Michigan Inmate Records

Michigan inmate records are maintained by different agencies managing the correctional facilities where inmates are being incarcerated in the state. These include agencies of the state, local, and federal governments. In Michigan, an average of 30,500 inmates are incarcerated in state prisons annually, while at least 16,000 are housed in local jails within the same period. Similarly, the federal prison facilities in the state hold an average of 4,100 inmates each year. At 323 inmates per 100,000 residents, Michigan's imprisonment rate is lower than the national average of 355 per 100,000 United States residents.

An inmate record in Michigan holds varying information, including the following:

• Personal Information - The full name of the inmate, date of birth, nationality, gender, inmate identification number, and physical descriptors, such as scars and tattoos.
• Court Details - Case numbers, trial details, fines, and court dates are all parts of court details found in a typical inmate record.
• Arrest Information - This includes the date of arrest, the arrest location, time of attest, charges filed, booking details, and details of the arresting agency.
• Incarceration Details - The current holding facility, disciplinary actions against the inmate, and participation in certain rehabilitation programs
• Sentencing Information - The length of imprisonment, sentencing outcome, eligibility for parole, and probation status.
• Release Information - This shows the expected, actual, or maximum date of release.

Are Inmate Records Public in Michigan?

Inmate records are public information in Michigan, according to the state's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Under this Act, certain public records maintained by government agencies, including those kept by local or government agencies in charge of correctional facilities, may be accessed by the public. However, while interested persons may inspect or obtain copies of Michigan inmate records, sealed or expunged inmate records are exempt from public disclosure. Similarly, any information considered confidential in an inmate record is often redacted before making the rest available to the public.

What Agencies Are Responsible for Inmate Records in Michigan?

In Michigan, government agencies tasked with supervising inmates and managing correctional facilities in the state are generally responsible for keeping inmate records. They include the following:

• The Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) - The Michigan Department of Corrections (MDCO) is in charge of all the state-run correctional facilities in the state and supervises all state prisoners, probationers, and parolees. In addition, it maintains records of inmates held in each of the state-operated correctional facilities throughout the state.
• County Sheriff's Offices - Each of the county sheriff's offices in Michigan's 83 counties oversees local jails in the counties and maintains records of all inmates under their supervision. County jails in the state generally house pre-trial detainees, inmates awaiting transfer to state correctional facilities, or those serving short sentences for felony or misdemeanor charges.
• Police Departments - The police departments in Michigan, including the Michigan State Police (MSP), keep criminal history records of persons convicted of crimes and sentenced to correctional facilities. Criminal history information typically includes arrest records, which are also a part of inmate records.
• Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) - The two federal prisons in Michigan are under the jurisdiction of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). In addition to housing inmates convicted of federal offenses in the state, the BOP also maintains the records of each inmate in its facilities and makes them available to the public upon request.

How To Search for an Inmate's Information in Michigan

In the quest to search an inmate's information in Michigan, it is important to determine whether the inmate whose information is sought is incarcerated in a local, state, or federal correctional facility in the state.

Find an inmate in Michigan State Prisons

Information about inmates housed in Michigan state-run prisons may be accessed using MDOC's Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS). OTIS has information about prisoners who are currently in custody or have been released but within three years of the release date. Interested persons may look up inmates under MDOC's supervision by their names or MDOC numbers and can streamline the searches by an inmate's age, sex, scars/tattoos, and/or race. The search results typically contain inmates' personal information, incarceration status, and prison sentences.

Alternatively, interested individuals may find information about inmates incarcerated in Michigan prisons by visiting the holding state-run correctional facilities. They may also mail their requests to the state's Department of Corrections. Searches conducted this way usually yield more detailed information than online searches. However, it is important to include important details, like inmates' names, offender numbers, locations, sexes, and/or dates of birth, to help facilitate the searches.

