Electronic Monitoring
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SPECIAL UPDATE
Since 15 December 2008, placements onto Electronic Monitoring are being made in Central Bond Court. Recently arrested persons who wish to be placed on Electronic Monitoring should immediately notify their attorneys and/or court personnel of this fact.
In addition, persons incarcerated in the Department of Corrections may ask their attorneys to bring the same request in the appropriate court.
The Cook County Sheriff’s Electronic Monitoring program is a pre-trial monitoring program created to ease overcrowding in the Cook County Department of Corrections. Since its inception in 1989, more than 250,000 persons have been placed on EM.
The monitoring program is utilized as a community-based alternative incarceration concept that allows non-violent, pre-trial and short-time sentenced inmates to remain in the community instead of being incarcerated in jail. The average daily population of this program is well over 700, which includes various other County-run diversion programs.
How It Works
The detainee is fitted with an ankle bracelet that is the transmitter. The detainee wears the ankle bracelet 24 hours a day. The transmitter emits a constant radio signal to the HMRU (Home Monitoring Receiving Unit) – a receiver attached to the detainee’s home phone. Over the telephone line, the HMRU informs the Monitoring Center when the detainee leaves and enters the home, as well as if he/she should try to tamper with the equipment.
What Detainees Can Do While On The Program
Work, attend school and participate in job skill programs, and by obtaining permission, detainees can leave their homes to get food stamps, go to public aid, cash aid checks, go on job interviews, and meet with their lawyers or probation officers.
Electronic Monitoring Unit
2323 S. Rockwell St.
Chicago, Illinois 60608
773-843-7323