How to Find Someone at Carson City: Using MDOC's OTIS and What It Can (and Can't) Tell You

OTIS is the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) public offender information tool. Think of it as a starting point. You can look someone up, then verify what you find through official sources like MDOC or law enforcement, especially if you need confirmed details for court, travel, or family plans. Search results can include people currently in a Michigan prison, people who were in the past, and people on parole or probation under MDOC supervision. OTIS also shows people who transferred in or out of Michigan under the Interstate Compact, plus anyone who escaped or absconded from their sentence. One thing worth knowing: OTIS isn't limited to convicted felons. It can include other offender types too. The best way to use any result is as a starting point, then confirm what you need with the appropriate official office.

OTIS has a three-year window that trips up a lot of searches. Only offenders who have been under MDOC jurisdiction or supervision within the last three years will show up. So if you search a name and get no results, that doesn't automatically mean the person was never in MDOC custody. If more than three years have passed since their last period of MDOC supervision, their information simply won't appear.