Adult Probation

What do I do if I cannot make it to my appointment?

• Probation appointments should be a priority in order to maintain compliance with your court order. However, if you have an emergency and must reschedule your appointment, you must contact your probation officer before the scheduled appointment and reschedule for a different date or time.

Where do I pay my fines and restitution?

• If you want to pay in person, you will need a bring cash or a money order to the Winnebago County Circuit Clerk Office located on the first floor of the Winnebago County Courthouse.
• If you want to pay by mail, you will send a money order to:

Winnebago County Circuit Clerk
400 W. State Street
Rockford, Illinois 61101

 Note: Be sure to include your name and case number.

Where do I go to get set up with Public Service Work?

• The Public Service Work Officer is located at the Adult Probation Center, 526 W. State St, Rockford, Illinois 61101. Be sure to bring your court order with you; a secretary will assist you. If you need to change your appointment or have questions about your Public Service Work hours, you can call the main line at (815) 319-6250 to reach the Public Service Work Officer. View the PSW Handbook

What can I expect when I first report to the Adult Probation Department?

• When you initially report from court, you will be given an appointment for the Orientation Group. This appointment will generally be during your first week of probation.
• At the Orientation Group, a supervisor will inform you of important information you will need to know while under probation supervision. You will have a chance to ask questions and will also be given an Adult Probation Handbook to take with you. 

At the end of the group, you will be given an Assessment/Intake appointment card with your first appointment date/time.

What do I have to do to travel out of state?

• You must always have the permission of your probation officer prior to traveling out of state.
• You must be in compliance with probation in order to get permission to travel out of state.
• If you are not in compliance with your probation, have a history of violent offenses or are a registered sex offender, you must receive permission from the court prior to leaving the state.
• When requesting permission to travel out of state, be sure to bring in all pertinent information which must include the following:
• Purpose of the trip
• Dates of travel
• Specific destination
• Where you will be staying (and with whom)
• Who will be going with you

Juvenile Probation

Where do I find out how many hours of Public Service Work I have left?

• Call the Juvenile Probation Department at (815) 516-2700 and ask to speak with the Public Service Work Coordinator.

Where do I pay my fines and restitution?

• For Court Costs by mail, send money order to:

Winnebago County Courthouse
Attn: Circuit Clerk
400 West State Street
Rockford, Illinois 61101

Note: (Be sure to include name and case number (00 JD 00)

• For Court Costs in person, bring cash or money order to:

Juvenile Justice Center
Attn: Circuit Clerk
211 S. Court St
Rockford, IL 61101 

Note: (Be sure to bring name and case number (00 JD 00)

• For Restitution by mail, send money order to:

Winnebago County Courthouse
Attn:  Circuit Clerk
400 W. State St
Rockford, IL  61101

Note:  Be sure to bring include name and case number (00 JD 000)

• For Restitution in person, bring cash or money order to:

Juvenile Justice Center
Attn: Circuit Clerk
211 S. Court St.  
Rockford, IL 61101

Note:  Be sure to bring name and case number (00 JD 000)

My child is a runaway or truant, can they go to Juvenile Court for this?

• Runway and Truancy are considered status offenses. Juveniles cannot be referred to Juvenile Court exclusively for runaway. For children that are runaways, parents should contact the local police department and have the minor listed as a runaway or missing person so when police come into contact with the minor, they can pick him/her up and bring them home.
• If a minor is truant from school, parents should contact the local school district for assistance or the Regional Office of Education.

How can juvenile records be expunged or erased?

• Visit the Juvenile Expungement packet, which explains the process and steps to remove the arrest, incident or case from your juvenile record.

What if I miss my court date?

• Contact your attorney or public defender.

Juvenile Detention

How do I contact my child?

• Parents and siblings are allowed to correspond with minors via US Mail. Incoming phone calls to the minors in the facility are not allowed.

How long will my child be held in Detention?

• A number of factors affect the length of time a minor will stay in the detention center. These factors include the severity of the crime with which the minor is charged; the speed at which necessary information is made available to the court; and the availability of suitable living arrangements for the minor when they are released. 

