How Are Inmate Records in Michigan Created and Stored?
Michigan inmate records are created by all walks of law enforcement from local police and Sheriff's Office staff to federal agents and correctional employees. When someone is arrested, the first form to be filled out is a RAP sheet which contains the suspect's name, address, physical description, and details of his or her crime. After that, everything that occurs in the inmate's life is documented and added to the file. All inmate records are stored and managed by the Michigan Department of Corrections and kept available online so friends, family, and the general public can conduct an inmate search easily.
How to Perform a Michigan Inmate Locator?
The state of Michigan Department of Corrections makes it very easy to find an inmate in a Michigan prison. They have a Michigan inmate locator feature (called OTIS) right on their website. Anyone can use it to find a Michigan prison inmate 24/7. The way it works is this:
- First, visit the Michigan Department of Corrections website .
- Look for the "Offender Search" link on the left-side menu.
- Read about what information is and is not contained in the records.
- Click the "Start Offender Search" link at the bottom of the page.
- Read and agree to the terms of use by clicking the "I Agree" button.
- Now you can enter the person's name, MDOC number, sex, race, age, status, or any marks or tattoos.
- Click the search button.
- Review the table of results which includes offender number, name, date of birth, sex, race, MCL number, location, status, parole board date, maximum date and the date they were paroled (if applicable). You can click the offender number to see additional details on any inmate.
When curious about someone’s criminal past, the public can also use resources like Infotracer’s search tool to find criminal records, inmate records, arrests, divorces, assets, court cases and more.
What Does Michigan’s Prison System Look Like?
The Michigan prison system is managed and overseen by the Michigan Department of Corrections and Director, Heidi E. Washington. The Governor supervises the director and all operations. It is comprised of a few facilities and programs to help offenders satisfy the requirements of their sentencing. The Michigan prison system includes:
38 State Prisons- 2 Juvenile Detention Facilities
- 2 Federal Prisons
- 83 County Jails
Along with rehabilitation, the Michigan prison system offers inmates health care, mental health care, educational opportunities, and programming opportunities.
Did you Know?
- 95% of prison inmates in Michigan are male, 5% female.
- From 1979–80 to 2012–13, state and local government expenditures on corrections in Michigan increased by 219 percent (from $761,117,389 to $2,430,553,000).
- As of 2016, there were 2,242 women in Michigan federal prisons.
- As of 2016, the reported number of non-U.S. citizens held in custody in Michigan was 535
- Between 2007 and 2016, the Michigan prison population decreased by 18%
Types of Jails and Prisons in Michigan
Michigan has thirty-eight different types of state prisons which house a diverse population and varying degrees of custody. Some facilities are low-security with inmates who require very little supervision, and others are maximum-security for those high-risk and dangerous individuals. The state also has two juvenile detention facilities that house youth offenders younger than 18. Michigan has eighty-three county jails that hold pretrial detainees and inmates sentenced to less than a year in jail. The state also has two federal prison facilities housing federal inmates. The Michigan Department of Corrections oversees the state prisons and juvenile detention centers. Local Sheriff's Offices oversee and manage the county jails, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FOB) oversees and operates the federal prisons.
How Many People are Locked up in Michigan?
Michigan’s prison system holds 41,122 residents in various kinds of correctional facilities, from which 41,037 residents are held in state prisons, 85 in juvenile correctional facilities.
