Sheriff’s Work Alternative Program
Statistics 
Rearrests While On Pretrial Release
Successful vs. Unsuccessful Completions
The Cook County Sheriff’s Electronic Monitoring program is the world’s largest pre-trial monitoring program. This program was created to ease overcrowding in the Cook County Department of Corrections. since its inception in 1989, almost 87,000 persons have been placed on EM.
The monitoring program is utilized as a community-based alternative incarceration concept that allows non-violent, pre-trial and short-time sentenced inmates to remain in the community instead of being incarcerated in jail. The average daily population of this program is approximately 1,200, of which 85% are pre-trial.
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“Cook County’s Electronic Monitoring Program is considered the best of its kind, serving as the prototype for programs all over the world.” —The Compiler |
- Monitoring Section
- Responsible for the day to day operations of the Monitoring Center, the Dispatch Desk and the Permission Desk.
- Patrol Section
- Responsible for conducting field investigations relating to EM participant’s violations; conducting daily an average of 150 unannounced home visits; and reincarcerating violators of the program.
- Records Section
- Responsible for evaluating files from the general population of the DOC for eligibility on EM.
- Work/School Section
- Verifies and maintains work/school schedules for inmates participating in EM.
- Technical Service Section
- Processes inmates for release onto EM, repairs or replaces damaged monitoring equipment, and recovers lost or stolen equipment.
Shown above is the Home Monitoring Receiving Unit (HMRU) on left and the ankle bracelet on the right. |
How It Works
The detainee is fitted with an ankle bracelet that is the transmitter. The detainee wears the ankle
bracelet 24 hours a day. The transmitter emits a constant radio signal to the HMRU (Home Monitoring Receiving Unit)
– a receiver attached to the detainee’s home phone. Over the telephone line, the HMRU informs the Monitoring Center
when the detainee leaves and enters the home, as well as if he/she should try to tamper with the equipment.
Who Is Not Eligible for EM?
After reviewing jail records, the Sheriff’s Office will exclude inmates for the following offenses or previous history:
- All Class X Crimes
- “D” Bond > $300,000
- Most Class 1 Felonies
- “C” Bond > $10,000
- Psychiatric Unit Inmates
- Uneven Bond Amounts
- Violent Criminal Background
- Sex Offenses
- Domestic Violence
What Detainees Can Do While On The Program
Work, attend school and participate in job skill programs, such as Probation Challenge and Goodwill Industries.
Also, by obtaining permission, detainees can leave their homes to get food stamps, go to public aid, cash aid checks,
go on job interviews, and meet with their lawyers or probation officers.
Electronic Monitoring Unit
3026 South California Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60608
773.869.7952
Copyright©2007 Cook County Sheriff’s Department. All Rights Reserved.