Finding Aid Search

Title

Governor printed reports and studies

Series Number

B0294

Summary

Executive Chamber staff maintained this report file to track the status of current policies and issues. The file includes draft and final versions of the governor's annual messages to the legislature; reports and plans of state agencies, commissions, task forces, advisory boards, councils, and private businesses hired by the state; state budget records; and statistical reports. These reports cover numerous subjects, such as: health care; child welfare; domestic violence; substance abuse; crime; gambling; education; economic conditions; tourism; and pollution.

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Daily record of escapes

Series Number

A3059

Summary

This series consists of a chronological register of escapes from the State Agricultural and Industrial School. Information includes date; inmate name; name of colony or hospital from which escaped; inmate number, age, county of residence; and date of return or location if not returned. Records are restricted.

Creator

• New York (State). State Agricultural and Industrial School

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).

Title

Registers of outgoing inmates

Series Number

A3067

Summary

This series contains information on inmates discharged or transferred to another institution. Information includes name; date left institution; number of years/months in school; grade level; shop or type of work done; farm colony; and to whom sent: name of person or institution if transferred, address, and relationship. Also included is a register of inmates who escaped during the period from June 30, 1902 to February 12, 1919.

Creator

• New York (State). State Agricultural and Industrial School

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).

Title

Inmate misconduct book

Series Number

A3073

Summary

This series cites incidents of inmate misbehavior in the Western House of Refuge. Entries contain the inmates' name and number, the date, and the offense. Examples of misbehavior include poor work, impudence or disobedience to staff, profanity, and disorderliness, fighting, and stealing. Records are restricted.

Creator

• Western House of Refuge for Juvenile Delinquents (Rochester, N.Y.)

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).

Title

Minutes of meetings of a special committee of the Board of Visitors

Series Number

A3057

Summary

This series consists of meeting minutes in the form of hearing transcripts from a committee investigating the problem of runaways at the Agricultural and Industrial School. Testimony included personality traits of good supervisors; methods of discipline and preventing runaways; punishing runaways; frequency of home visits; past and present conditions at the school; reasons for inmates running away; criteria for assigning inmates to colonies; and possibility of regular meetings of cottage supervisors to exchange ideas on treatment and discipline of inmates.

Creator

• New York (State). State Agricultural and Industrial School

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Registers of commitments

Series Number

A3053

Summary

This series contains lists of male inmates committed from each county except for New York, Kings, and Richmond. Registers provide date admitted, name and occasionally a notation if recommitted. Also included is a typescript county list of inmates paroled from the New York State Training School at Warwick whose supervision was transferred to the State Agricultural and Industrial School but who were never actually in the institution. Records are restricted.

Creator

• New York (State). State Agricultural and Industrial School

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).

Title

Industrial School parole badge book

Series Number

A3250

Summary

This series contains information used to track male and female inmates eligible or under consideration for parole. Inmates earned badges and parole eligibility through consecutive weeks of good behavior. Information may include inmate name and number; badges earned; address; religion; name and occupation of parent or guardian, disposition/parole; age; credit including number of badges earned; parole occupation and notations such as "go to school" or "to work in shoe shop". Records are restricted.

Creator

• New York (State). State Industrial School

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).

Title

Minutes of the Board of Managers and Board of Visitors

Series Number

A1900

Summary

These minutes were compiled by the board secretary. An entry for each meeting begins with the date and a list of the members present, followed by a summary of the proceedings. Included are verbatim transcripts or copies of resolutions and reports considered by the board. Much of the business conducted by the board was based on information contained in reports submitted by board committees and by the superintendent and other institution officials.

Creator

• New York (State). State Agricultural and Industrial School

Access Restrictions

Restricted in part 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).

Title

Intercepted letters to an inmate

Series Number

A3255

Summary

This series consists of transcripts of one inmate's incoming correspondence. Since the institution's superintendent held the originals; it is unlikely that the inmate received the letters. The letters which discuss his and other youths' activities may have been used to help make a parole decision and/or to monitor the inmate's associations once on parole. Subjects include crimes committed or planned and/or arrests of and legal proceedings against youths; parties; drinking; sexual encounters and the inmate's chances of being released.

Creator

• New York House of Refuge

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Daybooks

Series Number

B1740

Summary

This series documents operating expenses for nearly the entire period during which the House of Refuge was open. Format and type of information collected changes over time but generally include itemized description of goods or services purchased. Expense categories typically include manufacturing (including shop and farm); provisions; utilities; clothing; furniture; salary; building and grounds; school; hospital; transportation and laundry. Later volumes include Cash receipts and appropriations.