| Correctional Facilities: | Totals: |
|---|---|
| Juvenile Correctional Facilities | 85 |
| State Prisons | 41,037 |
Michigan State Prisons
Michigan has a diverse inmate population, and therefore, they require thirty-eight state prisons to house them all. Each has a different demographic and serves a specific purpose. The prison facilities in Michigan include:
- Alger Correctional Facility (LMF)
- Baraga Correctional Facility (AMF)
- Bellamy Creek Correctional Facility (IBC)
- Boyer Road Correctional Facility (OTF) Consolidated with Carson City August 9, 2009
- Carson City Correctional Facility (DRF)
- Central Michigan Correctional Facility (STF)
- Charles Egeler Reception & Guidance Center (RGC)
- Chippewa Correctional Facility (URF)
- Cooper Street Correctional Facility (JCS)
- Detroit Detention Center (DDC)
- Detroit Reentry Center (DRC)
- Earnest C. Brooks Correctional Facility (LRF)
- Florence Crane Correctional Facility (ACF)Closed
- G. Robert Cotton Correctional Facility (JCF)
- Gus Harrison Correctional Facility (ARF)
- Ionia Correctional Facility (ICF)
- Kinross Correctional Facility (KCF)
- Lakeland Correctional Facility (LCF)
- Macomb Correctional Facility (MRF)
- Marquette Branch Prison (MBP)
- Michigan Reformatory (RMI)
- Mid-Michigan/Pine River Correctional Facility Consolidated October 17, 2010, now known as Central Michigan Correctional Facility
- Mound Correctional Facility (NRF) Closed January 8, 2012
- Muskegon Correctional Facility (MCF)
- Newberry Correctional Facility (NCF)
- Oaks Correctional Facility (ECF)
- Ojibway Correctional Facility (OCF) - Closed December 1, 2018
- Parnall Correctional Facility (SMT)
- Parr Highway Correctional Facility (ATF) Consolidated with Gus Harrison August 9, 2009
- Pugsley Correctional Facility (MPF) Closed September 24, 2016
- Richard A. Handlon Correctional Facility (MTU)
- Saginaw Correctional Facility (SRF)
- Special Alternative Incarceration Facility (SAI)
- St. Louis Correctional Facility (SLF)
- Straits Correctional Facility (KTF) Consolidated with Chippewa August 9, 2009
- Thumb Correctional Facility (TCF)
- West Shoreline Correctional Facility (MTF) - Closed March 24, 2018
- Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility (WHV)
- Woodland Center Correctional Facility (WCC)
How to Locate State Prison Offender Information in Michigan
The state of Michigan makes it very easy to find a Michigan inmate in state prison. Follow the instructions below to find someone incarcerated in the state of Michigan.
- First, visit the Michigan Department of Corrections website .
- Look for the "Offender Search" link on the left-side menu.
- Read about what information is and is not contained in the records.
- Click the "Start Offender Search" link at the bottom of the page.
- Read and agree to the terms of use by clicking the "I Agree" button.
- Now you can enter the person's name, MDOC number, sex, race, age, status, or any marks or tattoos.
- Click the search button.
- Review the table of results which includes offender number, name, date of birth, sex, race, MCL number, location, status, parole board date, maximum date and the date they were paroled (if applicable). You can click the offender number to see additional details on any inmate.
Michigan Federal Prisons
Michigan federal inmates are incarcerated in two Michigan federal prisons. These facilities are managed and operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The list includes the following facilities:
- Detroit RRM - residential reentry management office
- Milan FCI - a low-security correctional institution with detention center housing 1,426 male inmates
Along with custody, federal prisons also provide education and other supports for inmates with substance abuse issues and mental health illness
How to Search for an Inmate in a Michigan Federal Prison
The process for finding an inmate in a Michigan federal prison is different than finding a state prisoner. Because the federal system is separate and managed by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, anyone wanting to perform a Michigan inmate search for federal prisoner must contact the FOB directly. The FOB does have an offender locator feature on their website, making this easier. They also have a dedicated page for each facility so a visitor could look up the facility and contact staff there. The FOB also provides information on visitation, phone calls, and sending money or gifts to inmates.
Michigan County Jails
The state of Michigan has eighty-three county jails. Each one is operated by the local police or county Sheriff's office. Many of the local counties or Sheriff's Offices have websites of their own, making it easy to contact them. Local county jails in Michigan hold pretrial detainees, newly arrested suspects waiting to post bail and inmates who have been sentenced to short terms in jail rather than prison. The Michigan Department of Corrections has been collecting data from each local county jail and producing reports for many years. Therefore, they have a list of these jails online on their website along with the jail stats.
- Table
- Chart
Michigan's County and Local Jail Prison Population During 2011-2016 years
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 36 | 42 | 55 | 31 | 295 | 0 |
| Male | 36 | 42 | 55 | 31 | 295 | 0 |
| Female | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
How to Perform a Michigan Jail Inmate Search
Someone wanting to perform a Michigan jail inmate search can do so easily by following the instructions here. First, each local county Sheriff's Office has jurisdiction over inmate records and residents held there. Therefore, anyone who is looking for an inmate in Michigan jail should contact the Sheriff directly or check out their website and look for a search feature or listing of current detainees.
