Illinois runs a four-step grievance process. You go through the counselor, then the Grievance Officer, then the Warden (called the Chief Administrative Officer or CAO), and finally the Administrative Review Board (ARB) -- a central body that reviews your appeal and makes a recommendation to the Director of the Illinois Department of Corrections, who issues the final decision. That Director's decision is what exhausts your administrative remedies.
The ARB is the defining feature of Illinois's process. It is not a typical departmental appeal office. The ARB can hold hearings -- in person at your facility or by video or phone conference -- where you actually speak with board members about your complaint. It operates on its own schedule, and its response deadline is six months for hearings. That is the longest final-step response window in this series.
Illinois refers to incarcerated people as "individuals in custody" in all current official documents. This article uses that language in step descriptions where it matches the official forms. The two governing directives are Administrative Directive 04.01.114 (Local Individual in Custody Grievance Procedures, effective August 1, 2023) and Administrative Directive 04.01.115 (Administrative Review Board Proceedings, effective September 1, 2023), both issued under 20 Illinois Administrative Code Part 504, Subpart F.
Why the Process Matters: The PLRA
The Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1995, 42 U.S.C. section 1997e(a), requires you to exhaust all available administrative remedies before a federal court will hear a lawsuit about prison conditions. In Illinois, that means completing all four steps: counselor, Grievance Officer, Warden/CAO, and ARB, ending with the Director's final decision. Stopping after the Warden's response, even if the Warden denied you, does not exhaust your remedies.
The Supreme Court in Woodford v. Ngo (2006) held that proper exhaustion requires following all procedural rules. Miss the 60-day filing deadline without good cause, skip the counselor step for a grievance that requires it, or miss the 30-day window to appeal the Warden's decision to the ARB, and your case may be dismissed in federal court.
The exhaustion requirement applies to conditions of confinement claims. It does not apply to habeas corpus petitions challenging your conviction or sentence.
Overview of Illinois's Grievance System
AD 04.01.114 applies to all IDOC correctional facilities. It covers: any grievance regarding conditions, policies, staff actions, or other issues within the Department's authority.
What goes directly to the ARB (bypass the local counselor/Grievance Officer/Warden process):
- Decisions regarding protective custody placement (use DOC 0054 instead of DOC 0046)
- Decisions regarding the involuntary administration of psychotropic medications
- Disciplinary issues originating from a facility OTHER than where you are currently housed
- Other issues (except personal property or medical) pertaining to a facility OTHER than where you currently are
What cannot be grieved at all:
- Decisions made by the Director: facility placement, awards of supplemental sentence credit, transfer denials
- Decisions outside the Department's authority: parole decisions, clemency, court orders regarding sentence length
What is exempt from the informal counselor step:
- Alleged incidents of sexual abuse (submit directly to the appropriate level; no counselor step; no filing deadline)
Everything else goes through the full four-step local process.
The Four Steps
Step 1: Counselor
Get DOC 0046, Individual in Custody's Grievance, from your living unit or another approved location. Complete it legibly. File within **60 calendar days** after you discovered the incident, occurrence, or problem that gives rise to the grievance. Include any pertinent documentation such as a disciplinary report, Program Unit or Adjustment Committee summary, or contraband slip.
Submit DOC 0046 to your Counselor for all issues EXCEPT: emergency grievances (go to CAO), issues that go directly to the ARB (see above), disciplinary issues at your current facility, and sexual abuse allegations.
The Counselor will confer with you if necessary, clarify the issue, and complete the "Counselor's Response" section of DOC 0046. The directive does not set a hard deadline for the counselor's response. If you do not receive a response, you may treat the absence of a response as a denial and forward the grievance to the Grievance Officer.
When you receive the Counselor's response: if you accept it, the process ends. If you reject it, forward a copy of the DOC 0046 with the Counselor's response to the Grievance Officer.
Step 2: Grievance Officer
Submit the DOC 0046 (with the Counselor's response attached) to the Grievance Officer by placing it in the institutional mail, addressed to the Grievance Officer.
The Grievance Officer reviews grievances on a weekly basis. The Grievance Officer examines all relevant information and documentation, interviews witnesses, attempts to resolve the issue, and completes the "Grievance Officer's Report" section of DOC 0047. The DOC 0047 and the Grievance Officer's recommendations are then submitted to the CAO (Warden).
