What are Michigan Inmate Records?

Michigan inmate records include things like arrest warrants, police reports, mugshots, fingerprints, basic information about the offender, and lots of details about their journey through the criminal justice system.

Most inmate records will include basics like the person’s name, age, birth date, gender, race, and a physical description noting their eye and hair color, weight, height, and any scars, tattoos, or defining marks. More detailed records will also include court information, charges, sentencing, convictions, arrests, and other details relating to their time in jail or prison.

The state of Michigan allows the public to search for inmates residing in state facilities using a tool on the Michigan Department of Corrections website. Some inmate records will be easy to find, but with others, you may have to consult other agencies. 

Michigan Prison and Jail System

The state of Michigan has 39 state prison facilities housing inmates of different security levels and needs. The prisons are spread throughout the state. Michigan has a special administration called The Correctional Facilities Administration (CFA) responsible for all families and inmates. The state prides itself on offering each inmate access to health care, mental health care, educational opportunities, and programming opportunities.

Michigan also has dozens of county jails that serve each area by holding inmates who are awaiting trial, an initial hearing, or serving out very short sentences (such as less than one year).

How to Search for Inmates in Michigan

Michigan makes it easy to search for inmates using its Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS) system on the Michigan Department of Corrections website. Before using, you must agree to their terms and conditions. You can then begin by entering a person’s name (partial or full), MDOC number, sex, race, age, status, or any scars and tattoos.

You will then be presented with a list of offenders. You can click on the offender number to see more details. You may see a mugshot (if available), physical details, aliases, and details of their offenses, including sentence length, county of conviction, court file number, and conviction type.

You can also use a third-party tool like InfoTracer to search for inmates in Michigan easily. 

Types of Jails in Michigan

How to Contact, Send Money to or Visit an Inmate in Michigan

The Michigan Department of Corrections encourages inmate visitation. However, before anyone can visit, they must fill out a Visitor List form (CAJ-334). Each inmate is allowed a list of 10 visitors. Visitors must follow all rules and dress accordingly when visiting. Seven facilities also offer video visitation.

Family and friends are allowed to email an inmate in prison using the JPay system. You can read the details of how this works here.

Michigan has partnered with Global Tel*Link Corporation (GTL) for all phone calls between family, friends, and inmates. You can use the system to purchase prepaid phone minutes so your incarcerated loved one can call you.

You can easily send “approved” mail to an inmate by addressing it as follows:

John A. Smith, #123456

Michigan Correctional Facility

123 Prison Street

Anytown, MI 48909

Michigan uses the JPay system for inmate funds, and you can use it to send money to your loved one doing time so they can purchase items from the canteen. 

Police Departments in Michigan

Michigan Counties