Westfield State Farm Prison Division Receiving Blotters

Numerical by inmate consecutive number.

This series consists of four volumes of receiving blotters providing summary information on approximately 1,000 inmates received at the State Prison for Women located at the Westfield State Farm. The volumes cover the periods 1933 to 1939 and 1942 to 1952. The State Prison for Women was transferred from Auburn to Westfield in 1933. The receiving blotters contain one page of information on each inmate, compiled at the time the inmate was received.

Categories of information include: inmate name, consecutive number and color; nature and date of crime, place of crime, and names of accomplices; date of sentencing, date received, county and court of sentencing, and name of sentencing judge; term and date eligible for parole; place and date of birth; nativity of father and mother and if living or dead; age of inmate when parent died; number of siblings and sequence of inmate in family; marital status of inmate and number of children; use of alcohol and drugs; educational level reached; religion and church attendance; name and address of last three employers with nature of work and salary; permanent address and place of residence when arrested; name and address of nearest relative; and nature of previous crimes and names of institutions and dates of previous confinements.

Summary information on adult inmates is disclosable under law. State Archives staff will review records containing probation, parole, medical, and juvenile criminal history data and disclose information pursuant to the Freedom of Information Law and Personal Privacy Protection Law. The identity of victims of sex crimes is not disclosable. Unless a specific law forbids disclosure indefinitely, all records must be disclosed after 75 years.