St. Louis Correctional Facility

The St. Louis Correctional Facility is a Level IV Michigan state prison for male inmates that is located in St. Louis, Michigan. The prison is sited on 67 acres of land in the northeast section of St. Louis, in Gratiot County, and can house up to 1,176 inmates.

St. Louis Correctional Facility opened in 1999 and consists of separate buildings for administration, food services, education, maintenance, storage, and prisoner housing. There are six general population housing units, one is an Adaptive Skills Residential Program (ASRP) Unit that provides specialized programming in a supportive housing environment for prisoners. There is one Segregation Unit that houses up to 96 prisoners.

The perimeter security includes a buffer fence, double chain link fences, razor-ribbon wire, electronic detection systems, an armed patrol vehicle, and gun towers.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

Visiting Hours at St. Louis Correctional Facility are as follows:

General Population:

Monday, Thursday & Friday                3:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Saturday & Sunday                              9:00 am – 9:00 pm

Segregation:
Monday, Thursday & Friday               8:30 am – 2:30 pm

General Visiting Rules

All potential visitors at St. Louis Correctional Facility must first complete a Visiting Application to request approval. You must submit the Visiting Application before your visit to allow for review of the Application. Your inmate must also place you on their visitor list.

You will be subject to a search by officers when you arrive for your visit. Anyone who fails 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. The black light will be used to check visitors’ hand marking when they exit the visiting room. 

A maximum of five people are allowed to visit with a prisoner at one time. Children under the age of two are not counted in that number. 

A detailed list of visiting rules at St. Louis Correctional Facility can be found by clicking here. You can also find a complete Family Information Packet by clicking here.

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 “sippy cup” is permitted when a toddler is visiting.
• 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. 
• 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. 

Dress Code

Visitors must be fully dressed in clean clothes that do not have holes and undergarments must be worn, including underpants/panties. Adult females must wear a brassiere. Clothing which exposes undergarments is prohibited. 

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. 

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.

All inmate mail sent to the St. Louis Correctional Facility must include 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).

Prisoners may receive magazines, newspapers, and books ordered from the following Internet vendors, provided the publication is not used and is sent directly to the prisoner from the Internet vendor:

• Amazon.com
• BarnesandNoble.com
• EdwardRHamilton.com and HamiltonBooks.com
• prisonlegalnews.org/humanrightsdefensecenter.org/action/publishing/
• Schulerbooks.com
• Walmart.com

FFP Program

The FFP Program is an approved customized package program that allows loved ones to send authorized items to inmates.The spend limit is $100, not including tax and shipping, per FFP order placed. Only one FFP order is allowed per 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

How to Send Money

You can send money to an inmate at St. Louis Correctional Facility via the GTL ConnectNetwork by using their Trust Fund service. 

You must create a ConnectNetwork account and then select St. Louis Correctional Facility and your inmate before you can deposit money into the Trust Fund (commissary) account.

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

Programs For Inmates

Programming at St. Louis Correctional Facility includes pre-release preparation, psychological counseling, Strategies for Thinking Productively (STP is a cognitive restructuring program), Cage Your Rage and substance-abuse treatment are offered. 

An academic and vocational program offers Adult Basic Education, General Education Development opportunities and Custodial Maintenance Technology. Other programs and services include general and law library, hobbycraft, religious services, recreation programs, and a barbershop.

Prisoners are provided with on-site routine medical, including x-ray, and dental care. Telemedicine is available and there is a mini-clinic in each housing unit. Serious problems are treated at the department's Duane L. Waters Health Care in Jackson, and emergencies can be referred to the local hospital.

Pictures of St. Louis Correctional Facility

Careers at St. Louis Correctional Facility