How to Send Money to an Inmate in a Prison or Jail
Table of Contents
What is Michigan Inmate Search?
The Michigan inmate search is a way of finding information about incarcerated individuals in Michigan. The state's Department of Corrections (MDOC) is committed to providing timely and accurate information about inmates in all its correctional facilities. Interested individuals may obtain inmate information from the MDOC by email and phone.
In addition, the Michigan Department of Corrections offers an online Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS) to enable an inmate lookup and find important information about them. However, OTIS does not provide information about offenders released from correctional facilities for more than three years. Also, the public can access reliable information about offenders or criminal cases in jails and prisons through the VINELink portal.
Are Inmate Search Records Open to the Public in Michigan?
Yes. Per the Michigan Freedom of Information Act, jail records in Michigan are public records that any individual may obtain upon request. The MDOC keeps records of inmates incarcerated in its state-owned facilities, while police departments or sheriff's offices maintain records of inmates in city or county jails.
Certain information, including medical, personal, security measures, and mental health records, may be excluded from inmate search records to safeguard privacy and comply with legal requirements.
How To Perform Michigan Inmate Lookup
You can quickly search for an offender incarcerated in Michigan prisons by using the inmate's name, MDOC number, gender, race, age, offender status, marks, scars, or tattoos. Upon entering the search criteria in the search tool, the portal will present a list of potential matches for your review.
The search results will also reveal additional information about the inmate, including offender number, full name, date of birth, sex, race, MCL number, location, status, parole board jurisdiction date, maximum date, and date paroled. You can click on the "offender number" to access more details like SID number, aliases, mug shots, biographic information, supervision location, and sentencing information.
How To Search for an Inmate in Michigan
There are several ways to search for an inmate in Michigan, depending on whether they are in prison or jail. To search for an inmate in Michigan State prisons, enter the inmate's name (last and first) or MDOC number as the search criterion on the OTIS portal. Afterward, click on the search button. Users may also enter additional information to refine the search process. A list of potential matches that align with the search parameters will be displayed based on the search criteria.
You may also search for inmate information in Michigan through email by using the MDOC contact form. Furthermore, you may conduct a jail inmate search in Michigan by contacting the MDOC at (517) 335-1426.
How To Conduct a Free Inmate Search in Michigan
Reliable third-party services allow the public to conduct a Michigan Inmate search for free. Although these services are free, users may incur certain fees to access more comprehensive inmate records. Third-party inmate search services like RecordsFinderwill generally provide basic information about inmates incarcerated in all correctional facilities in Michigan.
How To Find a Federal Inmate in Michigan
Individuals seeking information about inmates incarcerated in federal prisons in Michigan may use the inmate locator provided by the Federal Bureau of Prison (BOP). The Inmate Locator enables individuals to search for federal inmates in Michigan using their names or BOP register numbers.
Michigan has two federal correctional facilities designed to house federal inmates:
- Detroit RRM
- Milan FCI
Michigan has two federal correctional facilities designed to house federal inmates.
What Can You Find with State of Michigan Inmate Search
A Michigan inmate search result will typically contain the following information:
- Inmate's full name
- MDOC status
- Photo
- Racial Identification
- Gender
- Hair Color
- Eye Color
- Height
- Weight
- Date of Birth
- Image Date
- Aliases
- Mark, Scars, and Tattoos
- Current facility of incarceration
- Date of Sentence
- Minimum Sentence
- Maximum sentence date
- Probation Sentences
- Supervision Conditions
- Inmate's offense history
Jail and Inmate Search in Michigan
The Michigan Department of Corrections oversees a prison population of approximately 33,000 individuals across 26 facilities throughout the state. As of August 2023, the Michigan Department of Correction was responsible for 32,949 inmates in state prisons, and in December 2022, there were at least 12,494 inmates held in the state's county jails.
The state also has about 1,400 youths in detention centers. The federal prison facilities in Michigan currently hold 14,155 inmates in Detroit RRM and Milan FCI. Michigan has an incarceration rate of 535 per 100,000 population, which is lower than the national average of 614 per 100,000 in the United States.
In Michigan, approximately 50.6% of inmates in state-run prisons are Black, while 42.7% are White. At least 2.0% of the state's population are Hispanics, while individuals from other races make up 4.7%. Blacks in Michigan are incarcerated at a rate 6.5 times higher than whites. In addition to those incarcerated in Michigan jails and prisons, the MDOC oversees about 9,170 inmates on parole and 33,091 individuals on probation.
