Robinson Correctional Center

Robinson Correctional Center is a minimum-security prison for male inmates located in Robinson, Illinois. The facility is approximately 6.5 miles from the Indiana border and 230 miles due south of Chicago. Owned and operated by the Illinois Department of Corrections, it has a population of 1,176 inmates and an operational capacity of 1,197. 

The facility is comprised of 23 buildings, which provide more than 200,000 square feet of serviceable space. This includes six housing units, each containing 10 dormitory rooms, an administration building, a control center, mailroom, armory, and main gate. 

Also included are an academic/vocation building, a multi-purpose building with a gym and non-denominational chapel, a medical unit, segregation unit, food service building, and a building housing identification, personal property, commissary, and laundry. Outside the perimeter fence sits a maintenance building, warehouse and a training facility. The entire complex occupies approximately 100 acres.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

General Population visiting hours at Robinson Correctional Center are seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Offenders are permitted seven visits per month, with no more than three on weekends or holidays.

Segregation visiting hours are daily from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Segregation Visits are limited to two visits per month for only one hour.

General visiting guidelines

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

To check if you are on your inmate’s visitor list, you should write them a letter and ask because staff can’t tell you that information 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 Robinson 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 can rent small lockers in the Visiting Center for 25 cents for personal items.  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 room offers 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 Robinson 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 on Sunday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 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. 

Before scheduling your video visit, you should check on the 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 Robinson 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 inmates in the general population.

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 Robinson 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

• 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)

Vocational:

• Food Services
• Horticulture
• Commercial Custodial
• Career Technologies
• Two-Year College Degree Program

Volunteer Services:

• Literacy Volunteers

Other:

• Life Skills
• Substance Abuse
• Anger Management
• Incarcerated Veterans Transition Program
• Leisure Time Activity
• Chaplaincy
• Library Services
• Community Work Crews
• Transitions
• Alcoholics Anonymous
• Narcotics Anonymous
• Job Preparation
• Parole School
• Lifestyle Redirection
• Parenting
• Domestic Violence
• Orientation for New Offenders
• Reentry Summit

Pictures of Robinson Correctional Center

Careers at Robinson Correctional Center

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