Marquette Branch Prison
Marquette Branch Prison is a mixed-security Michigan state prison for male inmates that is located in Marquette, Michigan.
Marquette Branch Prison was authorized by the Michigan State Legislature in 1885. The prison was subsequently built on the shores of Lake Superior on property that was a gift to the State from the Marquette Businessmen's Association. The prison was completed in 1889 at a cost of less than $200,000.
The Level V portion of the facility has four general population housing units and two administrative segregation housing units. The Secure Level I portion of the facility has four housing units located outside of the concrete wall surrounding Level V.
The perimeter security includes walls, double chain link fence, gun towers, and armed patrol vehicles.
Prison Insights
Marquette Branch Prison
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Visiting Hours and Rules
Visiting Hours at Marquette Branch Prison are as follows:
Level V:
Thursday – Monday 9:30 am – 1:30 pm
Segregation:
Thursday – Monday 8:30 am – 10:30 am
Level I:
Mon, Thu & Fri 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Saturday & Sunday 3:00 pm – 8:30 pm
General Visiting Rules
If you wish to visit an inmate at Marquette Branch Prison, you must first complete a Visiting Application to request approval to visit an inmate. You must submit the Visiting Application in advance of your visit to allow for review of the Application. Your inmate must also place you on the visitor list.
A maximum of five people are allowed to visit with a prisoner at one time. Children under the age of two will not be counted in that number.
Officers will perform searches, and visitors who fail to clear the metal detector after two attempts will be screened by use of a handheld metal detector. The facility will also use the black light hand marking system for visitors. The black light will be used to check the hand marking on exit from the visiting room.
For a complete list of visiting rules at Marquette Branch Prison, 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 is required.
- 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
You are allowed to bring the following items into the visiting room:
- Locker key
- Visitor pass
- Identification card
- Money for vending machines – a 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
Marquette Branch Prison
1960 U.S. Hwy. 41 South
Marquette, MI 49855
Driving Directions: https://goo.gl/maps/BfQs1nSgYuyN9n5V9
General Phone Number
(906) 226-6531
Inmate Mailing Address(es)
Inmate Name and DOC Number
Marquette Branch Prison
1960 U.S. Hwy. 41 South
Marquette, MI 49855
All inmate mail sent to Marquette Branch Prison 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 an approved customized package program that allows family members and others to send authorized items to inmates.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 Marquette Branch Prison, 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 Marquette Branch Prison via the GTL ConnectNetwork with their Trust Fund service.
You must create a ConnectNetwork account and then select Marquette Branch Prison and your inmate before you can deposit money into the Trust Fund (commissary) account.
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
Adult Basic Education, General Education Development, Employment Readiness and Building Trades are offered. Outpatient Substance Abuse and Advanced Substance Abuse treatment are also provided. Thinking for Change, Violence Prevention and Building Responsible Individualized Dynamics Gaining Essential Safety (BRIDGES) are cognitive behavioral programs offered. In addition, mental health services are provided to those prisoners requiring outpatient mental health services. Additional available activities include law library, general library and hobby craft. Religious programs are coordinated by the Chaplain and utilize local clergy, community volunteers and lay people.
MBP is the Prisoner Reentry/Offender Success Facility supporting all 15 counties in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Prisoners receiving positive parole action in the Upper Peninsula requiring Prisoner Reentry services are housed at MBP. In addition to cognitive restructuring programming, In-Reach services include employment services, transportation, housing workshops and Fast Track Release programming. In addition, prisoners are provided In-Reach opportunities with Field Operations Administration (FOA) Field Agents, Community Resource Specialists, Treatment Specialists, faith-based groups, and family reunification opportunities.
The Leader Dog for the Blind program provides MBP with seven-week-old puppies. Trained prisoners raise and train the puppies as future Leader Dogs, so they may return to the Leader Dog campus for formal training. Graduate dogs successfully serve individuals who are blind or visually impaired. This program ensures puppies are raised by a select team of offenders in a safe, secure environment that emphasizes the rehabilitative nature of caring for an animal.
Prisoners are provided with 24-hour access to health care. Routine and emergent medical care is provided on-site. Serious emergency cases are treated at the local hospital or referred to Duane L. Waters Health Care in Jackson.
Pictures of Marquette Branch Prison
Careers at Marquette Branch Prison
If you are interested in a career with the Michigan Department of Corrections at the Marquette Branch Prison, you can find job listings by clicking here.
