Complaints

Statute grants the Ombudsman authority to investigate administrative actions of the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) that are alleged to be contrary to law or Department policy. Except for significant health and safety issues, statute directs complainants to complete all administrative remedies available before the Ombudsman begins an investigation of the issue. The grievance procedure and the rehearing process for Class I are the two administrative remedies available to prisoners and parolees.

Before submitting a written grievance, MDOC policy states that a grievant must attempt to resolve the issue with the staff member involved. If they are unable to resolve it at that point, the issue can be pursued through the prisoner grievance procedure. More information about grievances can be found in Policy Directive 03.02.130. The grievance process is a prisoner process, which means that family members and friends may not file on behalf of the prisoner.

Once you have completed the grievance procedure through all 3 steps, you may send the grievances, all attachments, and the MDOC responses, to the Ombudsman’s office for review, if your complaint was not resolved by the grievance.

Prisoner’s friends and family can file a complaint with the Ombudsman office by simply calling or sending an email. However, it is office policy that we usually need to hear directly from the prisoner involved in the complaint before we can begin an investigation. As a result, we may advise you to have the prisoner send a letter of complaint directly to our office.