Michigan Reformatory

The Michigan Reformatory is a multi-level Correctional Facility for male inmates that houses prisoners classified to Level II (352 beds) and Level IV (797 beds). The prison is on 40 acres of land 15.8 acres inside the walls. The facility location is west of the city of Ionia in the county of Ionia.

Prisoners serve institutional needs in areas such as food service, yard crews, recreation, institutional housekeeping and maintenance workers.

The perimeter of the facility consists of brick walls with armed gun towers and electronic detection systems.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

Visiting Hours at Michigan Reformatory are as follows:

Level IV:
Thursday                            2:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Saturday                             9:00 am – 9:00 pm

Level II:
Monday & Friday               2:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Sunday                               9:00 am – 9:00 pm

Segregation:
Monday                             8:30 am – 1:30 pm

General Visiting Rules

Before you can visit an inmate at Michigan Reformatory, you must first complete a Visiting Application to request approval. 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. 

A detailed list of visiting rules at Michigan Reformatory can be found by clicking 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. 
• Visitors 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 not allowed. 
• 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 into the visiting room, but they are subject to search and inspection.
• 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.

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

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. 

How to Call an Inmate

How to Send Money

You can send money to an inmate at Michigan Reformatory via the GTL ConnectNetwork by using their Trust Fund service. 

You must create a ConnectNetwork account and then select Michigan Reformatory 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

Academic Education, pre-release preparation, psychological counseling, along with several other programs to prepare prisoners for release from prison are available at Michigan Reformatory.  Other programs that are offered are general and law libraries, hobbycraft, religious services, recreation programs, and barbershop.

Employment Readiness/Pre-Release: Employment readiness programming prior to release. Areas included are prisoner education, vocational education, and job placement.

Academic Classes: These classes improve students’ basic skills and prepare them to take the General Educational Development (GED) certificate. Classes offered at MDOC facilities include: Adult Basic Education (ABE) and GED, English as a Second Language (ESL), and Special Education programming.

Career and Technical Education (CTE): CTE programs provide prisoners with specific trades instruction, technical skills, and soft skill competencies critical to finding and maintaining employment. These skills are transferable into community employment or community college programming through state and/or federally recognized certifications upon completion. 

Special institutional and community projects provide prisoners the opportunity to demonstrate hands-on skills through job-related programming and restorative justice opportunities.

Routine Work Assignment (RWA): Michigan Reformatory 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. 

Pictures of Michigan Reformatory

Careers at Michigan Reformatory

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