Michigan to pilot new prison classification system to predict violence risks

The Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) announced that the system will be piloted at selected men’s prisons beginning December 1, 2026.

According to the department, the redesigned system is expected to improve the accuracy of predicting future violence among incarcerated individuals by approximately 30%.

Unlike the existing approach, which relies on information collected at scheduled intervals, the new system will allow prison officials to continuously review security classifications using updated data.

“Classifying prisoners at the security level that fits their current behaviors and needs keeps everyone safer — the individual, other incarcerated people, and correctional staff,” said MDOC Director Heidi E. Washington.

She added that the evidence-based approach is intended to make prisoner classification more objective and responsive to changes in behavior.

The initiative comes amid growing concerns over violence in U.S. correctional facilities. According to figures from the Safe Inside Project cited by MDOC, assaults on prison staff nationwide increased by 77% between 2019 and 2024, while assaults between incarcerated individuals rose by 54%.

To develop the system, Michigan partnered with Recidiviz, a nonprofit technology organization working with criminal justice agencies across 19 states.

The department currently supervises approximately 32,000 incarcerated individuals and operates four general population security levels: I, II, IV and V.

These classifications determine how freely prisoners can move, the level of supervision they require and their access to educational and rehabilitation programs. Individuals assigned to lower security levels generally have more opportunities to participate in vocational training and higher education.

The pilot is part of Michigan’s broader Safe Prison Initiative, which focuses on improving prison security and managing inmate populations. Since January, the department has announced plans to add 870 high-security beds, expand accessible accommodations and introduce changes to protective housing units.

Officials said the pilot will assess the new system’s effectiveness before any decision is made on wider implementation.

Earlier, Qazinform reported that Singapore introduced an autonomous prison patrol robot designed to monitor inmates, detect security threats and assist correctional officers during violent incidents.