Pretrial Detention at MCC Chicago and How to Check Where Someone Is
If someone you care about is being held at MCC Chicago before their case wraps up, they're in "pretrial" custody. Here's what that means, who can help with legal access questions at the facility, and how to use the federal inmate locator to find out where someone is—or whether they've left BOP custody.
MCC Chicago is one of the Bureau of Prisons' designated pretrial detention facilities. Why does that matter? The Bureau's Pretrial Detention Legal Access Handbook is specifically written for adults held in BOP pretrial custody while their criminal case is pending. If a judge orders someone detained while the case proceeds, the handbook applies throughout that pretrial period - right up until sentencing.
Note: Pretrial status can shape how legal access is handled while someone is waiting for their case to be resolved and before sentencing.
Need answers about someone inside the facility? Start with the Unit Team. This group includes the Unit Manager, Counselor, Case Manager, and Unit Secretary - they're your main point of contact.
- ✓ Ask the person’s Unit Team when you have questions about legal access at MCC Chicago.
- ✓ Confirm the best way for the person in custody to reach their attorney or defense team through the facility’s procedures.
- ✓ Ask what the current process is for accessing legal materials while in pretrial custody.
- ✓ If something isn’t working (missed legal call, access issue, timing problem), ask the Unit Team what the next step is to get it fixed.
The Bureau of Prisons' inmate locator covers federal inmates incarcerated from 1982 to the present. It's the best starting point when you need to confirm whether someone is in BOP custody and where they're being held.
Check the status line carefully. If it says "Released" or "Not in BOP Custody" with no facility listed, that person is no longer in BOP custody. But that doesn't necessarily mean they're home. They could be held by another correctional or law-enforcement agency, or they may be on parole or supervised release.
Tip: The locator confirms BOP custody and location. But if you see "Released" or "Not in BOP Custody" with no facility listed, you'll need to follow up elsewhere - through the person's attorney or another jurisdiction - to find out what happened next.
One thing to watch for: the Bureau warns that release dates in the inmate locator may not be current. First Step Act time-credit changes mean sentences are being reviewed and recalculated, so what you see online might not reflect the latest information.
- Check the locator more than once - the Bureau advises checking back periodically in case information changes.
- Verify release information through counsel - if timing matters for court or reentry planning, the person’s attorney can help confirm current status.
- Use the Unit Team for legal-access questions - if the issue is about legal access while in pretrial custody, ask the Unit Team what applies right now.
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