How to look up an inmate's number and facility (OTIS) — steps for families with someone at Alger Correctional Facility
Before you send mail, money, or forms, confirm the person's MDOC ID number and current facility. In Michigan, the fastest way to do that is through OTIS—the Michigan Offender Tracking Information System.
If your loved one is in the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) system, OTIS is where you'll find their prisoner number. That number is how MDOC matches mail and other items to the right person - get it wrong, and your letter could end up in limbo. One caveat: OTIS isn't updated in real time. MDOC warns the database may lag behind on current location, status, or projected release dates. Double-check anything time-sensitive before you send it.
When you're sending USPS mail, the envelope needs the facility address, plus the prisoner's full name and number. Getting these details right the first time helps avoid delays or misdirected letters.
Note: OTIS may not reflect the most current location, status, or projected release date. If something doesn’t look right, verify details through MDOC or other official records.
- Go to Michigan OTIS - Open the Michigan Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS) search page.
- Search by the person’s name - Enter the name you have and run the search.
- Review the results carefully - OTIS can show people who are or were in a Michigan prison, on parole or probation under MDOC supervision, involved in interstate transfers, or listed as escaped/absconded, so pay attention to the identifiers shown.
- Open the correct record - Click into the matching record to view the prisoner number and the listed facility.
- Write down the details you need - Save the prisoner number and the facility information so you can use it when addressing mail or completing other paperwork.
Note: If the location, status, or release information will affect a visit, mailing, or deadline, verify it through MDOC or other official sources - OTIS may not be fully current.
A blank search doesn't always mean you typed something wrong. OTIS only shows people who've been under MDOC jurisdiction or supervision within the last three years. If more time has passed since discharge, the record won't appear. OTIS also removes records when a conviction is set aside or expunged - whether by the sentencing court or by operation of law - so that can make someone disappear from the public database too.
Sometimes OTIS shows a person but leaves out conviction details you expected. Michigan law can block public disclosure of certain conviction information, and when that applies, those details simply won't appear. That's not a glitch - it's how the database is legally required to work.
Found something in OTIS that looks wrong, outdated, or incomplete? MDOC directs the public to contact the Office of Public Information and Communications at correctionsinfo@michigan.gov. For technical issues - the site won't load, pages error out, features don't work - use mdocwebmaster@michigan.gov instead.
Tip: Before emailing, capture what you're seeing - a screenshot and the exact name you searched. Specific details help MDOC pinpoint what needs to be checked or fixed.
Quick Checklist
- ✓ Look up the prisoner number in OTIS.
- ✓ Confirm the currently listed facility in OTIS before you address anything.
- ✓ Remember OTIS can include people who are/were in prison, on parole/probation under MDOC supervision, interstate transfers, or listed as escaped/absconded.
- ✓ Address USPS mail with the facility address plus the prisoner’s name and number.
- ✓ Save the information you used (notes or a screenshot) in case you need to reference it later.
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