Parole Agents' daily reports

Each volume chronological by date of visit or other event.

The institution's first Visiting Agent was appointed in 1894, when the indenturing system was being replaced by the parole system of discharging inmates. The Visiting Agent visited the homes of new inmates and the home and prospective employer of each inmate to be paroled to ensure appropriate placement of the inmate; he made similar visits while the inmate was on parole to check on his progress. In 1901 Visiting Agents became Parole Agents.

Volumes tracking the progress of paroled inmates contain daily entries summarizing contacts with parolees and their families and employers.

The extent and type of information in the entries varies, but each may provide such information as: name and number of parolee visited; city and/or home address of parolee; who spoke to at home (e.g. parent or other relative); relatives' comments on parolee's progress; name and location of employer; and employer's comments concerning parolee.

Although most entries are brief (two or three sentences), some provide lengthy, detailed descriptions of the misbehavior or crimes committed by parolees. Occasional entries provide information on related activities of parole agents such as: taking inmates to court; helping inmates find employment; returning parole violators to the institution; and receiving visits or telephone calls from parolees or their relatives to discuss their employment, progress, living arrangements, arrests while on parole, etc. Some volumes were kept by only one parole agent; others contain entries made in several hands. Therefore, there is considerable overlapping of dates between volumes.

Volume list.

The Dept. of Correction placed these records on loan to the Syracuse University Library from 1960-1977.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.