The Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) is a principal department in the U.S. state of Michigan that manages the prisons, probation and parole services, and a variety of other programs, aiming to reduce recidivism and provide rehabilitation opportunities for offenders. It also serves to protect the public by ensuring the safe and secure confinement of prisoners.
To keep families connected to their loved ones in prisons, MDOC also allows inmates to be visited. However, there are several stages that they must meet to visit the inmate—completing the visiting application online is one of them. If you happen to visit your loved one in a MDOC prison, let’s see how to do so in our post below!
How to Get an MDOC Visiting Application Online?
Before visiting, the inmates have to complete a Visitor List Form (CAJ-334) to identify which families are allowed to visit the prison with no more than 10 people. If you are one of those permitted to visit, you’ll need to complete a Visiting Application (CAJ-103) that you can get online.
Download the MDOC Visiting Application Form
This visiting application form works to request approval to visit and should be submitted in advance to the facility Mailroom or Information Desk in the facility where the inmate is currently incarcerated. Then, the staff of the facility will review your visit application.
To submit the visiting application form, you may have to include your address in the envelope. This will make it easier for staff to send feedback regarding whether you received approval or a refusal to visit. Keep in mind that there is no prison visit without this approval.
What is in the DOC Visiting Application?
The information that you have to provide on the MDOC Visiting Application Form (CAJ-103) includes:
- Your driver’s license
- Your OR State ID
- Your full name
- Your address
- Your birthdate
- Inmate’s name
- Inmate’s ID
- Some questions regarding your identity, such as whether or not you’re on parole or probation, etc.
Who is Allowed to Visit MDOC Prisons?
The people who are allowed to visit are the individuals who get approval from the inmates themselves. In this case, they are usually their immediate family members, such as:
- A grandparent
- Parent
- Stepparent
- Spouse
- Mother-in-law
- Father-in-law
- Child
- Step-child
- Grandchild
- Sibling
- Half-sibling
- Stepbrother
- Stepsister
For aunts or uncles, they can be approved to visit with sufficient verification confirming that they are serving as surrogate parents. If these are inadequate, then the prisoner or family member will be asked to provide the necessary documentation to confirm the relationship.
What are the Rules That Visitors Should Meet?
Of course, the proposed visitors must be approved to be placed on the inmate’s approved visitor list if all of the following criteria are met:
- Visitors proposed by inmates are not subject to the current visitor restrictions.
- The visitors proposed by inmates are not prisoners or ex-prisoners in any jurisdiction. But if they are immediate family members, they can be placed on the inmate’s approved visitor list by getting prior approval from the Warden of the facility where the visit will be performed.
- The visitors proposed by the inmate are not on parole or probation in any jurisdiction as a result of a felony conviction. But if they are immediate family members, they can be placed on the inmate’s approved visitor list by getting prior approval from the Warden of the facility where the visit will be performed.
- Visitors proposed by the inmate are not on any other inmate’s approved visitor list, except as an immediate family member. In other words, the visitors may be on the list, but only if they are not included as immediate family members.
- If the visitors proposed by the inmate are Department employees, they may visit only as set forth in the Employee Handbook.
- If the visitors proposed by the inmate are volunteers, they may visit only as set forth in Volunteer Services and Programs.
- Visitors proposed by the inmate must be 18 years of age or older, a released minor, a minor, a sibling, grandchild, stepchild, half brother, or half brother of the inmate. However, they may not be approved to be placed on the approved visitor list if they are in any of the following circumstances:
-
- The facility is informed that there was a court order prohibiting visits between inmates and minors.
- The facility is informed that the parental rights of inmates have been terminated.
- The inmate is being punished for criminal sexual behavior, child abuse, or other aggressive or violent behavior against a minor or a sibling of the minor. However, the inmate can still receive visits from minors if permitted by the Director at the request of the warden, and the Warden will be notified in writing if an exception is granted.
Regardless of several things above, wardens may refuse to place anyone on an inmate’s approved visitor list. This is done for public protection, facility security and safety, violation of previous visiting room rules by the proposed visitor, or for any other reason determined by the warden.
A bookworm and researcher especially related to law and citizenship education. I spend time every day in front of the internet and the campus library.