How does my child attend school?

• Three District 205 special education teachers and a para-professional instruct students throughout the year, including the summer months. 

What if my child needs a haircut?

• Arrangements can be made for a personal barber or beautician to come to the facility for haircuts. Any cost associated with this service is the responsibility of the parent or legal guardian.

My child takes medication or has medical needs.  How is that addressed? 

• The detention center has nursing staff on site between 8 – 10 a.m. as well as 8 – 10 p.m. daily. The nursing staff coordinates the distribution of all medication and how medical needs can best be addressed in the facility. Parents or Legal Guardians are financially responsible for providing all prescription medications as well as for any emergency or ongoing medical services which are deemed necessary by our medical provider. 

Can I bring food/snacks to my child in Detention?

• All food and snack items are provided by the facility. Parents may donate snack food items to the facility with the understanding that it will be used as part of the points program (token economy) and that their child will have to use points to purchase the item(s) if they are available when it is their turn to spend points.

Can I set up a tour of the detention center for my child?

• Due to both security and confidentiality issues, tours of the secure portions of the facility by individuals under the age of 21 are not allowed unless they are in a recognized College Degree program and a tour has been set up by their College. The Detention Superintendent will meet with young people and their parents to discuss what the facility is like and the programming which occurs in detention. Individuals interested in a meeting such as this should call the facility at (815) 516-2980 for more information.

How do I get my child admitted into the Detention Center?

• Admission to the center is based on a variety of factors which have been translated into a screening instrument. Minors presented by the police for admission are evaluated based on a number of factors and only those meeting the established criteria are lodged in the facility.

Can I have a copy of the police report?

• The arresting agency has procedures as to when police reports are accessible to the public.  Individuals requesting a copy of the police report need to contact the individual police department to determine their policy on the release of juvenile police reports. For an arrest by Winnebago County Sheriff's Office, call (815) 319-6100. For an arrest by the Rockford Police Department, call (815) 987-5902.

I am interested in an internship.  How do I get more information?

• College students who are at least 21 years old and who must complete an internship as part of their college course work should call the Superintendent of the Detention Center at (815) 516-2980 to discuss their particular situation and obtain the application information. Interns serve in an unpaid capacity but may be offered paying positions at the completion of their internship depending on available job openings and their job performance during that time.

Pretrial Services

What is a Pretrial Report?

• A Pretrial Report is written on those defendants arrested and still in custody the morning of arraignment court. The report includes background information such as residence, employment, education, prior criminal history, prior mental health history and driving record if arrested for a DUI or felony traffic offense. The report is read by the Judge at arraignment court to help the Court determine conditions of release.

What is Pretrial Supervision?

• Pretrial supervision is a condition of release for those defendants who are ordered by the court to report to Pretrial Services and follow specific court ordered conditions. Supervision can include reporting (in- person, by telephone or virtual) random drops, drug and alcohol evaluations, curfew checks, no contact conditions or any other condition set by the Judge prior to a defendant's release from custody.

How long will I be on Pretrial Supervision?

• A defendant is on Pretrial supervision until his or her case is resolved in court or until the condition is modified by the Court.

What happens if I violate conditions of release?

• The State's Attorney's Office, defense attorney, and the Judge will be notified of violations of conditions of release. Conditions of release may be modified by the Court.

What does having a curfew mean?

• Curfew generally refers to restricting a defendant to their home during specific times. Curfew calls are completed to the defendant’s land-line phone to verify compliance with this condition.

Can conditions of release be modified?

• Yes. The Judge is the only person who can modify, change or alter conditions of release. Usually, the defendant's attorney is the one who submits a request to the Judge asking for a change in conditions.

What if I cannot afford an attorney?

• The Public Defender is court appointed by a judge when an individual cannot afford an attorney (55 ILCS 5/3-4006).  The Public Defender represents individuals charged with criminal offenses in the areas of felony, misdemeanor, and traffic.  Additionally the Public Defender is appointed to cases in juvenile delinquency and cases involving the abuse and neglect of minors. To inquire, contact the Public Defender’s Office at (815) 319-4900.