Guide
Michigan Inmate Search at a Glance
Michigan holds its state prisoners in prisons run by the Michigan Department of Corrections, in Jackson at the Parnall and Cooper Street facilities, in Ionia at Bellamy Creek and the Ionia Correctional Facility, at Marquette Branch, Kinross, Saginaw, Macomb, Carson City, Gus Harrison in Adrian and Women's Huron Valley in Ypsilanti. County jails run by the 83 sheriffs hold pretrial detainees and sentences of up to a year.
The state lookup is OTIS, the Offender Tracking Information System. It covers prisoners, parolees, probationers under state supervision and people discharged within the last three years.
Official sources on this page were checked on September 25, 2026.
Guide
Michigan state prison inmate search
| State prison inmates | Yes, OTIS |
|---|---|
| County jail inmates | No, sheriff searches by county |
| Parole and probation | Yes, parole and felony probation |
| Released inmates | Yes, three years after discharge |
| Photographs | Yes |
| Release dates | Yes, earliest release and maximum discharge |
| Best search key | MDOC number |
OTIS runs on the MDOC number or the name and returns the MDOC number, name, photograph, date of birth, race and sex, height, weight, hair and eye color, aliases, the current status, the location, the earliest release date, the maximum discharge date and each offense with the sentencing county, docket number, minimum and maximum sentence and the date sentenced. Marks, scars and tattoos appear when recorded. Because discharged people stay in OTIS for three years, a search also confirms recent releases.
- OTIS, Michigan Offender Tracking Information SystemSearch Michigan prisoners, parolees, probationers and recent discharges, checked September 25, 2026
- Michigan Department of CorrectionsFacilities, visiting, mail, phone and money deposits, checked September 25, 2026
- Michigan Parole BoardParole decisions, public hearings and victim notification, checked September 25, 2026
- VINELink MichiganCustody alerts for Michigan county jails and state prisons, checked September 25, 2026
Guide
County jails and local custody in Michigan
The Wayne County Sheriff's jail in Detroit, the Oakland County jail in Pontiac, the Macomb County jail in Mount Clemens, the Kent County Correctional Facility in Grand Rapids, the Genesee County jail in Flint, the Ingham County jail in Mason and the Washtenaw County jail in Ann Arbor post inmate searches with the booking date, charges and bond. Detroit Police hold arrestees at the Detroit Detention Center, run by the state under contract, before transfer to the Wayne County jail.
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What Michigan inmate records show, and what stays private
The Michigan Freedom of Information Act, MCL 15.231 and following, makes the custody record public, and OTIS posts photographs, physical descriptions, offenses and release dates. Sheriffs publish booking photos with their rosters. Medical and mental health files, the pre-sentence investigation report, classification, disciplinary and Parole Board case files are exempt. The Michigan State Police sells a name based conviction search called ICHAT to anyone online for a fee; non conviction records are limited to the subject and authorized agencies.
Guide
Parole, probation and release in Michigan
Michigan sentences carry a minimum and a maximum term, and the Parole Board decides release any time between the earliest release date and the maximum discharge date, holding public hearings for life sentence cases. Parole agents within the Department supervise releases, and the Department also supervises felony probationers, which is why both groups appear in OTIS. Misdemeanor probation belongs to the district courts. The judgment sits with the clerk of the circuit court of the convicting county.
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When the search shows nothing
If OTIS returns nothing, check the county jail search for the county of arrest, starting with Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Kent or Genesee, since pending cases and sentences of up to a year stay in the jail. Misdemeanor probation is in district court records. Check the federal Bureau of Prisons locator for a federal case, including the federal prison in Milan, and VINELink for a recent release.
Guide
Federal & National Authoritative Sources
These federal and national sources complement Michigan's state-level records. They are the authoritative sources you should cross-check when Michigan state records are incomplete or out-of-state activity matters.
Federal BOP, Inmate Locator The Federal Bureau of Prisons locator returns federal inmates held since 1982 in any BOP facility, contract facility, or community corrections center.
VINELink, Victim Notification Operated by Appriss for the U.S. Department of Justice's victim-notification program. Free, anonymous registration for custody-change alerts across participating states.
U.S. Marshals, Prisoner Tracking The USMS Prisoner Tracking System is the authoritative source for federal detainees in pre-trial custody (before BOP designation).
Straight answers
Michigan Inmate Search, questions
What is OTIS?
OTIS is the Michigan Department of Corrections Offender Tracking Information System, the public search for prisoners, parolees, state probationers and people discharged within the last three years.
Does OTIS show people on probation?
Yes, felony probationers supervised by the Department of Corrections appear in OTIS. Misdemeanor probation is run by the district courts and does not appear.
What is the difference between the earliest release date and the maximum discharge date?
Michigan sentences have a minimum and a maximum term. The Parole Board can release a prisoner at the earliest release date or any time after it, and the sentence ends at the maximum discharge date.
Where is someone arrested in Detroit held?
First at the Detroit Detention Center, then at the Wayne County jail once committed by the court. The Wayne County Sheriff's inmate search lists the charges and bond.