How to send messages, photos, and packages
Lawrence Correctional Center uses ICSolutions for both telephone service and video visits. All communication goes through the vendor, not the facility directly. To set up a video visit, create an ICSolutions account and download the ICSolutions/ICS Mobile app, then schedule through the website or app. People in custody cannot receive inbound calls. They can only place outgoing calls to numbers on their approved calling list. Phone time can be funded two ways: through an ICSolutions Friends & Family prepaid account, or with minutes purchased through commissary using trust account funds. During the vendor transition, expect a new domestic rate of $0.008 per minute and possible short interruptions while accounts transfer. Video visits are monitored live and recorded. General population is limited to one per day with up to three approved visitors, and visits cannot be scheduled between 2:30pm and 4:30pm due to count. Prohibited conduct (including nudity or sexual behavior) will end the visit immediately.
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If you're used to sending letters and photos through the mail, Illinois DOC's process works differently now. For most non-privileged mail, your loved one won't receive the original paper — they'll see a color-scanned PDF on their tablet instead.
If you send a letter or photos to someone at Lawrence Correctional Center, they'll most likely see a scanned copy on their tablet rather than the original paper. Here's how the process works and what commonly gets mail rejected.
Expecting your loved one to hold your actual letter? Lawrence Correctional Center's mail process might surprise you. Here's what happens to most incoming, non-privileged mail—and what commonly gets rejected.
Mail rules in Illinois DOC can feel strict — but they exist for safety and security reasons. Sending a letter, photos, or other allowed paper items? Keep everything clean, plain, and free of anything that could hide contraband. That's the fastest way to avoid delays.
When your loved one calls from an Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) facility and it goes straight to voicemail, they're not hanging up—your phone is treating the call like spam. A few quick settings changes usually fix it.
If you've mailed a letter to someone in Illinois DOC and they told you they "got it on the tablet," here's what happened. Most non-privileged mail gets scanned in color, converted to a PDF, and delivered electronically. Legal and privileged mail follows a different path—but only when it's labeled correctly.
Create an ICSolutions account and download the ICSolutions/ICS Mobile app. Schedule the visit through the ICSolutions website or app, not by calling the facility.
The caller ID number for Lawrence Correctional Center is (618) 352-3508. If you see that number on an incoming call, it's from an outgoing inmate call placed through the facility's phone system.
You can pay by creating and funding an ICSolutions Friends & Family prepaid account, or the incarcerated person can buy minutes through commissary using trust account funds. During the vendor transition, there may be a one- to two-day interruption while accounts transfer, and domestic calls are changing to $0.008 per minute. Securus Advance Connect balances will not automatically transfer. Contact Securus for refunds if needed.
Your first visit to an Illinois DOC facility goes smoother when you handle paperwork early, bring the right ID, and plan for check-in time. This checklist helps you avoid the most common reasons people get turned away at the door.
Waiting on a phone call from someone at Lawrence Correctional Center? First, your number needs to be on their approved calling list. Once you're approved, knowing the caller ID and how call blocking works will help you avoid missed calls and confusion.
Trying to stay in touch with someone at Lawrence Corrections Center? The biggest thing to know right now is that Illinois is switching phone providers. Here's how to fund calls, what to expect during the transition, and what to double-check before you add money anywhere.