Criminal Justice Quick Facts
Michigan Imprisonment Rate * (per 100,000 population)
535
Probation Population
33,091
Parole Population
9,170
Racial Disparity in Incarceration Rate
Black: White Ratio: 6.7:1
Hispanic: White Ratio: 0.3:1
Juvenile Custody Rate (per 100,000 juveniles)
82
Disenfranchised Population
34,557 (0.45%)
Disenfranchised African Americans
16,559 (1.64%)
Disenfranchised Hispanic / Latino Americans
851 (0.29%)
Corrections Expenditures (state/local)
$1.896 B / $638.35 M
* Michigan's incarceration rate includes statistics for prisons, jails, immigration detentions, and juvenile justice facilities
Michigan Parole Population
Parole Total Population in Michigan (2023)
Nationwide
800,000+
Michigan
9,170
Paroles per 100,000 Population (2022)
Nationwide
267
Michigan
123
Parole Total Population in Michigan (2022)
Nationwide
698,820
Michigan
9,700
Parole Entries and Exits (2022)
Entries
5,710
Exits
7,360
Change in 2022, in Percentage and Number
Percent
14.5%
Number
1,650
Number on Parole per 100,000 U.S. Adult Residents
Decreased by
267
Michigan Prisons
The Michigan Department of Corrections oversees 88 jails in 83 counties and 26 state-run prison facilities. The department classifies prisoners into four general population security levels: Level I, Level II, Level IV, and Level V. These classifications depend on the confinement and management needs of each prisoner, not their conviction.
The MDOC manages a significant population of inmates, comprising 12,494 in jail and 32,949 in prison. The department operates on a substantial budget of $2.1 billion annually and has about 10,608 employees to manage its correctional facilities. The Michigan Department of Corrections supervises approximately 10,236 inmates on parole and 44,973 on probation. The State of Michigan incurs an average annual cost of $48,000 for each incarcerated prisoner. The state has an overall incarceration rate of 535, a violent crime rate of 458.8, and a property crime rate of 1,578.3.
| Prison Name | Prison Type |
|---|---|
| Alger Correctional Facility | State Prison |
| Baraga Correctional Facility | State Prison |
| Bellamy Creek Correctional Facility | State Prison |
| Carson City Correctional Facility | State Prison |
| Central Michigan Correctional Facility | State Prison |
| Charles E. Egeler Reception & Guidance Center | State Prison |
| Chippewa Correctional Facility | State Prison |
| Cooper Street Correctional Facility | State Prison |
| Detroit Detention Center | State Prison |
| Detroit Reentry Center (DRC) | State Prison |
| Detroit RRM | Federal Prison |
| Earnest C. Brooks Correctional Facility | State Prison |
| G. Robert Cotton Correctional Facility | State Prison |
| Gus Harrison Correctional Facility | State Prison |
| Ionia Correctional Facility | State Prison |
Frequently Asked Questions
The following are some frequently asked questions about inmate search in Michigan, along with their answers:
Why Is an Inmate Not Showing Up in Search?
An inmate's information may not appear in a Michigan inmate search for the following reasons:
- The Michigan Freedom of Information Act exempts certain information about inmates from public disclosure.
- The individual has been arrested and convicted but has not yet received their sentence.
- The inmate is not incarcerated in the correctional facilities (state prisons) operated by the MDOC. In this case, the person searching for the inmate may contact the appropriate holding facilities, such as county jails or federal prisons.
- The agency status on the VINELink portal is offline. Individuals may contact the offline agencies directly or the Michigan VINE support line at (800) 770-7657 for assistance.
How Can I Check If Someone Is in Jail in Michigan?
You can check if someone is in jail in Michigan by taking any of the following steps:
- Conduct an inmate search on the MDOC's OTIS portal.
- Contact the MDOC through email or telephone.
- Contact the relevant county jails for inquiries.
- Contact the local law enforcement office.
How Can I Conduct a Michigan Prison Inmate Search?
You may search for Michigan prison inmates online through the MDOC's OTIS portal or VINELink Search portal. Alternatively, reputable third-party inmate record search platforms like RecordsFinder are effective means of conducting inmate searches in Michigan.