Special routing within this step:
- ADA/disability accommodation grievances: promptly forwarded to the facility ADA Coordinator, who must begin investigation within five business days of receipt, conduct an interactive dialogue, and submit recommendations to the CAO.
- HIPAA/medical records privacy grievances: promptly forwarded to the Facility Privacy Officer for investigation and CAO recommendation.
There is no hard deadline for the Grievance Officer's report specified in the directive. The two-month clock runs from when the CAO receives the materials.
Step 3: Chief Administrative Officer (CAO / Warden)
The CAO makes reasonable efforts within **2 months** of receipt of the grievance to review the Grievance Officer's report, render a decision, and forward a copy of the DOC 0047 to you and to the Records Office for your master file.
The directive uses "reasonable efforts" language, not an absolute deadline. In practice, per the Uptown People's Law Center's guide: the Warden does not have a set deadline to respond. If you do not receive a response within 2 months, you have options including contacting IDOC Constituent Services and your state representatives, and writing to the UPLC.
If you reject the CAO's decision, you must appeal to the ARB within **30 days** of the date of the CAO's decision. You must:
1. Sign the "Individual in Custody's Appeal to the Director" section of DOC 0047.
2. Forward a copy of DOC 0046 (with the Counselor's response) AND a copy of DOC 0047 to the ARB.
Missing the 30-day ARB appeal window forfeits your right to ARB review of that issue. If you think you missed it for good cause, explain the circumstances in your ARB submission.
Step 4: Administrative Review Board (ARB) and Director -- Final
The ARB reviews unresolved grievances to ensure due process was followed and policy was complied with. The ARB makes recommendations to the Director, who renders the final decision.
How to file: Send your appeal letter, DOC 0046, and DOC 0047 to the ARB. Only grievances submitted on DOC 0046 or DOC 0054 will be considered. Any other format will be returned using DOC 0070.
The ARB will determine whether your grievance gets an ARB Review (written materials only) or an ARB Hearing (in person or by video/phone conference at your facility). Factors include the nature and seriousness of the issue.
ARB Review: Director's decision within **4 months** of receipt where reasonably feasible.
ARB Hearing: Director's decision within **6 months** of receipt where reasonably feasible.
ARB proceedings overall: completed within **120 days** from receipt where reasonably feasible.
At an ARB Hearing, you will be notified at least 14 working days in advance and given the opportunity to participate using DOC 0256 (Hearing Notice and Waiver). If you refuse to participate, that refusal is documented in the ARB's summary to the Director.
After the ARB makes its recommendation, the Director reviews it. If the CAO at your facility disagrees with the ARB's recommendation, the CAO has 5 working days to submit a written protest to the Deputy Director and the Manager of the ARB.
The Director's written decision is sent to you and to the facility for inclusion in your master file. The Director's decision is the final step. Once it is issued, your administrative remedies are exhausted.
The ARB has 6 months for hearing decisions. This is a long window. If you do not receive a response within about 4 months, the Uptown People's Law Center recommends writing a letter to the ARB to check on the status of your grievance.
Deadlines at a Glance
All deadlines in calendar days unless noted.
Filing deadline for grievance: within 60 calendar days of discovering the incident (good cause exception)
Sexual abuse grievances: no filing time limit
Counselor response: no set deadline (absence of response = deemed denial; proceed to next step)
CAO/Warden decision: reasonable efforts within 2 months of receiving grievance
Appeal to ARB: within 30 calendar days of the CAO's decision
ARB review/proceedings: within 120 days of receipt (reasonably feasible)
ARB Review -- Director's decision: within 4 months of receipt (reasonably feasible)
ARB Hearing -- Director's decision: within 6 months of receipt (reasonably feasible)
Sexual abuse emergency: initial response within 48 hours; final decision within 5 calendar days
No response at any level: absence of timely response = deemed denial; proceed to next step
What to Put in Your Grievance
Complete DOC 0046 legibly. Include all relevant facts: dates, times, places, names of staff and witnesses, the specific harm, and the remedy you are seeking. Attach any relevant documentation (disciplinary report, committee summary, contraband slip).
