Northern Reception and Classification Center

The Northern Reception and Classification Center (NRC) functions as the major adult male intake and processing unit for the entire state of Illinois. The NRC contains 1,800 beds in 24 housing units. Within the NRC is also the Stateville Minimum Security Unit.

Offenders admitted to the NRC are in reception status. They remain in reception status until they are transferred to a permanent institution. Privileges and movement are limited at the reception center. There is no set time frame for processing an inmate. The processing varies per inmate

Stateville Correctional Center is the parent institution for the Northern Reception and Classification Center.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

Visiting hours are daily from 8:00am to 2:30pm. All visitors must be on the offender’s approved visitation list in order to be granted a visit.  Offenders are 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 the offender to inquire.  IDOC staff cannot tell you whether or not you are on an offender’s visitation list if you call the facility.  Visiting privileges may be denied if the institution or a portion of the institution is on lockdown.

On the first visit to a correctional facility, adult visitors (age 18 and older) will be required to complete a Prospective Visitor's Interview (PVI) form, called a DOC 0148. This PVI form can be completed and brought in on the first visit.

General In-Person Visit Guidelines

Visitation is encouraged to help offenders maintain ties with family, friends, and others in the community.  

Offenders in the general population or protective custody are permitted seven visits per calendar month, with only one occurring on any weekend.  Visits for offenders who are housed in the general population or protective custody units except those designated as extremely high escape risks may be limited to two hours on weekdays and one hour on weekends. However, they can last up to four hours.

Visits for offenders who are confined in disciplinary segregation who are designated as extremely high escape risks are limited to one hour.

Visitors must submit to a body search by officers at the Visitor Center.  Visitors who are intoxicated or under the influence of alcohol or drugs will not be permitted entry.

Upon entering the Visiting Room, the Visiting Room Officer will assign a table for seating during the visit.  No moves will be permitted once seated unless approved by security staff. Visits are subject to monitoring and recording at any time by departmental staff.

Visitors are expected to be courteous and cooperative with IDOC staff.  Visitors are expected to comply with staff directives and keep the noise down in respect for other visitors and staff.

Visitor Property Policy

Visitors are not allowed to bring electronic devices such as cell phones or pagers, food, drink, smoking materials, currency, packages, purses, bags, sacks, books, magazines, sunglasses, or personal keys into the Visiting Room.   

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 you; one 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 possess or property 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. Outside vendors own and operate the machines and will differ from facility to facility.

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.

There are no refunds for unused money remaining on the card for any reason other than a defective card, so only put enough on the card for the single visit. Cards are only good at the facility where purchased, if the offender transfers, a new card at the current facility will need to be used.

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 Northern Reception and Classification 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. Any omissions of required information on the form may result in your registration not being accepted, causing unnecessary delays. Adults are encouraged to register themselves first, and then add their minor children or guardians to the system.

All visitors must be on the offender’s approved visitation list in order to be granted a visit. 

All video visits will be scheduled through the GTL website. Do not call the facility to schedule a video visit. The visitor should check before scheduling the video visit of dates and times that are available for the offender. The facility cannot tell a potential visitor 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 Northern Reception and Classification Center:

• An offender may only receive one video visit per day.
• No more than three approved visitors per video visit for offenders confined in the 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 to do a video visitation. If an offender receives discipline between the time a visit is confirmed and the time of the visit, the visit may be cancelled; the visitor will receive an email of the cancellation. If the facility goes on lock down prior to a scheduled video visit, the visitor will receive an email. 

All visits are subject to monitoring and recording.

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. 

Your use of video visitation and acceptance of the rules is consent to have both audio and video recorded of the video visit. Attorney/Client privileges do not apply to video visitation, ALL visits are recorded. Dress Code policy below applies to video visitation and the termination of Visit/Loss of Visiting Privileges also applies to video visitation.

No video visitation visits will be scheduled between 2:30pm-4:30pm due to institutional count procedures.

How to Call an Inmate

You can’t call an inmate at the Northern Reception and Classification Center. However, inmates 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

Inmates may receive money via GTL (ConnectNetwork), JPAY, Western Union, or money order.

(A money order must be sent directly to the lockbox, NOT to the facility; see information below regarding money orders.)

Funds up to $5,000 may be sent to inmates via the following methods, except MoneyGram, who has a maximum limit of $3,000.

• GTL (ConnectNetwork) at https://web.connectnetwork.com/facilities/illinois-department-of-corrections/
• JPAY at www.jpay.com
• MoneyGram locations using the Blue MoneyGram Express Payment Formーreceiving code is 7364
• Western Union at www.westernunion.com or at locations using the Quick Collect Formーcode city and state are ILDOC  IL

For all electronic transfer of funds, the inmate IDOC number and incarcerated last name must be used. Funds sent via GTL, JPAY and Western Union are anticipated to be applied to the inmate's account within 24-48 business hours.  

Funds sent via Money Gram are anticipated to be applied to the inmate's account within 72 to 96 business hours.  

Money Orders

Inmates may receive money orders not to exceed $999.99. The 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 can be obtained at https://www.jpay.com/moneyorder.aspx. 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

Adult Education Services

The mission of the Office of Adult Education and Vocational Services (OAEVS) is to provide to all incarcerated inmates an educational assessment that will determine the inmate’s achievement level, mandated basic literacy programming in reading and math for inmates who are below the 6th grade level, special education services to those who qualify with an educational handicap, a GED instructional program that will qualify the inmate to take and pass the GED test, and an instructional program in Life Skills that will better prepare them for community reintegration upon release. College academic and vocational courses are also available to qualifying offenders.

• Adult Basic Education – An open-entry program designed to provide individual instruction in basic math, reading and life skills to those who test below a 6.0 on the TABE test.
• Pre-GED – An open-entry program designed to improve individuals’ basic math, reading, and life skills to improve TABE test results from 6.0 to 9.0 for entry into the GED program.
• General Education Development (GED) – An open entry-program which will prepare an individual for the GED test as well as life skills. Program entry is based upon a TABE score of 9.0 or above.
• Special Education – Provides screening diagnosis and individualized instruction for learning disabled, behavior disordered, and mentally challenged students under the age of 21.
• Title I – Comprises instruction for neglected and delinquent learners less than 21 years of age in math and reading.

TRAC – Taking Responsibility and Changing

The TRAC Program takes place immediately following orientation at the parent facility, Stateville Correctional Center. This program is designed to help offenders focus on their goals and enter productive programming while incarcerated which will enhance their opportunity reenter society successfully. 

The program consists of 15 hours of introductory instruction on topics such as criminality, substance abuse, behavior modification, relationships and family strengthening, employment, education, health & wellness, and goal setting.

Pictures of Northern Reception and Classification Center

Careers at Northern Reception and Classification Center

If you are interested in a career with the Illinois Department of Corrections at the Northern Reception and Classification Center, click here.