Ever heard the chilling tales echoing from within those walls? We’re standing before the Cook County Jail. It’s a place steeped in history and holding stories of both notoriety and despair.
Cook County Jail sprawls across 96 acres in South Lawndale. Some call it California or Hotel California. That’s because its address is on California Avenue. A jail has stood here since after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. But major County prisoners weren’t housed here until 1929. That’s when the old Hubbard Street Criminal Court Building and jail closed.
As of 2017, Cook County Jail was the third-largest jail system in the United States. Only Los Angeles County and New York City had larger jail systems.
Now let me tell you about some infamous figures who’ve stayed here. Al Capone himself was once an inmate. Other notorious names include Tony Accardo, Frank Nitti and Larry Hoover. Even more recent criminals like Jordan Tate, Jeff Fort, Richard Speck and John Wayne Gacy have been held here. The Cook County Jail has certainly seen its share of infamous faces.
Between 1928 and 1962, the electric chair was used 67 times at the jail. This included Illinois’ last electrocution. James Duke met his end here on August 24, 1962.
Back in the mid-to-late 1800s, suspects in serious criminal matters were held on Hubbard Street. This jail was attached to the Cook County Criminal Court Building. Meanwhile, a city jail called the Bridewell housed less serious offenders. The Bridewell moved to this site at 29th and California in 1871. But the county’s serious offenders didn’t arrive until the 1920s. The combined facilities gained a reputation. It was the largest concentration of inmates in the free world. Eventually, the County and City jails merged. They became the Cook County Department of Corrections. The Cook County Sheriff’s Office oversees it.
The adjacent George N Leighton Criminal Courts Building is where the prisoners’ criminal matters are heard. It’s a neoclassical and art deco high-rise built in the late 1920s. People often call the courthouse “26th and Cal”. It has been the site of many high-profile cases.
In 2020, the jail became a hotspot for COVID-19. There were at least 812 confirmed cases linked to the jail. A lack of testing meant the real number was likely higher. The jail’s inmate population dropped by almost one-fifth. This was after a judge ordered a review of low-risk cases. Sadly, at least six inmates and one guard died.
In July 2008, the Department of Justice released a damning report. It found that the Cook County Jail systematically violated inmates’ civil rights. The report cited failures to protect inmates from harm, provide adequate suicide prevention, and maintain sanitary conditions. There were also issues with fire safety and healthcare.
Inmates have described systematic beatings by officers and poor food quality. Overcrowding has forced inmates to sleep on cell floors. There have been reports of rodent infestations. Inmates were injured by rat and mouse bites. There were violations of privacy during strip searches. The jail failed to provide adequate medical care.
The women’s section of a former Cook County jail near Hubbard Street inspired the musical “Chicago”. B.B. King even recorded a live album here in 1970. It was called “Live in Cook County Jail”.
The Cook County Jail stands as a stark reminder. It shows the complexities of our justice system and the challenges of incarceration. Its walls hold countless stories of lives impacted by crime and confinement.