Find an Inmate in Local Jail

In Michigan, most county sheriff's offices have online resources containing information about inmates housed in local jails under their watch. Many of these resources are named inmate locators, and several others, inmate rosters or inmate finders. These resources typically allow anyone to search inmate information by name, booking date, and gender. For instance, the Wayne County Jail Inmate Search allows inmate search by name and booking information.

Where a detailed record of an inmate housed in a local jail in Michigan is required, it is best to visit the incarceration facility in person or mail a written request to the supervising county sheriff's office. Whether requesting in person or by mail, a requester will have to provide as much information about the inmate being searched to help the custodian locate the record.

Find an Inmate in Federal Prison

Information on inmates incarcerated in federal prisons operating in Michigan, Milan FCI, and Detroit RRM, may be accessed using the BOP Inmate Locator. Users can look up federal prisoners with this Inmate Locator by inmates' names or BOP register numbers. The database generally contains information about inmates incarcerated in all federal prisons from 1982 to the present.

How Can I Access Old Inmate Records?

The MDOC Offender Tracking Information System only has records of inmates currently incarcerated in Michigan's state prisons and those released within the last three years. As a result, it is not a great source for old inmate records. Anyone looking to access old inmate records in the state should consider checking the Michigan State Archives, either in person or by contacting the Archives at (517) 335-2576. If the old inmate whose record is being sought was incarcerated in a federal prison in the state, the National Archives may have their record.

Furthermore, third-party sites like Michiganpublicrecords.us collate inmate records in the state regularly and do not erase such records once uploaded to their databases. As a result, these sites offer excellent services for individuals looking to find records of old inmates in the state. However, users may have to pay a small fee to access these records. If a person needs detailed information about inmates formerly incarcerated in Michigan correctional facilities, they can visit the facility where the inmate was housed. However, they must provide as many details as possible to help facilitate the search. Alternatively, they may submit a FOIA request to the MDCO by email or submit their request at:

Can I Find a Michigan Inmate Record for Free?

Online inmate search resources maintained by county sheriff's offices and the MDOC Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS) allow people to find records of inmates incarcerated in local jails and state prisons for free. Similarly, anyone can look up information about federal inmates incarcerated in Michigan free of charge using the BOP Inmate Locator. However, these resources or databases have some limitations. Each of them only has records of inmates under the supervision of the managing authorities of each correctional facility.

While a person may have to pay a small fee to access records of Michigan inmates, regardless of the facility where they are being housed, third-party sites like Michiganpublicrecords.us are an all-in-one database of inmate records. They provide centralized access to records of inmates under the supervision of the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC), county sheriff's offices, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), all in one place.

Jails and Prisons in Michigan

Based on the type of facility and the managing authority, the correctional facilities in Michigan are categorized as follows:

• State Prisons - State prisons in Michigan are managed by the Department of Corrections (MDOC). About 27 state-run correctional facilities are under MDOC's supervision and management.
• Local Jails - The county sheriff's offices run Michigan's local jails across the state's 83 counties.
• Federal Prisons - The two federal correctional facilities in Michigan are directly under the jurisdiction of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP).

State Prisons in Michigan

The table below lists some of the state-run correctional facilities in Michigan:

Private Prisons in Michigan

No private prisons currently operate in Michigan.

Michigan Inmate Statistics

• Michigan Incarceration Rate - 323 per 100,000 residents
• Male Incarceration Rate - 616 per 100,000 males
• Female Incarceration Rate - 33 per 100,000 females
• Youth Custody Rate - 82 per 100,000 youths
• Number of Prisoners in Private Prisons - 0
• Black/White Imprisonment Disparity - 6.7:1
• Latino/White Imprisonment Disparity - 0.3:1
• Number of offenders under community supervision - 1,533 per 100,000 people
• Number on probation - 1,452 per 100,000 people
• Number on parole - 123 per 100,000 people
• Felony Disenfranchisement Rate - 0.5%

* Source: United States Bureau of Justice Statistics