Everything You Need to Know About the Menard Correctional Center

The Menard Correctional Center was built in 1878 and was once known as the Southern Illinois Penitentiary. Sometimes called the "Menard Correctional Facility," this prison is a maximum security facility that houses medium custody inmates in a separate unit. The prison holds approximately 3,857 male inmates.

The Menard Correctional Center has several industry programs, including meat processing, cleaning supplies factory, and waste removal. Inmates can gain vocational training in any of these fields, as well as adult basic education. Counseling services are also available, like anger management, substance abuse treatment, and sex offender treatment.

Menard Correctional Center Contact Information

Ways to Connect With Inmates at Menard Correctional Center on Your Own

By Mail

1. All inmates in Illinois are allowed to receive mail
2. Mail is subject to a strict screening process for contraband. All non- related mail will be opened and searched.
3. Inmates are allowed to receive photographs. They must be smaller than 4" x 6" and cannot contain nudity.
4. You will need to know the inmate's ID number to send them mail
5. Address mail to:

Inmate Name, ID Number ​ Menard Correctional Center P.O. Box 1000 Menard, IL 62259

By Phone

1. All inmates are allowed to make outgoing calls to people on their approved contact list.
2. To get on an inmate's approved mailing list, you must write to them asking that you be added
3. An inmate may call you using collect or Securus
4. Securus will charge a connection fee plus a per-minute rate.

Sending Money

There are four ways to send money to an inmate at Menard Correctional Center:

MoneyGram, Online, phone, and mail.

1. For MoneyGram deposits, simply visit any MoneyGram kiosk in Walmart or CVS. Use receive code 7364. Be sure to have the inmate's name and ID handy.
2. Use JPay for online deposits. Be prepared to pay a fee. The maximum deposit is $5,000.
3. You will also want to use Jpay for over-the-phone deposits. To do this, simply call JPay at 1-800-574-5729.
4. Sending money by mail has the lowest amount of fees and also requires using JPay. Simply get a money order from the USPS, make it payable to JPay, and put the inmate's name and ID number in the memo field. Complete the money order deposit form, and mail it to:

JPay P.O. Box 260250 Hollywood, FL 33026

Visitation

1. First-time visitors must complete the Prospective Visitor's Interview form.
2. Anyone 17 and older must be on the inmate's approved visitation list prior to visiting. Contact the inmate if you need to be added. The Illinois DOC will not confirm if you are on the visitation list.
3. All adult visitors must bring a photo ID.
4. General population visiting hours are Sunday - Friday from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm and Saturdays from 8:00 am - 5:30 pm. Segregation and Administrative Detention visiting hours are every day from 8:00 am - 2:00 pm. Orientation inmates are only allowed -related visits.
5. We always recommend calling should there be any schedule changes or new Covid Protocols. The number is (618)-826-5071.

Steps to Take Before Contacting a Prisoner at Menard Correctional Center

• No matter how you plan on contacting an inmate, you will need their ID. You can use the Illinois Department of Corrections lookup tool to try to locate it.
• Familiarize yourself with the rules of communication and visitation. You don’t want to travel a great distance only to be turned away, or worse, lose your visitation rights. If you are caught trying to bring or send contraband into the prison, there could be severe consequences.

DoNotPay can help with our Connect With an Inmate product if you are unsure.

Difficulties You May Have Contacting Loved Ones in Menard Correctional Center

• The needs of families of inmates are often neglected
• Working with the Illinois DOT can be frustrating
• Traveling to visit an inmate in person can be time-consuming, emotionally draining, and costly

DoNotPay Has a Better Way to Contact a Loved One at Menard Correctional Center

• Write to a prisoner. Our write a prisoner digital tool allows you to write a letter online. We will then print a physical letter and mail it directly to its recipient.
• Inmate correspondence. DoNotPay will walk you through how to write a letter to an inmate
• Prison pen pals. We can help you meet an unknown prisoner to become Pen Pals.
• Inmate visitation. We are experts on Illinois DOC visitation rules. If you have any problems, DoNotPay can help.

How to Use DoNotPay to Connect With a Prisoner

You can connect with an inmate at the Menard Correctional Center by following these five easy steps:

1. Locate the Connect With an Inmate service on DoNotPay.

2. Choose whether you want to locate a loved one, create a virtual mailbox, or send a personalized letter.

3. If you want us to find your loved one, provide his or her personal details and the state they are located in. We'll then conduct a search on the appropriate state database.

4. If you want to create a virtual mailbox, just provide your full name! We'll set one up for you so you can easily receive incoming mail from your loved one.

5. If sending a personalized letter, tell us which facility your loved one is located in and what you would like to say to them. You can even include a photo! Your letter will be delivered automatically - just wait 10 days for it to arrive to your loved one!

See how easy that was? You don't need to worry about your mail getting lost or wonder about what can and cannot go in the mail. Let DoNotPay handle it for you.

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