Montgomery County

Its jail, located in Hillsboro, has a capacity of 42.

Montgomery County has a population of 27,615 and is classified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as “Nonmetro - Urban population of 5,000 to 20,000, adjacent to a metro area”.

9inspections failed since 2017

5incidents reported 2019–2025

2deaths in custody

1death never counted by the state

Annual inspections

Between 2017 and 2025, the Montgomery County jail has failed nine of nine Illinois Department of Corrections inspections.

Inspectors cited violations to “Personnel” regulations most often, bringing it up in eight of those failed inspections.

Year	Result	Violations cited
2025	Noncompliant	Personnel701.20 Supervision701.130 Security701.140
2024	Noncompliant	Personnel701.20 Admission Procedures701.40 Housing701.80 Sanitation701.120 Supervision701.130 Security701.140
2023	Noncompliant	Administration701.10 Personnel701.20 Medical and Mental Health Care701.90 Supervision701.130 Security701.140
2022	Noncompliant	Personnel701.20 Sanitation701.120 Supervision701.130 Security701.140
2021	Noncompliant	Sanitation701.120 Commissary701.250
2020	Noncompliant	Personnel701.20 Admission Procedures701.40 Housing701.80 Medical and Mental Health Care701.90 Sanitation701.120
2019	Noncompliant	Personnel701.20
2018	Noncompliant	Personnel701.20
2017	Noncompliant	Personnel701.20 Supervision701.130 Discipline701.160

Each violation links to the standard it cites in the Illinois County Jail Standards. Years link to the full inspection report for that year on the IDOC website.

Extraordinary or unusual incidents

Montgomery County reported 5 extraordinary or unusual incidents at its jail between 2019 and 2025 — 1.8 per 10,000 residents, the 75th highest rate of the 92 Illinois counties with a jail.

Among the 24 non-metro counties with a small urban centre it is 22nd; those counties report a median of 11.8. The median for every county with a jail is 7.

A county reporting less could indicate lower incident rates or lower reporting rates.

Incidents per 10,000 residents

Montgomery CountyNon-metro counties with a small urban centre Every other county with a jail

Each dot is one of the 92 Illinois counties with a jail, placed by its rate.

Most frequent categories

Fight among detainees2
Suicide attempt1
Riot or rebellion1
Escape1
Attempted escape1

A single report can fall into more than one category.

Reported incidents by year

20201
20243
20251

Deaths in custody

Between 2019 and 2025, 2 people died in custody of the Montgomery County sheriff. Of those, 1 was not counted in state oversight data.

Each death in the Montgomery County jail

Counted by the state Uncounted

Data compiled 2026-09-15. Methodology.