The ARB appeal is a letter in your own words explaining why you disagree with the Warden's decision. Per the UPLC guide: include copies of (1) your original DOC 0046, (2) the Counselor's response, (3) the Grievance Officer's report, and (4) the Warden's/CAO's decision. Keep copies of every document at every step. This is a four-step process that spans months; you need the paper trail.
If you miss the 60-day deadline: file the grievance anyway and explain in writing why you missed the deadline. Include any documentation of good cause (illness, transfer, denial of forms). The ARB may still consider it.
Families: Families generally cannot file a grievance on your behalf -- the process requires the individual in custody to file for themselves. The exception is sexual abuse: third parties including family members, attorneys, and other incarcerated people are permitted to assist and may file on your behalf, but the alleged victim must agree to have the grievance filed on their behalf. If the alleged victim declines, that decision is documented.
When the System Fails
No Counselor response: Treat as a denial and forward the DOC 0046 to the Grievance Officer. The directive confirms that no response within the allotted time may be treated as a denial at that level.
No Warden/CAO response within 2 months: Write to IDOC's Constituent Services and your state legislators. Contact the UPLC (uplcchicago.org). If you decide to move to the ARB without a Warden response, document that you gave the Warden 2 months and received nothing.
Grievance returned by ARB: The ARB returns grievances using DOC 0070 when they are not on the correct form, need additional information, were misdirected, or require no further redress. A returned grievance tells you what is needed. Fix it and resubmit.
Retaliation: Staff are prohibited from imposing discipline due to use of the grievance process. If you experience retaliation, file a new grievance specifically about the retaliation.
Sexual abuse emergency: If you face a substantial risk of imminent sexual abuse, the Department must provide an initial response within 48 hours and a final decision within 5 calendar days. You may submit a sexual abuse grievance to any staff member other than the one who is the subject of the complaint. No grievance shall be referred to any staff member who is the subject of the complaint.
Federal Prisons in Illinois
Illinois has a notable BOP presence. Active federal facilities include USP Marion (Marion, IL), FCI Pekin (Pekin, IL), and FCI Greenville (Greenville, IL). Illinois federal facilities fall under the North Central Regional Office at U.S. Customs House, 400 State Avenue, 8th Floor, Kansas City, KS 66101.
If you are at any BOP facility in Illinois, the IDOC process described in this article does not apply to you. Federal inmates use the BOP Administrative Remedy Program running BP-8 through BP-11 under 28 CFR Part 542. See the InmateAid federal grievance article for the complete BOP process, all deadlines, and the critical distinction between a rejection and a denial.
After Exhaustion: Where to Go Next
Once the Director issues a final decision following ARB review or hearing, your administrative remedies are exhausted. Federal court is now an option for conditions of confinement claims.
Uptown People's Law Center (UPLC): uplcchicago.org; 773-769-1411; walk-in hours Tuesday and Thursday 10am-4pm. The only organization in Illinois that actively represents incarcerated people in both class action and individual cases for unconstitutional prison conditions. UPLC does not take criminal cases, county jail cases, or cases in federal or other state prisons. Illinois state prison cases only. UPLC receives 75-100 letters a week from Illinois state prisons and uses that correspondence to track trends and inform its litigation. Current active cases include Hilliard v. Hughes (mental health treatment, new case filed April 2025) and Lippert v. Hughes (medical care). Write to UPLC at 4413 N. Sheridan Rd., Chicago, IL 60640.
Equip for Equality (EFE): equipforequality.org; 1-800-537-2632. Illinois's federally mandated Protection and Advocacy organization for people with disabilities, including mental illness. Has federal authority to investigate abuse and neglect in Illinois correctional facilities. Relevant especially for disability-related grievances and mental health care complaints.
ACLU of Illinois: aclu-il.org. Works on systemic civil rights issues in Illinois including prison reform.
Illinois Legal Aid Online: illinoislegalaid.org. Provides legal information to low-income Illinoisans and maintains guides on prisoners' rights.
Jails vs. Prisons: Key Differences in Illinois
Illinois county jails are operated by county sheriffs and are completely separate from IDOC. AD 04.01.114 applies only to IDOC correctional facilities. Each county jail has its own grievance policy and the PLRA requires you to exhaust whatever process exists at that jail before filing in federal court.
