticulture

Industries:

• Furniture Shop

Volunteer Services:

• Assistance with religious activities
• Storybook Program
• Narcotics Anonymous
• Alcoholics Anonymous
• Incarcerated Veterans Transition Programs

Other:

• Job Preparedness
• Life Skills
• Youthful Offender Program
• Substance Abuse Counseling
• Anger Management
• Parenting Classes
• Leisure Time Activity
• Library/Law Library
• Chaplaincy
• Sex Offender Program
• Community Work Crews
• Lifestyle Redirection
• Trac 1
• Toast Masters

Pictures of Lincoln Correctional Center

Careers at Lincoln Correctional Center

If you are interested in a career with the Illinois Department of Corrections at the Lincoln Correctional Center, you can find available positions by clicking here.