LANSING, MI (WOWO) Michigan’s prison population is rising slightly after years of decline, driven in part by longer minimum sentences, putting the state’s correctional facilities closer to operating at full capacity.

A report from the Crime and Justice Institute shows that more inmates are staying behind bars longer, even as the number of available beds has declined following the closure of several facilities. Between 2021 and 2023, the state’s prison population increased 3 percent, from 32,186 to 32,986 inmates. More than 65 percent of those inmates are serving sentences of 10 years or longer, while the average minimum sentence has grown 30 percent over the last decade.

Prison closures, including the Detroit Reentry Center and the Michigan Reformatory, have reduced the number of beds available, leaving many facilities operating at or near capacity. According to the Michigan Department of Corrections, bed reductions are carefully planned to ensure staffing, programming, and security needs are maintained.

Advocates say the combination of longer sentences, staffing shortages, and nearly full facilities can delay rehabilitative programs and services for inmates. Staffing vacancies average about 16 percent statewide, with some prisons exceeding 30 percent.

Rising incarceration costs also reflect an aging prison population. Nearly 20 percent of Michigan inmates are 55 or older, requiring higher levels of medical care. Analysts say the cost per inmate has increased from roughly $48,000 in 2024 to over $52,000 in 2025, driven by both longer sentences and higher medical needs.

Experts suggest that while Michigan’s population remains below its 2007 peak, the combination of longer sentences, fewer beds, and staffing pressures creates operational and financial challenges that will continue to affect the state’s correctional system.