Crime Numbers
Crime statistics for McHenry County comes from the Illinois State Police. Its latest reports show that the county recorded 3,078 Part I offenses in 2017. This figure represents a 12.5% dip in crime rate between 2013 and 2017. A closer look at the county’s 2020 crime numbers reveals that law enforcement agencies recorded 1 homicides, 21 rapes, 0 robberies, and 44 aggravated assaults. Reported incidences of property crimes include 58 burglaries, 162 thefts, 19 motor vehicle thefts, and 1 arson.
Compared to 2013 crime figures, homicide (300%), rape (83.6%), robbery (18.5%), aggravated assault (1.8%), and motor vehicle theft (5%) rates rose in McHenry County in 2017. The five-year crime trend for the county also shows falling burglary (12%), theft (15.7%), and arson (53.8%) rates.
Criminal Records
Illinois enacted the Uniform Conviction Information Act to make criminal history records available to the public. The Illinois State Police maintains these records and make them available to the public through its Bureau of Identification. It offers both name-based and fingerprint-based background checks. To order a name-based criminal history background check visit the Illinois State Police’s CHIRP (Criminal History Information Response Process) web portal. Log into the portal with a State of Illinois Digital ID. Apply for this digital ID at www.illinois.gov/pki.
Members of the public can only request fingerprint-based criminal record checks through live scan fingerprint vendors. Contact one of these vendors to schedule a fingerprinting appointment.
The Records Division of the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office provides incident reports for crimes and accidents that occurred within its jurisdiction. To obtain these reports, visit the Records Division at the Sheriff’s Office located at:
McHenry County Sheriff’s Office
Sheriff: Robb Tadelman
2200 N. Seminary Ave.
Woodstock, IL 60098
Phone: (815) 338-2144
Email: sheriff@mchenrycountyil.gov
The Division charges $5 for each police report. The fee for a crash report that requires accident reconstruction is $25. Only credit/debit cards are accepted for payment.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office also provides a sex offender search tool to help residents locate registered sex offenders living, working, and attending school in the county. Visit the Sheriff’s OffenderWatch page to search for sex offenders by name, zip code, and street address.
The Sheriff’s Office also runs the McHenry County Jail. This correctional facility is also located at:
2200 N. Seminary Ave.
Woodstock, IL 60098
Phone: (815) 338-9396
The Corrections Division of the Sheriff’s Office publishes regularly updated inmate rosters to help the public find individuals booked into this facility.
To fund an inmate’s account, friends and family can make cash and credit card deposits at the kiosk located in the front lobby of the jail. Alternatively, send a money order payable to McHenry County Jail and write the inmate’s name and commissary number in the memo line. Lastly, interested parties can fund an inmate’s account from Access Corrections website.
Court Records
The highest trial court in McHenry Court is the Circuit Court. It is the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court of Illinois. Besides this court, the county also has five Administrative Adjudication Offices/Courts/Divisions. These handle cases involving violations of local ordinances and can only punish offenders with fines. The Circuit Court hears appeals from Administrative Adjudications. Below are the addresses and contact information of these various legal bodies that make up the McHenry County legal system.
McHenry County Circuit Court
Circuit Clerk: Kathy Keefe
2200 N. Seminary Avenue
Woodstock, IL 60098
Hours:
8:00am - 4:30pm Monday - Friday
Phone: (815) 3344310 (Civil/Probate/Divorce)
Phone: (815) 334-4313 (Felony/Misdemeanor)
Phone: (815) 334-4190 (Traffic/Misdemeanor/Juvenile)
Algonquin Office of Adjudication
Ganek Municipal Center
2200 Harnish Drive
Algonquin, IL 60102
Phone: (847) 658-2700
Fax: (847) 658-4564
Cary Administrative Adjudication
Cary Village Hall
755 Georgetown Drive
Cary, IL 60013
Phone: (847) 639-0003
Crystal Lake Administrative Adjudication Division
City Hall
100 W. Woodstock
Crystal Lake, IL 60014
Phone: (815) 459-2020 ext. 4273
Spring Grove Administrative Adjudication Court
Village Board Room
7401 Meyer Road
Spring Grove, IL 60081
Phone: (815) 675-2596 ext. 104
Fax: (815) 675-2320
Email: sgpd@springgrovevillage.com
Woodstock Administrative Adjudication
121 West Calhoun Street
Woodstock, IL 60098
Phone: (815) 338-4300
The Clerk of the Circuit Court maintains the records of that court. Members of the public can search these records online on the Public Case Access portal provided by the clerk. To request copies of court records, send an email to the Clerk at CircuitClerk@mchenrycountyil.gov. Include the following information in an email: case number, document title, file date, and party names as well as a name, street address, email address, and phone number. Wait for the Clerk to reply before sending payment for copy fees.
The Clerk of the Circuit Court charges $2 for the first page of a court document. The next 19 pages cost 50 cents each while subsequent pages cost 25 cents. pay online with a Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover credit/debit card or mail the payment to:
McHenry County Circuit Clerk
Electronic Copies
2200 N. Seminary Avenue
Woodstock, IL 60098
To obtain the records of the various Administrative Adjudications in McHenry County, contact these Divisions/Courts to enquire about availability and cost.
Vital Records
The McHenry County Circuit Court Clerk maintains the records of the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court including divorce records. To obtain copies of a divorce judgement/decree, contact the Clerk’s Office by visiting at the address provided above or sending an email to CircuitClerk@mchenrycountyil.gov.
The McHenry County Clerk’s Office keeps all vital records for the county. These include birth, death, marriage, and civil union records. The Clerk’s Office accepts walk-in requests for these records. Simply visit the office at:
667 Ware Road
Suite 107
Woodstock, IL 60098
Phone: (815) 334-4000
Mail requests are also accepted. Start by downloading and completing a Birth or Death Certificate Request Form or a Marriage/Civil Union Record Request Form. Send this to:
McHenry County Clerk – Vital Records
Joseph J. Tirio
2200 N. Seminary Avenue
Woodstock, IL 60098
Phone: (815) 334-4242
Email: countyclerk@mchenrycountyil.gov
Enclose a photocopy of a photo ID, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a check or money order made out to McHenry County Clerk. The fees for the first copy of a birth, death, and marriage/civil union records are $12, $16, and $12 respectively. Each additional copy of the same vital record ordered at the same time costs $4, $8, and $4 respectively.
