Difference Between Michigan Prison and Federal Prison
What is the Difference Between Federal Prison and Michigan State Prison?
Michigan state prisons are facilities for incarcerating individuals found guilty of breaking the state's laws, while federal prisons are the federal alternative for persons convicted of federal crimes. Federal crimes include identity theft, carjacking, immigration and customs violations, kidnapping, tax evasion, espionage, and credit card fraud. However, Michigan state crimes include murder, burglary, robbery, rape, and arson. Generally, violent crimes usually fall under state crimes, while most white-collar crimes are federal offenses.
Federal prisons operate under the authority of the Federal Bureau of Prisons', while Michigan state prisons are run by the Michigan Department of Corrections. Furthermore, inmates in federal prisons tend to have longer sentences than those in state prisons. This is because it is common for an inmate in a Michigan state prison to be paroled after serving part of his sentence; this provision is not usually available for inmates at a federal prison.
How to Lookup Inmates in Michigan
The federal and state prison system structure allows interested persons to locate Michigan inmate records or incarcerated persons in their respective systems. Convicts in federal prisons can be located using the Federal Bureau of Prison online tool. Inquirers will need to supply the inmate's first name, last name, or Federal Bureau of Prisons' number. For prisoners in Michigan prisons, interested parties can use the Michigan Department of Corrections Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS) by providing the inmate's first name, last name, and Michigan Department of Corrections number. Information provided in an inmate's record includes name, gender, age, offense, inmate number, incarceration date, and release date.
The Michigan Prison System
The Michigan prison system caters to convicts in state prisons and offenders on parole or undergoing probation. The Michigan Department of Corrections coordinates the activities in the state's 28 prisons which house 41,000 inmates. The department operates four divisions;
- Correctional Facilities Administration (CFA)
- Prisons
- Field Operations Administration (FOA)
- Operations Support Administration
The Correctional Facilities Administration division is in charge of the state's prisons and camps. It also oversees security in the facilities, the wardens and controls other activities like prisoner transportation and food services. The Field Operations Administration division oversees the 105 field offices in Michigan, where parole and probation supervision are taken care of. The Operations Support Administration division oversees the Department of Corrections' finances and personnel services.
The prison division is concerned with the security of the prison facilities, depending on the inmates housed there. Prison security is stratified into levels. Inmates in Level I prisons are considered non-violent and require minimal security. However, prisons higher on the security ranking combine double walls, video monitoring, razor wire, and various other security measures to secure violent inmates.
Below are the 28 current prisons operated by the Michigan Department of Corrections:
Alger Correctional Facility
N6141 Industrial Park Dr
Munising, MI 49862
Phone: (906) 387-5000
Baraga Correctional Facility
13924 Wadaga Rd
Baraga, MI 49908-9204
Phone: (906) 353-7070
Bellamy Creek Correctional Facility
1727 West Bluewater Highway
Ionia, MI 48846
Phone: (616) 527-2510
Carson City Correctional Facility
10274 Boyer Rd
Carson City, MI 48811-9746
Phone: (989) 584-3941
Central Michigan Correctional Facility
320 N Hubbard
St. Louis, MI 48880
Phone: (989) 681-6668
Charles Egeler Reception & Guidance Center
3855 Cooper St.
Jackson, MI 49201-7547
Phone: (517) 780-5600
Chippewa Correctional Facility
4269 W. M-80,
Kincheloe, MI 49784
Phone: (906) 495-2275
Cooper Street Correctional Facility (with Special Alternative Incarceration (SAI)
Cooper St.
