Video visitation at Illinois River: hours, who uses it, and login tips
Planning a video visit at Illinois River Correctional Center? The two things that matter most are knowing the daily time windows and logging in early. Here are the hours, a key scheduling rule, and practical tips to help your visit start on time.
Video visitation at Illinois River Correctional Center runs every day, Sunday through Saturday, in two blocks: 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The morning-to-afternoon window gives you a lot more flexibility than the shorter evening slot, so it's usually easier to grab a time there.
One visit at a time: Under Illinois Department of Corrections rules, you can only visit one incarcerated individual at a time unless you have prior written approval from the Chief Administrative Officer.
Log on 15 minutes before your scheduled video visit. That buffer gives you time to sign in, confirm your audio and camera, and troubleshoot any connection hiccups without eating into your actual visit. Joining from a phone? Update your device and close other apps beforehand so the session loads cleanly.
Sometimes video isn't just the easiest option. It may be the only one. Under IDOC visitation rules, people in restrictive housing due to a serious staff assault may be limited to attorney, clergy, and video visits (unless further restricted). If your loved one is in restrictive housing and in-person visiting isn't available, ask the facility what visit types are currently allowed for their status.
- Confirm you’re within the visit windows - Illinois River’s video hours are 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., every day.
- Log in 15 minutes early - This is the facility’s recommendation and it gives you time to sort out common connection problems.
- Do a quick reset on your side - Refresh the session, restart your device, and switch networks (Wi‑Fi to cellular, or vice versa) if the video will not load.
- Call the facility for confirmation - If the system still will not connect, contact the facility to verify whether visits are currently running before you keep troubleshooting.
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