Brief case histories of male inmates
Statement on Language
Some content in this finding aid may contain offensive terminology. For more information on why this language is occasionally retained, see: New York State Archives Statement on Harmful Language in Descriptive Resources.
Overview of the Records
Repository
- New York State Archives
222 Madison Avenue
Albany, NY 12230
Summary
- This series consists of brief case histories of male inmates at the Western House of Refuge. Information may include inmate name and number; date received; from what court and location; age and birthday; nativity; health, habits, and occupation of parents; school attendance record; previous institutionalization; offenses, behavior, and habits before entering Western House; offense for which committed; inmate's character, intelligence, and prospects; and class (school grade) entered. Records are restricted.
Title
- Brief case histories of male inmates
Quantity
- 0.3 cubic feet; 3 volumes
Inclusive Dates
Series Number
- A3139
Creator
Arrangement
Chronological by admission date; also numeric by inmate number.
Scope and Content Note
These volumes contain a one- or two-paragraph narrative history for each of about 700 male inmates.
The histories may provide such information as: inmate name and number; date received; from what court and location; age and birthday; nativity; health, habits, and occupation of parents; if attended school regularly or at all; previous institutionalization; offenses, behavior, and habits before entering Western House; offense for which committed; comment on inmate's character, intelligence, and prospects; and class (school grade) entered.
There is no indication of who created these records or for what purpose, but several possibilities exist: these might be preliminary histories of inmates taken before completing the more detailed full case histories in series A1906, Male Inmate Case History Books; they might be early versions of the more detailed inmate case histories kept by the chaplains in series A3146, Chaplains' Registers of Inmate Case Histories; and they may be histories taken by the institution's teachers as part of the process of assigning inmates to school grades.
At least six volumes existed at one time, but only three are extant.
Custodial History
The Department of Social Welfare placed these records on loan to the Syracuse University Library from 1960-1977.
Access Restrictions
Restricted in accordance with Executive Law, Section 501-c(1)(b), relating to confidentiality of individuals in custody of the Division for Youth (now Office of Children and Family Services).
Access Terms
Corporate Name(s)
- New York (State). Division for Youth
- New York (State). State Agricultural and Industrial School
- New York (State). State Industrial School
Geographic Name(s)
Subject(s)
- Juvenile delinquents--Rehabilitation
- Inmate records
- Juvenile delinquency
- Reformatories
- Juvenile delinquents
- Juvenile detention homes
- Juvenile corrections