New York State Department of Correctional Services Central Depository Inmate Summary Cards

Alphabetical in several chronological sequences.

This series consists of summary cards (typically, about 4" x 6") for inmates at various state correctional facilities for the period from the 1890s to the mid 1980s. This series is not comprehensive. Cards between the 1940s and 1980s are more numerous than cards between the 1890s and 1930s.

The format and information on the cards vary over time and from one set of cards to another. Cards typically indicate the inmate name, various identification numbers, date of birth, race, crime(s) of which the inmate was convicted, facility(ies) at which the inmate was incarcerated, parole eligibility date, date of actual parole, date of discharge, and date of maximum expiration of sentence. Only a very few cards list the parents/siblings/spouse and other name aliases of the inmate.

21833-16 This accretion consists of summary cards arranged in two sequences. The first sequence (ca. 1965-1980) contains numerous cards of individual who were incarcerated in local correctional facilities in the downstate region of the state as well as cards similar to those for individual in the earlier accession. The second smaller sequence (ca. 1975-1992) consists of cards for "cooperative cases" for individuals who were paroled from other states who were placed under the supervision of the New York State Division of Parole.

The reason the cards were created is unknown. Possibly they were used to summarize inmate case folders in the Central Depository of the Department of Correctional Services.

Certain data in the cards is exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Law.