The Michigan Department of Corrections operates 26 adult correctional facilities across the state, from the Detroit metro area to the Upper Peninsula. Here is a practical guide for families on locating a loved one, setting up communication, and staying connected during incarceration.
Finding Your Loved One: Offender Tracking System
Michigan provides a free public inmate search through the Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS) at michigan.gov/corrections — click "Offender Search." You can search by name or MDOC number. OTIS returns current facility, sentence dates, projected release date, and disciplinary information for most inmates.
Newly sentenced individuals typically go to one of MDOC's reception facilities for intake classification before being assigned to a permanent institution. The Charles Egeler Reception and Guidance Center in Jackson is a primary reception facility for men. Allow a week or two for newly sentenced people to appear in OTIS at their permanent facility.
Phone Calls: JPay
Michigan DOC uses JPay for inmate telephone services. To receive calls:
- Create a free account at JPay.com
- Register the phone number where you want to receive calls
- Add funds to your JPay account
- Confirm your number is on the inmate's approved call list
Inmates call out — you cannot call in. All calls except attorney-client calls are monitored and recorded.
Sending Money: JPay
JPay also handles money transfers to Michigan DOC inmate trust accounts. Go to JPay.com, search for the inmate under Michigan DOC, and deposit by card. Fees apply. Funds can also be sent via money order to the specific facility.
Electronic Messaging: JPay Email
JPay provides a secure email-like messaging system for Michigan DOC inmates. Send messages through JPay.com; receive messages back. Stamps are purchased in advance. This can supplement phone calls and is useful when you cannot afford the per-minute call rate or when you want to write something longer.
Visitation
Michigan DOC requires all visitors to be registered in advance. Requirements:
- Submit a visitor application through the facility — the inmate typically initiates this with their counselor
- Background check required for most visitors over 18
- Valid government-issued photo ID required at every visit
- Dress code enforced — avoid camouflage, blue denim, and orange clothing (which resembles inmate uniforms)
- Schedule the visit in advance — walk-up visits are not available at most Michigan DOC facilities
Current visiting hours, any facility-specific restrictions (such as those imposed during the ongoing investigations at Women's Huron Valley), and any temporary suspensions are posted at michigan.gov/corrections under each facility's page.
Given the documented fentanyl-soaked mail problem, Michigan DOC has moved some facilities to digitized or photocopied mail delivery — letters are scanned and printed rather than delivered physically. Check with the specific facility for its current mail handling policy. Address letters to:
[Inmate Full Legal Name] [MDOC Number] [Facility Name and Address]
Legal mail — letters from attorneys marked as such — is handled separately and may be opened only in the inmate's presence.
Key Advocacy Resources
- ACLU of Michigan — aclumich.org — handles conditions of confinement, healthcare, and constitutional violations
- Michigan State Appellate Defender Office (SADO) — provides post-conviction legal assistance
- Parole Board: The Michigan Parole Board makes release decisions for eligible inmates. Families can submit support letters to the board. Contact through michigan.gov/corrections.
MDOC headquarters: 206 East Michigan Avenue, Lansing, MI 48933. Phone: (517) 335-1426. Website: michigan.gov/corrections.
Further reading for families
For practical guidance on supporting your loved one, see our step-by-step guides on how to bail someone out of jail, how to write a letter to an inmate, and why inmate phone calls are so expensive — and what families can do to reduce those costs.
Many of these services are run by private companies. See how the main providers work, including fees and how to sign up: Securus, ViaPath (GTL), JPay, Access Corrections, CorrLinks, GettingOut. For every phone, video, money, mail, and care-package company, browse our full inmate service provider directory.