Cook County Jail in Chicago is one of the largest single-site jails in the country. It has its own Resident Council and grievance process separate from IDOC. The UPLC explicitly does not handle Cook County Jail cases or cases in county facilities.
If you are in an Illinois county jail, request the jail's grievance policy in writing. Confirm the form, the filing deadline, the number of steps, and the response deadlines. File within whatever deadline the jail requires. Keep copies of everything.
Special Circumstances
Emergency grievances: Submit DOC 0046 directly to the CAO (Warden) for grievances involving substantial risk of imminent personal injury, sexual abuse, or other serious or irreparable harm. The CAO reviews and documents the emergency determination. If substantiated, the CAO expedites the response. If not substantiated, the CAO so notes in writing and returns the form to you. If you reject the CAO's non-emergency determination, forward the DOC 0046 with the CAO's decision through the normal review process.
Sexual abuse grievances: No filing deadline. Exempt from the counselor step. Third parties may assist or file on your behalf with your consent. Staff who are the subject of the complaint may not be involved in processing the grievance. Emergency sexual abuse: initial response within 48 hours; final decision within 5 calendar days. The Department may extend the 90-day final decision deadline by up to 70 days with written notice.
Protective custody: Submit DOC 0054 (not DOC 0046) directly to the ARB.
ADA and disability accommodations: Disability and ADA accommodation grievances are routed within the local grievance process to the facility ADA Coordinator, who begins investigation within 5 business days, conducts interactive dialogue, and makes recommendations to the CAO. For systemic disability issues or failures to accommodate, contact Equip for Equality (equipforequality.org) independently.
Disciplinary grievances: Disciplinary issues at your CURRENT facility go to the Grievance Officer directly (skip the counselor step). Disciplinary issues from a DIFFERENT facility go directly to the ARB. Do not send disciplinary issues from a different facility through your current facility's local process.
Frequently asked questions
What forms do I use in Illinois's grievance process?
DOC 0046 (Individual in Custody's Grievance) for almost all grievances. DOC 0054 (Protective Custody Status) for protective custody placement grievances. DOC 0047 (Response to Individual in Custody's Grievance) is completed by staff at each step. DOC 0070 is the ARB form used to return improperly submitted materials. DOC 0256 is the ARB Hearing Notice and Waiver you will receive before an ARB Hearing. Get DOC 0046 from your living unit or other approved location.
How long do I have to file my grievance?
Sixty calendar days after you discovered the incident, occurrence, or problem. Good cause exceptions apply. Sexual abuse grievances have no filing deadline. If you miss the 60-day window, file anyway and explain why in writing.
What is the ARB and what does it do?
The Administrative Review Board (ARB) is a central body appointed by the Director of IDOC to review unresolved grievances. The ARB reviews written materials or holds a hearing (in person or by video/phone at your facility), makes a recommendation to the Director, and the Director issues the final decision. The ARB's response window is up to 6 months for hearings. You must appeal the Warden's decision to the ARB within 30 days of the Warden's decision.
Do I have to go through the counselor first for every grievance?
No. Emergency grievances go directly to the CAO/Warden. Sexual abuse grievances skip the counselor. Protective custody, psychotropic medication, and inter-facility issues go directly to the ARB. Disciplinary issues at your current facility go to the Grievance Officer, not the counselor. For all other issues, the counselor step comes first.
What if the Warden never responds?
Under the directive, the absence of a timely response may be treated as a denial, allowing you to proceed to the next step. If the Warden has not responded within 2 months, contact IDOC Constituent Services and your state representatives, and write to the UPLC. Document your attempts to get a response.
How long does the ARB process take?
The directive says the ARB should complete proceedings within 120 days and issue Director decisions within 4 months for ARB Reviews and within 6 months for ARB Hearings, all "where reasonably feasible." These are soft targets, not hard deadlines. The UPLC recommends writing to the ARB if you have not heard back within about 4 months.
Can my family contact IDOC on my behalf?