Michigan Juvenile Detention Centers
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is the government agency in charge of youth offenders for the state. They have established two juvenile detention centers to hold, rehabilitate, and educate people under the age of 18 who have committed crimes. According to the MDHHS, the two centers are:
Bay Pines Center "Providing secure residential detention services for boys and girls awaiting a court decision and residential treatment programs for youth adjudicated for criminal offenses. Bay Pines Center is licensed to accept up to 45 youth age 12 to 20."
Shawono Center "Providing a secure treatment facility for male juveniles between the ages of 12 and 21 who have been adjudicated for one or more felony counts. The Center offers specialized treatment programs for sex offenders, addictions/substance abuse, and mild mental health issues."
- Table
- Chart
Juvenile Population in Custody During 2011-2016 years
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 106 | 91 | 73 | 90 | 88 | 85 |
| Male | 106 | 89 | 72 | 89 | 87 | 84 |
| Female | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
How to Search for Juvenile Detention Center Inmates
Juvenile records are private and sealed until an inmate is 18, and then they have the option of having them expunged. However, someone wanting to locate an inmate in a Michigan juvenile detention center can contact either of the two centers above for information. Friends, family, and other authorized individuals will have an easier time getting access. The general public is not allowed details, and an online search is not possible.
Why are People Incarcerated in Michigan?
Michigan has about 64,000 people incarcerated in the state. Roughly 40,000 of those are in state prison, 17,000 are held in local jails, 5,600 are in federal prisons, and 1,600 are in juvenile detention centers. The majority of people in Michigan prisons are there due to property crimes. The figure is double that of violent crimes in the state. A very small percentage of inmates have committed crimes against society, such as peeping Tom, drunkenness, trespassing, and illegal gambling.
Michigan’s Incarceration Rate and Statistics
Michigan’s incarceration rate for year-end 2016 under state prison or local jail jurisdiction per 100,000 population was 414, which is lower than an average incarceration rate by 8%. The number of Michigan prisoners at the year-end of 2016 was 41,122, from which 5% were female prisoners, whereas the number of male prisoners was 38,880 in 2016.
- Table
- Chart
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 434 | 441 | 441 | 437 | 430 | 414 | 397 |
| Male | 845 | 857 | 856 | 846 | 827 | 795 | 763 |
| Female | 38 | 39 | 41 | 42 | 45 | 44 | 42 |
Where Do Michigan Inmates Go When They are Released?
Michigan inmates will return home to family and friends once they are released from prison. Although Michigan has plenty of correctional facilities, they do not have any transitional or reentry centers to help pave the way to reintegration back into society. However, they have ten parole offices and use electronic monitoring devices for inmates on parole or probation to assist with supervision after release.
How Does Parole Work in Michigan?
Michigan has a healthy parole system with ten offices throughout the state where parolees can check-in with their parole officer. Parole is only granted to prisoners who have behaved well and convinced the parole board that they do not pose a danger to society. Once parole is granted, the inmate must follow strict rules or be returned to prison. Parole supervision in Michigan usually lasts for one to four years.
Parole Population
| Type of Parole Entry: | Number of Parolees: |
|---|---|
| State Parole Population: | 0 |
| Entries: | 0 |
| Exits: | 0 |
| Change in 2016: | 0% |
How Does Someone Get Probation in Michigan?
The Michigan court system uses probation often for low-risk and first-time offenders. To prevent overcrowding in the prisons, they offer these types of inmates the option of living free while following a strict code of rules. Sometimes they will have to wear an electronic monitoring device or take frequent drug tests. Each probationer must check-in with their probation officer regularly. If they fail to comply with any of the court-ordered rules, they will go to prison.
Probation Statistics
| Type of Parole Entry: | Number of Parolees: |
|---|---|
| State Probation Population: | 0 |
| Entries: | 0 |
| Exits: | 0 |
| Change in 2016: | 0% |
