Wayne County
Its jail, located in Fairfield, has a capacity of 28.
Wayne County has a population of 15,928 and is classified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as “Nonmetro - Urban population of fewer than 5,000, not adjacent to a metro area”.
Annual inspections
Between 2017 and 2025, the Wayne County jail has failed two of nine Illinois Department of Corrections inspections.
| Year | Result | Violations cited |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Compliant | — |
| 2024 | Compliant | — |
| 2023 | Compliant | — |
| 2022 | Noncompliant |
|
| 2021 | Noncompliant |
|
| 2020 | Compliant | — |
| 2019 | Compliant | — |
| 2018 | Compliant | — |
| 2017 | Compliant | — |
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
Wayne County reported 10 extraordinary or unusual incidents at its jail between 2019 and 2025 — 6.3 per 10,000 residents, the 51st highest rate of the 92 Illinois counties with a jail.
Among the 32 rural counties it is 14th; those counties report a median of 5. 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
Wayne CountyRural counties Every other county with a jail
Most frequent categories
- Suicide attempt9
- Restraints used1
A single report can fall into more than one category.
Reported incidents by year
Deaths in custody
No deaths in custody were identified at the Wayne County jail.
Illinois Answers withheld the names of some of the deceased at the request of their families.
Data compiled 2026-09-15. Methodology.