Lawrence County Jail Overview
The Lawrence County Jail is operated by the Lawrence County Sheriff's Department under Sheriff Trent Masterson, with Michael Cozart listed as jail administrator in the Illinois Sheriffs' Association profile. It sits at 1306 Lexington Ave in Lawrenceville, the county seat. The people held here are local: arrestees brought in on county charges, detainees waiting for a court date, and people serving short sentences. Municipal arrests, such as those by Bridgeport Police, move into this jail when the person stays in custody.
This is a county jail, not a state prison. Anyone sentenced to a prison term is transferred into the custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections, and from that point they are found at Lawrence Correctional Center or another state facility through the state locator rather than this roster. Keeping that line clear is the key to a successful search.
Lawrence County Jail Capacity and Facts
The Illinois Sheriffs' Association lists the jail at 20 beds, a figure that reflects a small local facility. The sheriff does not publish a daily population count, and the live roster has at times shown more current-custody entries than that older bed figure, so the rated capacity is worth confirming directly with the jail. The numbers below are the operational facts the research supports.
Because the jail is small, custody can turn over quickly as people post bond, are released by the court, or are transported to state prison after sentencing.
How to Look Up an Inmate at the Lawrence County Jail
Inmate lookup at the Lawrence County Jail uses the sheriff's current inmates page, which the county links as "Lawrence County Jail Inmates." It is a single static list rather than a search form, so the search happens in your browser. Have the last name ready and spell it exactly.
- Open the Lawrence County current inmates roster from the sheriff or county site.
- Confirm the heading reads "Inmates Currently in Custody."
- Use your browser find tool to jump to the person's last name.
- Read the entry for the booking photo, charges, bond, and intake date.
The county government's Sheriff and Jail page, shown below, is where the official inmate quick link lives alongside the sheriff's contact detail.
That page is the Lawrence County Sheriff and Jail page, which links the roster and names the sheriff.
If a name does not appear, call the corrections staff, since a person may have just been booked, already released, or moved to state custody. The full search method is covered on the jail inmate records page.
Lawrence County Jail Address and Contact
The jail shares an address with the sheriff's corrections department, and the corrections line handles custody and bond questions day or night. The sheriff does not publish jail lobby hours, so call before visiting in person.
Lawrence County Jail
1306 Lexington Ave
Lawrenceville, IL 62439
(618) 943-1693
Corrections staff line, day or night
Visiting Someone at the Lawrence County Jail
Visits open only after a detainee has been in custody 72 hours, and the sheriff treats visitation as a privilege that can be revoked for any rule breach. Each detainee gets two 20-minute visits a week, which can run back to back if requested and time allows. Up to three adults may visit at once, anyone under 18 must come with an adult, and every visit has to be arranged the day before.
| Day | Hours | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday | 9:00-10:30 a.m.; 1:00-2:30 p.m.; 6:00-7:30 p.m. | In-person, no contact |
| Sunday | 9:00-10:30 a.m.; 1:00-2:30 p.m.; 6:00-7:30 p.m. | In-person, no contact |
| Weekdays | No scheduled visits | Arrange weekend visits a day ahead |
Adult visitors need a valid state-issued ID and proper attire. Cell phones, jackets, purses, and photographs are not allowed in the visitation area, visits are monitored and may be recorded, and there are no contact visits for any reason.
Mail, Phone, and Money at the Lawrence County Jail
Mail goes to the detainee's name at the jail address and is inspected for contraband. The jail does not accept packages, stamps, or photographs by mail, and detainees buy writing materials and stamps from commissary. Phone access runs from the cells between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., with a two-minute card given after booking and paid cards available afterward.
| Service | Provider / Detail |
|---|---|
| Mail Address | Detainee name, 1306 Lexington Ave, Lawrenceville, IL 62439; no packages, stamps, or photos |
| Phone | In-cell phones 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; cards $10 for 20 minutes or $20 for 40 minutes |
| Money / Bond | Exact cash, certified check to the circuit clerk, or card; phone bond payments at 800.352.9870 |
Messages are not passed to detainees for any reason, so calls have to be made during phone hours.
Posting Bond at the Lawrence County Jail
When a court has set a monetary bond, the sheriff's corrections department accepts payment around the clock. The method matters, because the jail keeps no cash on hand and cannot make change, so cash payments must be the exact amount. A certified check has to be made payable to the circuit clerk, and major credit or debit cards are accepted with a handling fee. Personal checks are never taken. A card payment can be made remotely by phone, which helps families who are not local.
| Payment | Accepted | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cash | Yes | Exact amount only; the jail cannot make change. |
| Certified check | Yes | Payable to the Lawrence County Circuit Clerk. |
| Credit or debit card | Yes | Handling fee applies; phone payments at 800.352.9870 use Agency Bail Form Number 1021 with a $3.50 call fee. |
| Personal check | No | Not accepted under any circumstances. |
The person posting bond receives a receipt, and a detainee released from the jail is given a date for their next court appearance when one applies. Because Illinois bail reform decides most new cases through a hearing rather than a payment, call the corrections line first to confirm that a money bond is actually what the case needs.
Warrants and Custody in Lawrence County
Many bookings at the Lawrence County Jail begin with a warrant. The sheriff keeps a separate current warrants list, and the page tells anyone who finds their name to call the circuit clerk at (618) 943-2815 to learn what is owed and how to resolve it. If a person on the list has died, the office needs a copy of the death certificate to remove the warrant. An outstanding warrant can turn into a fresh booking and a roster entry the moment the person is taken into custody, which is how the warrant list and the inmate roster connect.
- Detainer
- Another agency's hold that can keep a person in the jail even after the local charge is resolved.
- Intake
- The booking stage where staff record identity, charges, and a booking photo.
- Pretrial release
- Release under court-set conditions rather than a cash payment, used for many new cases under Illinois bail reform.
- Commissary
- The jail store where detainees buy phone cards, stamps, and writing materials.
Booking and Intake at the Lawrence County Jail
A Lawrence County arrest that stays in custody moves through intake at the jail. Staff record identity and demographic details, take a booking photo, enter the charges, log an intake time, and note the arresting agency. The booking photo and intake date are the same fields that then appear on the public roster, which is why a new entry shows up shortly after a person is processed.
From intake, the path forward depends on the court. Detainees are taken to the courthouse only when the court tells correctional staff to bring them, and an escort goes with them. After a conviction and a prison sentence, the jail holds the person for transport until the state takes custody, at which point they move off this roster. The full arrest-to-court path is covered on the court records after a jail arrest page.
About the Lawrence County Jail
The jail sits two blocks east of Route 1 on Lexington Avenue, and the Illinois Sheriffs' Association gives the local route as Route 1 to Lexington Avenue, then east two blocks, with the jail on the south side. The sheriff's office lists a full staff of deputies, corrections officers, and courthouse security alongside the sheriff and chief deputy. The sheriff's corrections page was under construction at the time of research, so the inmate-information page is the strongest official source for jail operations.
Note: Confirm custody, visiting eligibility, and any holds by phone at (618) 943-1693 before traveling to the jail or sending money.