Michigan Department Of Corrections Most Wanted Escapees

Michigan's prison system is packed with tales of breakouts, reform, and legendary characters. The history of Michigan's prisons, especially the notorious Jackson State Prison (Cooper Street Correctional Facility), reads like something out of a thriller novel—complete with jailbreaks, outlaw gangs, and mob connections.

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Before we look at the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) most wanted escapees and absconders, let's examine one of the most legendary escapes in Michigan corrections history.

The Great Jackson Robber Gang Escape of 1840

According to Pure Michigan, in 1940, Michigan's prison security was tested with its first mass escape. Back then, Jackson Prison was a collection of wooden walls that barely held back some of Michigan's roughest criminals. Ten inmates made a break for freedom and fled to Spring Arbor, where they terrorized the surrounding communities for the next two years.

Authorities eventually recaptured most of the fugitives, but two managed to escape justice entirely. This chaotic event signaled the start of prison upgrades, and the wooden walls were replaced with iron and stone—a prison fortress meant to contain the toughest in Michigan.

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Capturing eight of the ten convicts in 1940 is an impressive feat; however, much like the two prisoners who escaped justice, there are former Michigan inmates who are still on the run after successfully exiting their incarceration before the sentence is up.