The major concerns for the classification committee are the potential for escape and misbehavior while in prison. An individual's past escape history from custody is examined along with behavior while in jail. Enemies, if known and identified by either staff or the prisoner, are kept separated throughout their incarceration while those offenders needing special protection are assigned to "protection units" within various prisons.

Other arrangements can also be made to accommodate special needs prisoners such as placement in a federal prison for those offenders who would be difficult to protect in the Michigan system. Attempts are also made to classify the individual to an institution that offers programming that can meet the prisoner's special needs such as substance abuse, sex offender counseling, basic education or vocational training.