Ionia Correctional Facility

Ionia Correctional Facility is a Level II/Level V Michigan state prison for male inmates that is located in Iona, Michigan.

The Ionia Maximum Facility is comprised of five, Level V housing units and two Level II housing units. Two of the Level V housing units are designated Administrative Segregation, which includes Detention and Temporary Segregation cells. The remaining three are general population units with one being the START NOW Program. 

Level V housing consists of five bi-level, double-winged, single cell units. Each unit has a day room area, showers, laundry room, staff offices, and a fence-in activity and recreational yard for the security Level V prisoners. The Units designated Administrative Segregation affords prisoner outdoor recreation in single occupancy security exercise modules.

The Level II housing consists of a large, pole-barn construction divided into two units with 140 beds in each unit. The units have shower, laundry, and recreation areas. The Level II prisoners have separate yard areas, with access to a weight pit, basketball courts, volleyball, softball, horseshoes, and a running track. Jobs are available for all Level II prisoners, which includes a Michigan State Industries factory which employs approximately 80 prisoners.

The Prisoner Services building contains classrooms, an auditorium, a gymnasium, a weight room, quartermaster, and a barbershop. A separate building contains food service, prisoner, and staff dining, health care, prisoner property, and maintenance. The administrative building contains the institutions Control Center, Record Office, Business Office, visiting areas, staff training, mailroom, and a disciplinary and parole board hearing room.

Security consists of two, 12-foot wire fences (which incorporate a Stun Fence), razor ribbon, gun towers, security surveillance cameras, and a personal alarm system for staff throughout the facility. Enclosed officer's stations separate each wing within the Level V housing units. A patrol vehicle with armed personnel constantly patrols the prison perimeter.

Prison Insights

Ionia Correctional Facility

Go back

What Do Inmate Families Think?

Go back

What Do Former Inmates Think?

Go back

What Do Employees Think?

Go back
Sorry, there are no insights for this section of the facility yet.
Overall Score = /10
Total Respondents =

Visiting Hours and Rules

Visiting Hours at Ionia Correctional Facility are as follows:

Level V:
Monday                            8:30 am – 2:30 pm
Thursday                          3:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Saturday                           8:30 am – 8:30 pm 

Level II:
Monday & Friday             3:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Thursday                          8:30 am – 2:30 pm
Sunday                             8:30 am – 8:30 pm

Segregation:
Thursday                         3:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Friday                              8:30 am – 2:30 pm

General Visiting Rules

All potential visitors must be placed on the inmate’s visiting list, and the visitor must also complete a Visiting Application to request approval to visit. The Visiting Application must be submitted in advance to allow for review of the Application.

A maximum of five persons are allowed to visit with a prisoner at one time. Children less than two years of age will not be counted in that number. 

For a complete list of visiting rules at Ionia Correctional Facility, click here. You can also find a complete Family Information Packet by clicking here.

Dress Code

  • Visitors must be fully dressed in clean clothes that do not have holes
  • Undergarments must be worn, including underpants/panties; adult females must wear a brassiere. 
  • Clothing which exposes excessive skin is prohibited. This clothing includes, but is not limited to, see-through clothing, tube/halter tops, and shorts or skirts/dresses that are more than 3” above the knee. 
  • A visitor who is fourteen years of age or younger must be attired in clothing which covers his/her body from the base of the neck to the top of the knees. T-Shirt and shorts/trousers are acceptable, but a sundress is not acceptable. 
  • Clothing which exposes undergarments is prohibited. 
  • Extreme form-fitting clothing, including but not limited to yoga pants, running tights, jeggings, unitards, etc. may not be worn as outer garments. 
  • Clothing which displays words, symbols, gestures, or pictures that may be perceived as obscene or inflammatory are prohibited. 
  • Outer garments such as shawls/ponchos/lightweight coats/jackets (including denim and jogging suit jackets), winter coats/jackets, shrugs, vests, headgear, gloves, or outer boots that slip over a shoe are not allowed in the visiting room. Blazers, suit coats, and sweaters are permissible. Note: Hooded garments are prohibited. 
  • Visitors are permitted to wear religious clothing and headgear (e.g., Hijab, yarmulke, turban, habit, etc.), into the visiting room; they are subject to search and inspection. It may be necessary for MDOC staff to search/inspect these items at any time during the visiting process. 
  • Footwear must be worn at all times. 
  • Jewelry worn by visitors will be itemized on entry and on leaving the visiting area. Jewelry is limited to no more than ten pieces. Note: Jewelry which includes an open compartment or space designed to contain photographs, hair, ashes, etc. is prohibited (e.g., lockets, rings, charms, vials, etc.). 