Jackson, MI 49201
Phone: (517) 780-6175
Detroit Detention Center
17601, Mound Road, Detroit, MI 48212
Phone: (313) 363-8300
Fax: (313) 363-8972
Earnest C. Brooks Correctional Facility
2500 S. Sheridan Dr
Muskegon Heights, MI 49444
Phone: (231) 773-9200
G. Robert Cotton Correctional Facility
3500 N. Elm Rd
Jackson, MI 49201
Phone: (517) 780-5000
Gus Harrison Correctional Facility
2727 East Beecher St
Adrian, MI 49221
Phone: (517) 265-3900
Ionia Correctional Facility
1576 W. Bluewater Highway
Ionia, MI 48846
Phone: (616) 527-6331
Kinross Correctional Facility
4533 W. Industrial Park Dr
Kincheloe, MI 49788
Phone: (906) 495-2282
Lakeland Correctional Facility
141 First St.
Coldwater, MI 49036
Phone: (517) 278-6942
Macomb Correctional Facility
34625 26 Mile Rd
Lenox Township, MI 48048
Phone: (586) 749-4900
Marquette Branch Prison
1960 U.S. Hwy. 41 South
Marquette, MI 49855
Phone: (906) 226-6531
Michigan Reformatory
1342 W. Main
Ionia, MI 48846
Phone: (616) 527-2500
Muskegon Correctional Facility
2400 S. Sheridan Dr
Muskegon, MI 49442
Phone: (231) 773-3201
Newberry Correctional Facility
13747 E. County Road 428
Newberry, MI 49868
Phone: (906) 293-6200
Oaks Correctional Facility
1500 Caberfae Highway
Manistee, MI 49660
Phone: (231) 723-8272
Parnall Correctional Facility
1780 East Parnall Rd
Jackson, MI 49201
Phone: (517) 780-6004
Richard A. Handlon Correctional Facility
1728 Bluewater Highway
Ionia, MI 48846
Phone: (616) 527-3100
Saginaw Correctional Facility
9625 Pierce Rd
Freeland, MI 48623
Phone: (989) 695-9880
St. Louis Correctional Facility
8585 N. Croswell Rd
St. Louis, MI 48880
Phone: (989) 681-6444
Thumb Correctional Facility
3225 John Conley Dr
Lapeer, MI 48446
Phone: (810) 667-2045
Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility
3201 Bemis Rd
Ypsilanti, MI 48197-0911
Phone: (734) 572-9900
Woodland Center Correctional Facility
9036 E. M-36
Whitmore Lake, MI 48189
Phone: (734) 449-3320
As of 2018, the Michigan prison system had 38,761 prisoners incarcerated in the state Prisons. The state Department of Corrections ran on a budget of $2 billion that year.
Michigan County Jails
County jails in Michigan are short-term detention facilities under the supervision of the sheriff's offices. Detainees in county jails do not work while serving jail time or participate in furlough programs. Often, offenders serving time in a county jail may be discharged or transferred to the correctional facility within 12 months before release to complete other necessary programs and parole reviews.
The Jail Population Information System Reports Data provides the details of the total number of violators serving jail time in each county in Michigan. It also reveals the daily population and how the figures come in place.
Information of inmates currently serving jail time and those recently released in the county jails are available at the Sheriff's Office in each county. Local law enforcement agencies provide inmate locator tools to aid the process of locating people in county jails. Interested parties can visit the Sheriff's Office website for the jail's county address and contact information to inquire about convict records. The Offender Tracking and Information System (OTIS) in Michigan does not convey information about inmates in county jails.
Most county jails accept cash and credit card deposits via phone, website or operate lobby kiosks and money orders and checks for inmates held in their facilities. Interested parties can look up the county jail website for acceptable means of payment.
How Does the Federal Prison System Work?
The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), under the supervision of the Department of Justice, is responsible for overseeing offenders and ensuring all correctional facilities are safe and secured for inmates. The agency also provides self-development and work opportunities for convicts to afford them the necessary skill set to become law-abiding citizens after release. Furthermore, the federal prison system in the United States offers a range of programs covering health care, education, skills acquisition, courses, and religion to help reorient prisoners.
According to security levels, there are five different categories of federal prisons, but U.S. prisons are primarily distinguished by their function and structure. They include;
- Federal Correctional Institutions
- United States Penitentiaries
- Private Correctional Institutions
- Federal Prison Camps
- Administrative facilities
- Federal Correctional Complexes
- Former federal facilities
Federal Correctional Institutions
The Federal Correctional Institutions (FCIs) are medium and low-security facilities with well-secured electronic detection systems, work, and vocational opportunities. There is more staff compared to a low-security facility.
United States Penitentiaries
United States Penitentiaries are mostly high-security facilities with secured perimeter with one convict per cell, the highest percentage of staff, and restricted inmate movement.
Private Correctional Institutions
Private Correctional Institutions are contracted facilities operated by privately-run corporations.
Federal Prison Camps
Federal Prison Camps are minimum-security facilities known to be work and program-focused with a low percentage of staff, limited perimeters, and ample housing.
Administrative Facilities
Administrative facilities have a special mission for inmates on trial, or those with physical and mental health issues.
