How to send messages, photos, and packages
Menard Correctional Center uses ICSolutions for video visitation—register with ICSolutions before scheduling a video visit. For those in restrictive housing, video visits are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM. No video visits are scheduled from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM due to institutional count procedures. Menard also offers electronic messaging through ICSolutions CorrLinks. Messages are screened and monitored, so delivery may be delayed during review. Phone calls from Menard typically show up on caller ID as (217) 512-7443. Three-way calling is strictly prohibited and can lead to disciplinary action.
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
When you send mail to someone at Menard, they might receive a scanned PDF on a tablet rather than the original paper. Here's how scanning works, what's excluded, how photos are handled, and what changes for books and magazines starting September 30, 2025.
If your loved one at Menard gets placed on
Mail at Menard follows Illinois Department of Corrections procedures. Know the timelines, what qualifies as "privileged," and how publications and certified mail work—and you'll avoid a lot of preventable delays and returns.
Menard uses ICSolutions for video visitation, so you must register with ICSolutions before you can schedule. Use the ICSolutions site or app to complete verification and set up visits.
Video visits for individuals in restrictive housing are available Monday–Friday from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM. No video sessions are scheduled from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM due to institutional count procedures.
Calls from Menard Correctional Center show the caller ID number (217) 512-7443. Three-way calls are prohibited, and violations may result in disciplinary action.
Yes. IDOC provides an ICSolutions CorrLinks electronic messaging option at Menard, and messages are screened and monitored. Messages may be delayed for review before delivery.
Yes. Menard scans most incoming non‑privileged mail, creates color PDF images, and uploads them to the individual’s bulletin board or tablet for viewing.
You can send publications, but they’re excluded from the standard scanning process. Starting September 30, 2025, publications must be mailed directly from a publisher, and visitors may not drop off publications after that date.
Getting approved to visit someone at Menard starts with the Prospective Visitor's Interview (PVI). Here's who needs one, how to handle the DOC 0148 form ahead of time, and what can slow things down or get you denied.
Menard Correctional Center uses the IDOC SignUpGenius system for scheduling in-person visits. Know where to sign up and follow the timing rules — otherwise you risk losing your slot and starting over.
Menard Correctional Center requires advance sign-up before you can visit. Start at the facility's SignupGenius page: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/menard.
