Peoria County Jail

A correctional officer was arrested and immediately fired from the Peoria County Jail Thursday night after an allegation of passing contraband to a detainee in exchange for money.

Peoria County Jail, in recent years, has restrained its charges for longer durations than other jails in Illinois and far past industry recommendations. There is evidence of a mental health issue in at least 70% of its restraint incidents.

The Peoria County Jail needs some serious work. The county board now has five potential options for how to tackle it — depending on how much money and time they're willing to spend.

Peoria County Sheriff Chris Watkins says an analysis of options to upgrade the jail facility is nearly complete.

Sheriff Chris Watkins says the 31-year-old man was found unresponsive in a cell by himself shortly before 1 a.m Tuesday.

In a wide-ranging interview with WCBU, Peoria County Sheriff Chris Watkins discusses how the no-cash bail system has impacted the jail population, addressing infrastructure needs at the facility, and other issues related to county law enforcement.

The Illinois State Police are investigating the death of an inmate at the Peoria County Jail Saturday.

In a conversation with WCBU reporter Joe Deacon, Peoria County Sheriff Chris Watkins talks about a variety of issues and concerns his office is facing, including the state of their buildings.

Later this week, Jonathon Robinson's life starts again. But for now, he's focused on the preparations. For around a month, he's been attending classes with the Elite Re-Entry program.

The Peoria County Jail is experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak, and complications from the virus have claimed the life of a 25-year-old corrections officer.