Family members cannot file the formal grievance for you (except for sexual abuse, with your consent). However, families can contact IDOC's Constituent Services office, state legislators, and the UPLC on your behalf to raise concerns. For sexual abuse grievances, family members and attorneys are explicitly permitted to file on your behalf with your agreement. --- INTERNAL LINKS TO PLACE: 1. Illinois inmate search (InmateAid Illinois page) 2. Family rights and advocacy in Illinois (FRA series Illinois article) 3. How the Illinois prison disciplinary process works (if spoke exists) 4. How Prison Works hub 5. Staying Connected hub --- SPEC NOTE / SOURCING (strip before publish): - Voice: formerly incarcerated narrator written TO the incarcerated person; family guidance woven in. No em dashes. No smart quotes. No double hyphens. Plain text. - Meta title char count: 52 (under 60). Meta description char count: 155 (in 150-160 range). All 7 FAQ headings under 60 chars, verified. - Defining hooks for Illinois: (1) FOUR-STEP PROCESS with a named central body -- the ARB -- at the final level; Director of IDOC issues the final decision; (2) ARB CAN HOLD HEARINGS in person or by video/phone at your facility -- 14 working days advance notice; (3) ARB response timeline: 4 months for reviews; 6 months for hearings (longest final-step window in the series); (4) 30-day window to appeal Warden's decision to the ARB (short relative to ARB's own 6-month timeline); (5) SEXUAL ABUSE: no filing deadline; skip counselor; third parties including family may file with consent; 48-hour emergency response; 90-day final decision; (6) Illinois uses "individuals in custody" in all official documents; (7) Protective custody uses DOC 0054 not DOC 0046 and goes directly to ARB; (8) Disciplinary from OTHER facility: goes directly to ARB (skip local process); disciplinary from CURRENT facility: goes to Grievance Officer (skip counselor); (9) ADA within Grievance Officer step: facility ADA Coordinator begins investigation within 5 business days; (10) Large BOP presence: USP Marion, FCI Pekin, FCI Greenville -- North Central Regional Office Kansas City; (11) UPLC as Illinois-specific prisoner rights litigator -- April 2025 new Hilliard v. Hughes mental health case; (12) Cook County Jail separate from IDOC; UPLC does not handle county jail cases. - SOURCES: AD 04.01.114, Local Individual in Custody Grievance Procedures, effective 8/1/2023 (full text fetched from idoc.illinois.gov): Policy (I); Procedure: Applicability (all IDOC facilities); General Provisions (II.E): exempt from local process: protective custody (DOC 0054 -> ARB), psychotropic medications -> ARB, disciplinary from other facility -> ARB, other issues from other facility except property/medical -> ARB; exempt from informal counselor step: sexual abuse; not grievable: Director's decisions (facility placement, supplemental sentence credit, transfer denials) and outside-authority issues (parole, clemency, sentence length); 60-day filing deadline; good cause exception; sexual abuse: no time limit; staff assistance; no discipline for using grievance process; Requirements (II.F): CAO appoints 2+ Grievance Officers; Grievance Process (II.G): Forms DOC 0046/0054; submit to: CAO (emergency), ARB (direct-to-ARB issues), Counselor (all others except discipline and sexual abuse), Grievance Officer (discipline at current facility or unresolved by counselor); Emergency process (II.G.2): CAO reviews emergency determination; if substantiated expedites; if not substantiated returns in writing; CAO rejection -> normal process; ARB (II.G.3): per AD 04.01.115; Counselor process (II.G.4): confers with individual, completes Counselor's Response in DOC 0046, returns; if rejected -> forward to Grievance Officer; Grievance Officer process (II.G.5): weekly reviews; ADA -> ADA Coordinator (5 business days to begin investigation, interactive dialogue in CHAMPS, non-ADA returned to GO, complete Grievance Officer's Report in DOC 0047, issue accommodation, notify Agency ADA Compliance Officer); HIPAA -> Facility Privacy Officer; examine documentation, interview witnesses, attempt resolution, face-to-face for life-threatening/use of force/sexual assault/facility security issues, complete Grievance Officer's Report in DOC 0047, submit to CAO; CAO: reasonable efforts within 2 months: review, render decision in DOC 0047, forward copy to individual + Records Office; appeal to ARB: within 30 days of CAO decision, sign "Appeal to the Director" section of DOC 0047, forward DOC 0046 (with counselor response) + DOC 0047 to ARB; Sexual abuse (II.G.6): bypass counselor; no staff subject of complaint; CAO not designated; 90-day final decision (extendable 70 days with notice); emergency = 48-hour initial + 5 calendar day final; third parties may file with consent; deemed-denial rule applies at all levels; AD 04.01.115, Administrative Review Board Proceedings, effective 9/1/2023 (full text fetched): ARB reviews unresolved grievances for due process and policy compliance, makes recommendations to Director who renders final decision; direct-to-ARB categories match AD 04.01.114; all other grievances must go through local process first; monthly dockets; proceedings within 120 days (reasonably feasible); ARB Review (written) or ARB Hearing (in person/video/phone); ARB Hearing: 14 working days advance notice to ARB Liaison; video/phone = materials sent 7 working days prior; individual gets DOC 0256; only grieving individual within hearing distance; security if needed; ARB Review decisions: within 4 months (reasonably feasible); ARB Hearing decisions: within 6 months (reasonably feasible); CAO protest: within 5 working days of debriefing -> Deputy Director -> Director; Director decision -> sent to individual and facility for master file; UPLC guide uplcchicago.org/file_download (four-step summary confirming process; Warden has no set deadline; 30-day ARB appeal window; ARB 6 months; recommended letter to ARB after 4 months; good cause for late filings); UPLC class action lawsuits page (Hilliard v. Hughes mental health new case April 2025; Lippert v. Hughes medical care; Logan sexual abuse; water safety petition); UPLC prison work page (only group doing both class action and individual cases; does not handle county jail/federal/other state cases; 75-100 letters per week; walk-in Tue-Thu 10am-4pm; 773-769-1411; 4413 N. Sheridan Rd. Chicago IL 60640); Illinois Legal Aid Online (UPLC grievance guide referenced); equipforequality.org (Equip for Equality = Illinois P&A; 1-800-537-2632); aclu-il.org (ACLU of Illinois); bop.gov/locations (USP Marion Marion IL; FCI Pekin Pekin IL; FCI Greenville Greenville IL; North Central RO 400 State Ave 8th Floor Kansas City KS 66101); Woodford v. Ngo 548 U.S. 81 (2006). - VERIFY FLAGS for Poorwa: (1) Confirm AD 04.01.114 (eff. 8/1/2023) and AD 04.01.115 (eff. 9/1/2023) are the current versions -- check idoc.illinois.gov/aboutus/policies for any updates after September 2023. (2) Confirm the three BOP facilities: USP Marion (Marion IL), FCI Pekin (Pekin IL), FCI Greenville (Greenville IL) -- verify all still active; MCC Chicago was a federal detention facility that was closed/sold (confirm current status of federal facilities in Chicago; MDC/MCC may have changed). (3) Confirm North Central Regional Office: 400 State Avenue 8th Floor Kansas City KS 66101 -- covers Illinois BOP facilities. (4) Confirm Equip for Equality is still the current P&A name and contact: equipforequality.org, 1-800-537-2632. (5) Confirm UPLC current contact: uplcchicago.org; 773-769-1411; 4413 N. Sheridan Rd. Chicago IL 60640. (6) Confirm ACLU of Illinois: aclu-il.org. (7) Confirm DOC form numbers: DOC 0046, DOC 0047, DOC 0054, DOC 0070, DOC 0256 -- all current. (8) Confirm "individuals in custody" is the current Illinois IDOC term (not "offenders" or "inmates") -- this is current per both ADs. (9) Confirm ARB 30-day appeal window from CAO decision -- this is stated in AD 04.01.114 at II.G.5.c (within 30 days of the CAO's decision). (10) Confirm counselor response has no hard deadline -- this is the current state of AD 04.01.114 (no explicit counselor deadline given). (11) Confirm ADA Coordinator begins investigation within 5 business days -- stated in AD 04.01.114 II.G.5.a(1)(a)(i). (12) Confirm Cook County Jail is entirely separate from IDOC and operates its own grievance system. (13) Confirm that UPLC does not handle county jail cases (confirmed on uplcchicago.org but good to verify remains current policy). No volatile phone rates. No crisis-line specifics.
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