Also prohibited are watches, including electronic wristbands, pendants, eyeglasses, and other similar items containing a camera, GPS, wireless, or electronic functions. 

Personal Property Allowed in the Visiting Room

The following list is all-inclusive: 

  • Locker key
  • Visitor pass
  • Identification card
  • Money for vending machines –  maximum amount of $25.00 per visitor or no more than $60 per group visit.
  • For visitors with infants: Two clear plastic bottles, one pacifier, and one single-layered baby blanket (no quilt or comforter style). A clear, plastic spill-proof cup “sippy cup” is permitted when a toddler is a member of the visiting party. 
  • Medications and/or medical equipment which may be needed by a visitor during a visit are permitted with the approval of the shift commander.
  • A service animal which provides service for a disabled visitor is permitted to accompany the visitor while in the visiting room. 
  • Photo tickets - Visitors may purchase photo tickets from the lobby vending machine. All photographs of prisoners will be supervised by staff and approved prior to distribution to prisoner or visitor. All photographs will be limited to one prisoner per photograph. 
  • Immediate family members may bring legal documents in on a visit for review only with the prisoner. The documents cannot be left with the prisoner nor left at the front desk for the prisoner. These items are subject to search before being taken into the visiting room. 

Physical Address

Ionia Correctional Facility
1576 W. Bluewater Highway
Ionia, MI 48846

Driving Directions: https://goo.gl/maps/Pz2YnpJY1EhpS6V98

General Phone Number

​(616) 527-6331

Inmate Mailing Address(es)

Inmate Name and DOC Number
Ionia Correctional Facility
1576 W. Bluewater Highway
Ionia, MI 48846

All inmate mail sent to Ionia Correctional Facility using the US mail system must include the address of the facility as well as the offender’s name and MDOC number. If you do not know this information, you can search the OTIS Database located on the MDOC’s website (www.michigan.gov/mdoc).

FFP Program

The FFP Program is a Department-approved customized package program that allows family members and others to send authorized items to prisoners while safeguarding against the introduction of contraband.  

The spend limit is $100, not including tax and shipping, per FFP order placed. Only one FFP order may be placed by or for a prisoner per quarter (i.e., Jan-Mar; Apr-Jun; Jul-Sep; Oct-Dec). 

For additional information, please visit the FFP website at www.michiganpackages.com.

How to Call an Inmate

You can’t call an inmate at the Ionia Correctional Facility, but they do have access to phones and are allowed to make monitored outgoing calls during approved hours. For complete details on how to call an inmate in Michigan, please click here.

How to Send Money

You can send money to an inmate at Ionia Correctional Facility via the GTL ConnectNetwork with their Trust Fund service. 

After creating a ConnectNetwork account and selecting Ionia Correctional Facility and your inmate to add to your account, you can deposit money into the Trust Fund (commissary) account at any time. 

While using this website is the easiest and fastest way to make a Trust Fund deposit, there are several different payment options available. Note: all Trust Fund deposits are final; there are no refunds issued.

Programs For Inmates

Academic programs include Adult Basic Education, Special Education, General Education Development (GED) completion Employment Readiness. In-cell study programs are available to prisoners who may not participate in group activities. Treatment services include, Out-Patient Mental Health Treatment, Counseling, Alcoholics Anonymous groups, religious services, Violence Prevention Program, and Thinking For A Change. 

In the Level II housing they have Leader Dogs for the Blind. The facility also has on-site; legal and general libraries that are available to prisoners. Prisoners are provided with excellent on-site routine medical and dental care. Serious emergency cases are treated at Sparrow Ionia Hospital and the Duane L. Waters Health Center in Jackson.

Routine Work Assignment (RWA): The Department is committed to providing prisoners with an opportunity to acquire job skills and develop positive and constructive work habits to improve their employment readiness, opportunities, and potential wages both in the institution and upon their return to the community. Therefore, whenever possible, prisoners are placed in Routine Work Assignments that will provide work experience relevant to the current job market. In addition, when feasible, the prisoner’s work day should simulate the work day in the community.

Pictures of Ionia Correctional Facility

Careers at Ionia Correctional Facility

If you are interested in a career with the Michigan Department of Corrections at the Ionia Correctional Facility, you can find job listings by clicking here

>