Should you call the Michigan Parole Board about your loved one at Central Michigan Corrections Facility?

If your loved one is housed at Central Michigan Corrections Facility, don’t contact the Michigan Parole Board to ask whether they can be considered for parole or early release. That kind of call won’t speed anything up, and the department specifically asks families not to contact the Board directly for parole requests.

Here's why: the Parole Board already reviews every eligible case. When parole is granted, it's scheduled at the earliest date the law allows. Calling to "get them on the list" doesn't accomplish anything - eligible cases are already in the system and moving through the normal process.

The Michigan Parole Board has 10 members appointed by the MDOC Director. Their job? Deciding parole after someone has served their minimum sentence. That includes people incarcerated at Central Michigan Corrections Facility.

In practice, the Board reviews cases for everyone who's legally eligible and schedules parole at the earliest lawful date. If your loved one at Central Michigan Corrections Facility qualifies, their case is already in the review pool.

The Office of the Parole Board does more than make parole decisions - it also handles administrative work through specialized units. Two you might encounter are the Crime Victim Services Section and the Lifer and Commutation Unit. Knowing these names helps if you're trying to figure out where certain questions or paperwork get routed for your loved one's situation at Central Michigan Corrections Facility.

What Families Can Do

• ✓ Don’t call the Parole Board to ask whether your loved one at Central Michigan Corrections Facility can be considered for parole or early release.
• ✓ Keep in mind that eligible cases are already being reviewed, and parole (when granted) is scheduled at the earliest potential date allowed under law.
• ✓ If your situation involves victim-services-related issues, look for the Crime Victim Services Section within the Office of the Parole Board.
• ✓ If your loved one’s situation involves lifer or commutation matters, look for the Lifer and Commutation Unit within the Office of the Parole Board.

Need to mail documents related to the Parole Board or MDOC? Send them to the central address: Grandview Plaza, 206 E. Michigan Ave., P.O. Box 30003, Lansing, MI 48909.