Creator

• New York House of Refuge

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Rough notes for Chaplains' registers of inmate case histories

Series Number

A3140

Summary

Chaplains functioned as parole agents and were required to keep records of inmates' background, behavior, and progress at the institution and to supervise their parole. This series consists of rough notes for Chaplains' Registers of Inmate Case Histories (series A3146) from the State Industrial School. Information may include inmate name and number; where from; offense; date received; age when received; parents' names and if deceased; educational background; religious training; and present status (e.g. married; living with mother). Records are restricted.

Creator

• New York (State). State Industrial School

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).

Title

Minutes of the Board of Classification

Series Number

A1964

Summary

This series documents the actions and decisions of the Board of Classification who determined parole requirements or transfer options. Minutes includes meeting dates; board members present; names of inmates and actions taken regarding their parole or division assignments; and inmate's offense or other cause of the Board's action or decision (sometimes). Minutes after November 1, 1898 consist mostly of lists, providing inmate's name; action taken regarding the inmate; parole date and sometimes the reasons for actions taken.

Creator

• New York (State). State Agricultural and Industrial School

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).

Title

New York State Agricultural and Industrial School admission registers

Series Number

A1970

Summary

This series contains background information compiled upon inmate admission. Information may include; inmate name and institutional number; age; occupation; nativity; offense; committing court, county and judge; previous commitments and arrests; religion; physical attributes; habits, family status; parents' names, residence, occupation, and arrest record; education; school grade; shop assignment; and admission, discharge and/or parole dates.

Creator

• New York (State). State Agricultural and Industrial School

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).

Title

Chaplain's rough notes on parole and religious instruction of inmates

Series Number

A3141

Summary

Chaplains functioned as parole agents and were required to keep records of inmates' background, behavior, and progress at the institution and to supervise their parole. This series consists of Chaplain's notes on paroled inmates receiving religious instruction. Information includes name, to whom and date paroled; type of parole, address; parole status, date returned; and subsequent parole dates. Also included are communion class lists and a list of inmates who pledged to stay away from alcohol. Records are restricted.

Creator

• New York (State). State Industrial School

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).

Title

New York House of Refuge visitors' registers

Series Number

A2075

Summary

All visitors to the institution were required to sign in. These volumes list the name, city, state or country of each visitor. Visitors included legislators, jurors, students, teachers, professors, and members of the state legislature. Most visitors were from the New York City area; others included 25 other states, Washington D.C., Latin America, the West Indies, Canada, Europe, India, China, and Japan.

Creator

• New York House of Refuge

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Scrapbooks

Series Number

A2078

Summary

Scrapbooks consist mostly of news clippings concerning conditions at the House of Refuge (Vol. 1 and 2) and crime and prison conditions in New York (Vol. 5) and throughout the United States (Vols. 3 and 4).. Included are programs for shows/events and clippings related to the Freedom of Worship Act and investigations into conditions and management at the institution; and clippings about violent crimes, prisons, prison conditions, parole systems and the United States legal system.

Creator

• New York House of Refuge

Access Restrictions

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

Title

Recidivism study files

Series Number

16574

Summary

This series consists primarily of microfilmed case records for approximately 3,000 incarcerated males, aged sixteen to twenty years old, processed through the Elmira Reception Center from 1945-1965. The case files represent a ten percent random stratified sample of all individuals processed through the facility and served as source documents for a study in recidivism made by the Department of Correction in 1967. The series also contains documentation of the Reception Center Research Project.

Creator

• New York (State). Department of Correction

Access Restrictions

Summary information on adult incarcerated individuals 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.

Title

Registers of male inmates' educational level

Series Number

A1968

Summary

This series consists of information about inmates' educational level which was used for school placement. Information may include name; age; date reviewed for school placement; occupation; spelling, reading, writing, and mathematical ability; knowledge of geography, history, grammar, or religion; use of profanity, tobacco, alcohol; and parents health and habits. Also included are typescripts of some Board of Classification meeting minutes relating to the creation of four school divisions and subsequent inmate assignments. Records are restricted.

Creator

• New York (State). State Industrial School

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).

Title

Pupils' record cards

Series Number

A2086

Summary

These cards document the school conduct and ability of inmates. They generally include: inmate name and number; birth date; name and location of school(s) previously attended; how long out of school; date entered class at House of Refuge; days present, absent and late each term; letter grades for conduct and for work; subjects not proficient in; and date of parole, transfer to another school, or other discharge information.

Creator

• New York House of Refuge

Access Restrictions

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

Title

New York House of Refuge indenturing committee meeting minutes

Series Number

A2092

Summary

This committee met periodically with the Superintendent to review matters concerning inmate apprenticeships. Minutes document committee actions on the: review of applications from prospective master ( include applicant's name and relationship to the inmate, inmate's name, case number and committee's decision); review of the master's conduct reports for apprenticed inmates; requests by masters to absolve indentures; attempts to recover runaway inmates; rules governing apprenticeships; and review of parole requests.

Creator

• House of Refuge (New York, N.Y.)

Access Restrictions

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