Penmate Inmate Support Guides

Why Your Loved One Might Not Appear in Michigan's OTIS (three‑year rule and other reasons)

Searched Michigan's OTIS and came up empty? That doesn't necessarily mean you have bad information. OTIS has specific rules about who appears in the system, and there are a few common reasons someone connected to St. Louis Corrections Facility might not show up.

• 2 min read Verified from official sources

The most common reason? The three-year rule. OTIS only includes offenders who have been under MDOC jurisdiction or supervision within the last three years. This applies whether you're searching for someone currently at St. Louis Corrections Facility or someone who was there in the past.

OTIS isn't a permanent archive. Once three years pass after someone discharges, they're removed from the database. If your loved one was at St. Louis Corrections Facility but discharged more than three years ago, they likely won't appear anymore.

What counts as "jurisdiction or supervision"? OTIS can include people who are (or were) in a Michigan prison, on parole or probation under MDOC, transferred in or out of Michigan under the Interstate Compact, or who escaped or absconded from their sentence. If none of those situations apply within the last three years, your search can come back blank even when you have the right name.

Sometimes the absence is due to a legal change. OTIS removes records when a conviction is set aside, expunged by the sentencing court, or removed by operation of law. Unlike the three-year rule, this isn't about time passing. It's about the conviction no longer being treated the same way for public display.

Even when someone does appear in OTIS, the details may be outdated. Location, status, projected release date, and other information might not reflect what's happening right now. If you're trying to track down current information for someone at St. Louis Corrections Facility, treat OTIS as a starting point rather than the final word.

  1. Confirm with MDOC - Before you make plans or decisions based on OTIS, verify the information directly with the Michigan Department of Corrections.
  2. Check Michigan State Police ICHAT - Use ICHAT as another way to confirm what you are seeing (or not seeing) in OTIS.
  3. Review the court file - If you need the most authoritative record for charges, sentencing, or court action (like a set aside or expungement), the court file is the place to verify it.

Need help correcting OTIS information? If something looks inaccurate or outdated, contact the MDOC Office of Public Information and Communications at correctionsinfo@michigan.gov.

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