Mackinac County Inmate Population
Mackinac County inmate population records are handled by the Mackinac County Sheriff's Office in St. Ignace. The jail serves this Upper Peninsula county, which includes the famous Mackinac Island as well as several small mainland communities. This page covers how to find someone in custody at the Mackinac County Jail, what state tools are available for broader searches, and how to request records under Michigan law. Because this is a rural county, direct contact with the sheriff's office is usually the most reliable first step.
Mackinac County Overview
Mackinac County Jail and Inmate Population
The Mackinac County Jail holds people who have been arrested in the county, those awaiting trial, and those serving short sentences for local offenses. The Mackinac County Sheriff's Office runs daily operations at the facility, which is located in St. Ignace. As an Upper Peninsula county with a relatively small year-round population, Mackinac County typically maintains a modest jail population. That said, the numbers can shift depending on the season, since the area draws tourists in large numbers during warmer months.
Mackinac Island, which sits in the Straits of Mackinac between the Upper and Lower Peninsulas, is part of Mackinac County. Law enforcement on the island operates under the county sheriff's jurisdiction. People arrested there may be transported to the mainland for booking and detention. If you are searching for someone who may have been arrested on the island or in any other part of the county, the sheriff's office in St. Ignace is the place to start.
Note: The Mackinac County Jail does not currently publish a public online inmate roster. Phone contact with the sheriff's office is the fastest way to confirm custody status.
How to Find Mackinac County Inmates
The most direct way to find out if someone is held at the Mackinac County Jail is to call the sheriff's office at (906) 643-7351. Staff can check the custody roster and tell you whether a named person is currently in the jail. Have the full legal name ready when you call, and a date of birth if you have it. That extra detail helps narrow the search, especially when names are similar.
VINELink is a free service that covers Mackinac County and all Michigan jails. Through VINELink, you can register to receive notifications when a person's custody status changes. You can choose to be notified by phone, text, or email. The toll-free number is 1-800-770-7657, available any time of day or night. This is especially helpful if you want to know when someone is released or transferred to another facility without having to keep calling the jail yourself.
If someone was convicted and sent to a Michigan state prison after being held in Mackinac County, their record will appear in the state's OTIS database. The Offender Tracking Information System is run by the Michigan Department of Corrections and covers all current and recently released state prisoners. County jail inmates are not in OTIS, but it is the right tool once someone has moved into the state prison system.
Mackinac County Sheriff's Office Contact
The Mackinac County Sheriff's Office is the main contact for all jail and inmate population questions in the county. The office handles bookings, custody records, and general law enforcement for this large but sparsely populated Upper Peninsula county.
| Office | Mackinac County Sheriff's Office |
|---|---|
| Address | 100 S. Marley St., St. Ignace, MI 49781 |
| Phone | (906) 643-7351 |
| Facility | Mackinac County Jail |
When you call, let the staff know you are asking about the inmate population or trying to find a specific person. Be prepared to give the full name and any other identifying details you have. Staff are generally able to confirm whether someone is in custody and may be able to share basic booking information depending on the nature of the record.
Michigan OTIS: State Inmate Records
The Michigan Department of Corrections runs OTIS, which stands for Offender Tracking Information System. This is a free, public database that covers people who are currently in state prison or who have been released from state custody. If someone from Mackinac County was convicted of a felony and transferred to a state facility, OTIS is where to look.
You can search OTIS at mdocweb.state.mi.us by entering a name or MDOC number. Search results show the facility where the person is housed, their photo when available, and their earliest possible release date. The system does not require an account and is free to use. It is updated regularly as people move through the Michigan corrections system.
OTIS only covers state prison inmates. People who are sitting in the Mackinac County Jail on local charges or waiting for trial will not appear in this database. For those individuals, the sheriff's office is the correct contact. The broader MDOC site at michigan.gov/corrections has information about all state facilities, visitation policies, and offender services.
Note: OTIS records may include people who have been fully released, so a result does not always mean someone is currently in custody.
VINELink Custody Alerts in Mackinac County
VINELink is one of the most useful tools for tracking someone's custody status without having to call the jail repeatedly. The service is free and available to anyone. When you register, you provide the name of the person you are monitoring and choose how you want to be notified. VINELink will alert you when that person's status changes in the system.
You can sign up at vinelink.com or call 1-800-770-7657. The phone line runs 24 hours a day. Notifications can come as a call, a text, or an email. The service is confidential, meaning the person in custody does not know you registered. VINELink covers both county jails and state prison facilities, so you can track someone through the full custody process without needing separate accounts.
Requesting Mackinac County Inmate Records
Michigan's Freedom of Information Act gives the public the right to request government records, including jail records kept by the Mackinac County Sheriff's Office. MCL 15.231 is the law that establishes this right. Under it, the sheriff's office must respond to a written FOIA request within five business days, with a possible ten-day extension if needed.
To submit a request, write a letter or use the county's FOIA request form if one is available. Describe clearly what records you are asking for. Include the name of the person, the dates you are interested in, and the type of records you want, such as booking logs, custody records, or release information. Send your request to the Mackinac County Sheriff's Office at 100 S. Marley St., St. Ignace, MI 49781. There may be a fee for copies and staff time to process your request.
Some records may be exempt from release. Active investigations, records that could endanger someone's safety, and certain personal information may be withheld. If any part of your request is denied, the office must explain which legal exemption applies and give you information about how to appeal that decision. MCL 801.1 gives county sheriffs the legal authority to run the jail and manage its records, which also defines the scope of what can be requested.
Mackinac County Court Records
Criminal cases in Mackinac County are processed through the local circuit court and district court, depending on the severity of the charge. Court records are a separate but related resource when you are trying to understand why someone is in custody or what legal proceedings are underway. They can show charges, bond amounts, hearing dates, and case outcomes.
The MiCOURT case search portal at courts.michigan.gov allows you to search by name or case number. Results can include party names, charges, and docket entries. This tool covers circuit and district courts across Michigan, including those serving Mackinac County. If you know someone is in custody and want to understand the case behind it, MiCOURT is a good next step after confirming custody with the sheriff's office.
County Jail vs. State Prison in Michigan
It helps to know the difference between the county jail and the state prison system when you are trying to find someone. The two systems hold different groups of people and are run by different agencies. Knowing which one applies to your situation points you to the right place to search.
The Mackinac County Jail holds people at three main stages. First, people who were recently arrested and are waiting to see a judge or post bond. Second, people who are going through trial or waiting for sentencing. Third, people who are serving short sentences, usually one year or less. The county sheriff runs the jail under authority granted by MCL 801.1.
State prisons hold people who were convicted of felonies and sentenced to serve more than one year. When someone is transferred from the county jail to a state facility, they leave the county system. At that point, OTIS and the Michigan Department of Corrections become the right resources to search. MCL 800.31 governs standards for county jail operations across Michigan, including in Mackinac County.
Michigan Inmate Population Search Online
The Michigan Department of Corrections provides public access to state inmate records through the OTIS search interface, the primary online tool for locating Michigan state prison inmates.
OTIS allows name-based searches and returns facility location, photo when available, and release date information for current and former Michigan Department of Corrections inmates, but does not cover local county jail inmates like those held at the Mackinac County Jail.
Cities in Mackinac County
Mackinac County includes St. Ignace, Mackinac Island, and several small communities. None currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated inmate population page. For a full list of Michigan cities with their own pages, visit the cities directory.
Nearby Counties
These counties border or sit near Mackinac County in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Each has its own jail and sheriff's office. If you are unsure which county has someone in custody, check where the arrest took place.