Clinton Prison Medical and Psychiatric Diagnostic Files

Numeric by inmate number.

These files provide inmate medical and psychiatric reports, which appear to have been kept in conjunction with the Correction Law. The law provides for diagnostic clinic staff to determine physical and mental condition of inmates serving indeterminate terms and to do scientific studies and psychiatric evaluations of these inmates including career and life history, investigation of causes of crime, and recommendations for care, training and employment of inmates.

The information contained in the files includes the following kinds of reports: blotter record; medical history on admission; hospital history; social history summary report; psychologist's report; psychiatric report; admission classification; progress notes; classification cards; letters; mental tests; pre-parole report; and occasional supplementary records from other prisons in which inmate was incarcerated.

The blotter record contains basic admission information. The medical history on admission record provides extensive information on past and present medical status; hospital history records contain additional information on physical examination on admission and upon discharge. The social history summary report contains information in the following categories: family history; early adjustments; later adjustments; previous delinquent history; habits; present offense; psychiatric summary; and diagnosis. The psychologists' reports contain data on age, mental age, I.Q., test results, comments on tests, impressions (relating to job assignments), and mental skills. The psychiatric report discusses family history, personal history, criminal record, habits, and causes of delinquency. The pre-parole report summarizes information on the inmate's legal, institutional, and personal history; family situation; and community attitudes and parole programs.

Not all case files include every type of report, but combinations of the above records are included in most case files. In the later years of the series, particularly the 1950s and 1960s, reports on intelligence tests and various other diagnostic tests appear with increasing frequency and variety.

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.