Why your loved one might not appear on Michigan's OTIS (for families checking Central Michigan Corrections Facility)

OTIS isn't a lifetime record lookup. It only shows people currently under MDOC jurisdiction or supervision - or those who have been within the last three years. If your loved one's connection to MDOC is older than that window, OTIS may simply have nothing to display. The case can be real, you can have the right name, and the search still comes up empty.

OTIS entries can also disappear for specific reasons. MDOC removes records when a conviction is set aside, expunged (either by the sentencing court or by operation of law), or once three years have passed since discharge. Searching for someone who finished their MDOC sentence a while back? That three-year cutoff is often the whole explanation.

Even within the three-year window, some cases won't show conviction information because certain Michigan statutes prohibit public disclosure. When that applies, the database won't display the details you're expecting - your search may come up blank or look incomplete compared to what you've been told.

It helps to separate "not found" from "not publicly shown." A set-aside or expungement can lead to removal from OTIS. Statutory nondisclosure can prevent conviction information from appearing in the first place. Either way, you can end up with no usable result even when there's a real court history behind the person's name.

OTIS is built around MDOC jurisdiction and supervision - not every kind of custody. It returns results for people who are or were in a Michigan prison, on parole or probation under MDOC supervision, transferred in or out of Michigan under the Interstate Compact, or who have escaped or absconded from their sentence. If your loved one doesn't fit one of those categories, OTIS may not be the right tool.

A common mix-up: assuming OTIS covers every jail or type of hold. It doesn't. OTIS is tied to MDOC supervision and jurisdiction, so someone held by a different authority - like a county jail or federal agency - may not show up at all. If that's the situation, you'll need to check that agency's records instead.

• ✓ Confirm whether your loved one is (or recently was) under MDOC jurisdiction or supervision (Michigan prison, MDOC parole/probation, Interstate Compact transfer, escape/abscond status).
• ✓ If OTIS is blank, consider whether the situation is outside MDOC’s scope and needs verification through other agencies.
• ✓ Keep timing in mind - recent changes in status can take time to reflect, and OTIS is provided without warranty.
• ✓ Before you rely on what you see (or don’t see), confirm through MDOC, Michigan State Police ICHAT, or the court file.

If you still can't find them - or the record looks wrong - treat OTIS as a starting point, not the final answer. Verify through MDOC, Michigan Courts, the Michigan State Police, or other law enforcement agencies. MDOC cautions against taking any action based on OTIS information without confirmation through MDOC, Michigan State Police ICHAT, or a review of the court file.

1. Write down what looks wrong or missing - note the name you searched, what you expected to see, and what OTIS is showing instead.
2. Email MDOC Public Information - if you believe OTIS information is inaccurate, out-of-date, or incomplete, contact the MDOC Office of Public Information and Communications at correctionsinfo@michigan.gov.
3. Include enough detail for them to investigate - share the specific issue (missing record vs. incorrect details) and any identifying information you have so they can locate the right entry.